Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-10
TIE PROVERB JUSTIFIED.


was bank clerk with an income of
800 year and was already beginning
to talk of ha, ing reached that age when
"fellow ought to think of settling
down"
His manner of setting about it was
as follows Among the customers OF
the bank there was a worthy farmer of
the name of Bollard, who lived 10
miles north of Cambridge. an another
of the name of Lyddiard, who dwelt
rather further TO the south of the town.
Each of these was what is known as
warm man and Geoifrey's position
In the bank allowed him to estimate
fairly accurately the particular degree
Of their monetary temperature. Each
farmer had q family and each had
offered hospitality to the bright-man-
nered young clerk whom he knew to be
living alone in lodgings. His friend
ship, grew until it became regular
thing for him to pass week-ends at one
or other of the two farms.
This went on for some months, the
young man alternately paying court to
the dark Kate Bollard and the fair
Bertha Lyddiard.
One August evening he was walking
through cornfield with Kate Bollard,
when she rallied him on his being so
quiet "all at once" He stammered an
excuse that there was some worrying
business at the bank which he could
not get out of his head; he was really
considering his position with these
two families; was half deciding in favor
Of the absent fair, but said to himself
that he'd wait until the Surfing before
really settling down" Conversation
started on bank business. Godfrey
went OF to say how dull it was to live
all the week in lodgings and what a
delight 1T was when he could snatch
week END to visit the farm.
"Why don't you come oftener, Mr..
Huntl You know we are all always
glad to see YOU"
.'Allf' said Godfrey, with that slight
falling of the voice which says better
than words, "Apd you, too?''
The girls quick ear caught the in
tonation and she replied with blush
rs though the words had been actually
spoken:
lyon know how glad l always am
when you come"
How great events from small occasions
spring has been sung by many poet
and that monosyllable 'all" was the
small lever which ran the talk on the
purely personal lines, for that evening
Godfrey and Kate returned to Hoylake
farm an engaged couple.
During the following weok young
Hunt was alternately in the seventh
heaven Of delight and in a state of half
despondency. He was complacently
gratified when thinking of himself as
the accepted lover of handsome Kate
eldest daughter of rich Mr.. Bollard of
Hoylake farm, and then at .such a
moment fair face would obtrude itself
upon his memory and he found himself
wondering whether he had chosen the
right girl after all.
What made the young man more I'M
comfortable was the thought that he
had promised to sEond the next follow
ing week end at both farms! He had
promised the Lyddiards some time be-
fore, but when kissing farewell to his
betrothed in the shadow of the rising
wheat-ricks he could not say Mo-
when she asked him to be there tine next
week. To do him justice, Hunt fully
intended to write to the Lyddiards and
make such excuse as ran easiest off his
pen; but ''the best laid plans of mice
and men gang aft agley. p" On Friday
afternoon Farmer LSddiard was in the
bank transacting some business, and
on leaving said:
"Ah! Mr.. Hunt, don't forget you're
coming to liven us up tomorrow.
/ "The pleasure is too great for me tc
forget it, !" came the ready response.
Bertha will meet you at the station.
The usual train, suppose?"
THANK you very much, will do my
best to catch it. -
v, MT Rnl
lovers wordy nothing twice during the
week and thought that by being yet {
little more ardent in bis phrasing ht
could soften the blow caused by hi.
absence enforced, as he stated. by tn,
serious business which he had men
toned to her before.
1t is the happy faculty Of the read,
liar that lie comes almost to believl
the stories which he fabricates, anC
therefore his lies come eventually t.
cease to irritate his conscience at all
Godfrey Hunt set out Tor Lyddiard
farm Oh the first Saturday in Septembe
with an easy mind. AS though b,
reaction he met Bertha with something
more than his usual frlendliness O
manner. The warmth of his greeting
sent fash of pleasure into her fac
and she drove through the level countr
lanes feeling the delight that comes O
being loved and unconsciously betray
ing that feeling to her companion az,
betrayin also her love tor him.
Godfrey Hunt was generally locke
upon by his friends as a PARTICULAR
z leVel-headed young man, but durin
that drive his mind was in a whirl
This he thought, sis the girl
really love. Why did l speak to Kate
4 why" Then there flashed throue
his mind the thought that after all
promise Was only promise and h
determined to enjoy Bertha's societ
to the full and leave the future to TAX
care CT itself. For young man VIII
rallied at circumstance Godfrey wa
certainly behaving very foolishly
thus handing himself over blindfoldeC
80 to speak, to the future, and h
realized as much before finding himse
back at his bank desk.
When Godfrey and Bertha drove II
from the station the young lady
mother noted her heightened color, h,
sparkling eyes and general animation
and, having noted them, with quic
maternal instinct, was not slow
speaking to her husband on the sui
ject. The result of this conversatic
was Immediate, for Mr.. Lyddisrd pride
himself upon being plain-spoken maj
who hated shilly -shallying aud beatir
about the bush. After supper was ov
Mrs. Lyddiard and Bertha retired
bed, and Mr.. lyddiard and the que
sat on to smoke last pipe and drink
mug of home brewed.
Nov, look here. Mr.. Hunt So