The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-09-21
] HER IDEAL HUSBAND !

manner of its expression than her friend,
Madam Morrow, when Ethel plainly in
formed her that she declined to marry a
man "old enough to be her father"
In her girlsh fancy she had woven
certain sweet pictures of her ideal love,
whom she had never seen, but to whom
she had been betrothed in infancy.
The nearest approach to this ideal was
DIR. Macy, who had attended her in a
severe sickness. Had he proposed she
would have accepted him; but he didn't
Her fancy, however, received a severe
shock when she received a letter which
informed her that her guardian would be
there the next day to claim his little
bride, while Madam Morrow, quite at a
loss to account for this sudden change Of
sentiment, having been kept in blissful
ignorance of the mischief wrought within
the past few months, -strove in vain to ex-
postulate with her.
II think | might at least have been al
lowed a choice" sobbed Ethel passion
ately. But no; instead of being treated
like free, rational creature l am inn
prisoned at school until my lord and mas
ter chooses to come and take me. No
doubt he is seine fussy, snuff taking old
bachelor. without an idea in his head ex-
cept his meals and his rheumatism.
"My dear" expostulated the lady
anew, ~ am really shocked at such Ian
guage. am sure his letters to you would
refute any such charge, and the stead
iness of maturer years is decidedly in his
favor in my opinion
1T isn't in mine, then" Ethel retorted.
"Age and youth were never meant to go
together, and old husbands are proverbi-
ally jealous and tyrannical. As to his
letters, I've no fancy for loving, senti-
mental nonsense copied out of some
Complete Letter Writer palmed off on
me. I'd give more for one spoken word
that knew was original than for 90
written ones. It's too cruel to think of
1t, and / wish ! was deadw And Ethel
went off in another paroxysm, while her
preceptress retired in silent and hopeless
perplexity, leaving her to recover from
it at her leisure.
But tears and protestations were alike
unavailing to ward off the revolution OF
time The hours went inexorably on,
and despite the somewhat Eighty visions
of flight, elopement, suicide or some other
desperate resort by which to evade the
impending calamity, the appointed day
and hour found her sitting in her room,
pale, moody, but in perfectly unimpaired
health and physical condition, without
any indications of decline or any nat
ural or supernatural escape from her
fate. The massive doorbell changed pres
emily, and then knock came to her door,
and the automaticike servant of the
house in a woodeny voice delivered her
self of the announcement. "A gentleman
to see Miss Ethel in the parlor," and then
retired, while Ethel, after a moments
rebellious declaration that she wouldn't
go down--he might wait there until
doomsday for all she caredp' changed
her mind with characteristic feminine
consistency and left her room with a
slow step and sinking heart
The parlor door was ajar, and, entering
with downcast eyes, she almost ran
against the tall figure standing before
one of the windows. Then she looked up,
with start, and gave utterance to cry
of surprise as she found herself face to
face with DR.. Macy, whom she had not
seen for the week past.
For moment she stood trembling, ST.
lent; then, forgetting everything in the
wild, passionate tide of mingled love and
grief that swept over her, she extended
both her hands.
ooh, Dr. Macy, have you come at
last?'
The young physicians hands closed
over hers with a fervent, thrilling pres
sure; his dark eyes rested on her face, in
stinct with the sentiment she had longed
to see there.
"Yes, my darling, have come for you
for you only-to take you home," he
answered.
"Home! Where?" she repeated. be-
wildered by his words.
A mysterious smile irradiated Dr.
Macy's handsome face. Then he drew
her closel with a fond, confident clasp.
ITO the home that has been awaiting
my little wife for eight long years. Will
she come to it?'
But Ethel struggled from his hold and
stood staring ut him with widely distend-
ed eyes.
"Wha, do you mean? 1t cannot be
possible that-that"-
''That Dir. Macy Thornton is Ethel's
long expected guardian?" was the smil-
ing answer. "Why not, my darling? If
chose TO see my prospective wife a lit
tie before the time and after finishing my
medical studies abroad, came here to see
and love her far better than / had imag
ined possible, am | less welcome in her
eyes?"
.But my guardian is an older man than
you -old enough to be my father" STAN
mered Ethel
"Who told you soF" asked DIR. Macy.
his dark eyes dancing with merriment.
why. nobody. ! always imagined it.
1t was my only idea of guardian"
Most happily dispelled. | trust" said
DIR. Macy, approaching her again. "Ah,
my faithless little sweetheart. have
read your secret all along. and. although
not old enough for such q guardian az
You fancied, l am just old enough to be
your husband, darling. Will you try me
and seey'
But she couldn't say anything for
moment, and when she did speak her an
swer was too low to reach any ears save
those for whom it was intended. How
ever, when Madam Morrow entered the
parlor, an hour later, she was as much
surprised as her pupil. And in the we'd
ding that followed there was not a
shadow to mar the radiant brightness of
the young brides face as she gave her
self into the keeping Of the handsome
physician. so happily reconciled and iden
titled with her long expected and lately
dreaded guardian, New York News.
Literary Irrigation.
"Your latest novel seems very dry"