The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1900-04-20
HOW TO WIN A WIFE.
SGT DON'T know how to answer you.
Your news is very hard for me to bear.

Your news is very hard for me to bear.
/ feel angry, Herman"
The statement was not needed to betrayl
the state Of the old gentlemans feelings as
he faced his nephew. Every feature Dc
t.ayed the anger which he spoke. Every
nerve was on the culver from its intensity.
For wears this boy had been as his own son;
reared by him; educated at his expense. lie
had watched him grown from boy INTO
manhood, and had gloried in the bright, IN
telligent, manly man that he had become;
Sloried in it az much as though 1t had been
his son instead of nephew.
But in al those years OF care the boy had
never once taken step of importance to
himself without consulting the uncle. He
had asked his advice in all things. and ac-
cepted it when gwen. During his boyhood
school days it was Uncle Noel who assisted
with the hard problems; it was Uncle Noel
who settled the little disputes with his boy
friends On the farm it was Uncle Noel
who settled upon the horse he should have
for his own, and, later, it was Uncle Noel
who helped to decide upon the college he
should attend And in this, the most i'm
portant of all questions, Uncle Noel had not
been asked for advice.
Herman Clayton, himself the picture of
sorrowful Armament. looked at his uncle
in silence as the old man spoke with angry
vehemence.
He was n tall stalwart young man of "a,
with fresh, handsome face, now deeply
clouded. Ills uncle was not over 30, but an
appearance Of III health made him seem
much older. His usual palior crrpt once
more over his flushed, excited face before
he spoke again to Herman. and his angry
voice was gentle as he said:
Il was hasty, Herman, hurt and surprised.
Tell me, how did it happen:"
Il scarcely know how to tell you, sir. re-
Piled Herman, respectfully.
Where did you meet this girl!'
Miss Gordon" said Herman, was very
intimate with Mr.. Delvine's daughters. /
met her there. Mr.. Delvine bade me well
come in his house as soon as l became bis
clerk"
you. met her at Delvine's? Well"
Il loved her-that is all.
'.All? Enough, should think And she
loves you. suppose. or should not have
heard all this!"
''She loves me" said the young man. with
pardonable pride
"oh, Hermann Why couldn't you have
fallen in love with one of the Delvine girlss
Nice, domestic, homehke girls, that would
have made a home for you. know this il
an idle. stuck'up girl"
~ think you misjudse her, uncle"
''She is John Gordon's daughter. l can
never welcome her here-never."
II hope you will not hold to that resolu-
ton, Uncle Noel"
II suppose you were influenced some by
the $4,000 her mother left her"
II didn't know that she had cent
Her mother kept that safely enough and
left 1t to the daughter. ! knew that at the
time she died. Oh, my lad. think better OF
it! Money is not everything.
IT never heard of her money until this
minute, uncle. do so wish you would see
her"
II see her. Never. If you marry John
Gordon's daughter you may take leave OF
me and the farm"
Twill you tell me why one of Mr.. Delvine's
daughters would have suited you any bet
teri"
There was dead silence in the room for
some minutes. After this Uncle Noel spoke
at last in low tones, as If he was reading
instead Of converting:
when was young man, Herman, not
older than you, was working on this farm
for old Squire Haywood, who was very fond
Of me. was only farm hand, yet the old
SQUIRE always chose me TO drive him out
or to do any business that required trusty
person. He had no iamily, 80 it made quite
stir when his sister died In New York and
his daughter came to live on the farm. She
was the handsomest woman l ever saw in
my rfe-only II, hut with all the seli.posses-
sion OF a woman Of 30. was, as said, often
about her uncle and met Alicia frequently.
She was 20 kind to me, had so many winning
ways, that she had my heart in her grasp in
less than a week Yet how was |, poor
country boy, to know it vas skiuful coQue<-
~. the sport of dirt?
Then John Gordon, the city lawyer.
came, and he, too, loved her. proposed to
Alicia and was rejected. Gordon proposed
and was accepted have outgrpwn that
Authorization. my lad. yet at what a cost.
Herman, do not ask me to welcome the child
Of John and Alicia hero. l cannot do it."
Her parents are dead replied Herman.
"She lives with her fathers SISTER"
81 know John died insolvrnt aud Alicia
only lived a few years after her husband"
"Uncle Noel. 0npot give GlHdysup, but
| promise never to bring her home as my
wife until you consent 20 our marriage. VIII
you see herr"
NO, 90, wait till I die, Herman. DR..
Dodge snys won't live long. have never
been confined to my room, still grow
weaker. wish had good servant. Eliza
Is wazteful. imp0dent and inclined to Do dis
honest"
81 viii drive over 10 Tourney tomorrow,
and secure good servant, uncle" He did
50. and escorted his companion to hisuncle's
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