The daily morning Alaskan. (Skagway, Alaska) 1899-1904, 1900-12-29
d: e.. Al. "A. ..A.."..A ."..p.
: Tie SQuire'S Hobbu i

Squire Harding had a hobby. 1t was
health. He would marry none but a
healthy woman.
Gladys Ray had just come from a
years stay with her grandparents in
New York and was barely 16. Pretty 2
Well, that Is no word for it. She was
just as lovely as, new blown rose.
And she was as good as she was pretty
and as loving as she was good, and every
Dne would have seen 1t was out of the
question for her to marry Squire Hard
Ing, worldly man of 40, with a shrewd
rye for the main chance.
She was just as unselfish as a SUM-
beam, as impulsive as kitten, as guile
less as violet and cared nothing for the
position Squire Harding could offer his
wife. She never knew what to say to
him when he came to Clematis cottage,
as her home was called-was afraid of
his bass Voice and shy Of his facetious-
ness, and yet he came and came, and her
father encouraged his suit, and Gladys
was told she must agree to marry him.
Must, because business was dull, and
there was a mortgage on Clematis cot
tage, and there was no sense in a girl re-
fusing such a chance. or course, she
time.
She had no mother, but her brothers
protested, telling her that she was a
goose, and at last the poor girl was har-
assed into making a half promise that
perhaps some time she would"
But her father at once set in motion
preparations for the wedding and sent
for Aunt Phoebe.
IL;
full needlewoman, but, what was more in
Gladys case, she was a person with a
heart.
One morning she went into Gladys
chamber and found the girl hastily put
ting away letter-a letter postmarked
New York and directed to herself in the
boldest and handsomest of chirography.
Having put the letter under lock and
key, Gladys turned silently to be meas.
ured for a new embroidered waist.
"Are you tired, GladysT Aunt Phoebe
asked.
"a little" replied the girl.
didn't you rest we'll last nightT
mot very"
"Gladys, you are my dear dead sisters
child Tell me what ails you"
"Oh, auntie, my heart achesw
And she put her face on the broad, wo-
manly shoulder and burst into tears.
''There, there, dearie! knew it was a
heart trouble. Tell auntie all about it.
don't believe you want to marry Squire
Harding"
81 don't-I don'tr' sobbed Gladys.
"Then you shan't marry him! I'll put
a stop to this work, sure as my name is
Phoebe Ray! don't know how now, but
I willp'
One morning she presented herself Mt
Squire Harding's door and was shown
into his private room where he received
his clients.
"Sit down, madam, sit down." said the
squire.
"The subject of my call is my niece"
"Ahw
eyes. l suppose you will be deeply in
terested in this?''
Certainly, certainly! Anything which
concerns my pretty little Gladys! All,
that is an uncommon girl, Mrs. Ray-sc
gentle, so fair, so healthy
"Ahemr' croaked Aunt Phoebe om.
nously.
"What, dear Mrs. Ray! Is not Gladys
well?"
Ear from itv'
"You amaze me! Has some outrageous
disease approached that lovely girl?"
Aunt Phoebe shook her head and SOL
EMMY said:
Chronic"
"What-what is it?"
"a heart trouble" pronounced Aunt
Phoebe solemnly. What the poor child
suffers from it NO words can tell"
Eyes, yes! Well, now, my dear lady,
what course ought l to pursue under
these remarkable circumstances? With
my peculiar views on the subject Of
health-my very decided views-I really
cannot be expected to proceed as Tiff
the circumstances were different"
81 don't know anything about that. |
cannot advise yoH But feel as if l
had done my duty"
"But lean l honorably retract? Can
l withdraw from my proposalY'
"My brother-in-law is of a very choleric
temper. 1 cannot say. But you might
be called away"
81 am called away. l have urgent
business in Liverpool, and l am the man
who should be on the spot. No indirect
agency will prevail. shall go abroad at
once, Mrs. Ray. And Miss Gladys-she
is very pretty-no doubt may supply my
place in the course of year with some
one who-who has not the peculiar and
very decided views on health that hold.
And you-since you seem a lady of I'M
common sense and superior ideas of the
influence toto
way, of course"
- ha IN
an end, and two days later the squire
sailed for Liverpool. The news came to
the Rays like thunderbolt, for the ia
Their and son had prospectively secured
a large slice of the good fortune from
Gladys wedding the rich squire. But he
was gone-for year or more, report said
and after furious and senseless anger
against Gladys, the poor girl was left in
peace.
When Aunt Phoebe went home to her
quiet seaside dwelling at Bayport, she
took Gladys with her on visit, and one
day she privately wrote letter to Dick
Archer, who she had learned through
Gladys grandfather was a most promis-
ing young man.
The result of this letter was to bring
the young gentleman also to Bayport on
a visit, and the young people had plenty
of time m which to plight their vows and
take wise counsel with good Aunt Phoebe,
Through her influence Archer was soon
prosperously established in life, and now,
in happy motherhood, happy and rosy
with her own rosy babies, Gladys, the
wife of a good husband, has far less
heart tronhle.-Wayerlx- Magazine