Middletown transcript., 1901-06-08
I" Mine Own Familiar Friend." !"
By ELSIE SNOWE.


~ the contrary, we had been
~ SO poor in worldly wealth
~ that hope it may be
considered excusable in
me- if 7 felt almost hght-headed when
Suddenly inherited little fortune OF SlO,-
ooo bnt the dizzy sensation was pro-
duced by pure joy, and in no sense by
conceit, or any form of the evil de-
scribed by the apostle as being puheu
ND. or 'vaunting ones SELF"
I was already an old maid, that is to
saw, 1 was nearing thirty, and the one
romance of my life had been my engage
ment to Oscar Eckstrom. He was
clever young Swede, of good station
in his own country, and OF marked
ability as an engineer, by which trade
he had hoped to make sufficient IN.
come to permit him to take on hlmseil
the expense OF a wife, and mother
in-law; for my dear mother, who was
helpless invalid, had go long been a
mart of me that the man who married
the daughter would be obliged to con-
slider the mother as part of her while
she lived. This often troubled my dear
mother. but would not allow her TO
speak Of it, or indeed to think OF IT,
either, SO far as I could prevent 1t.
Oscar and I had now been engaged
for about five years, but, although he
was steady and industrious. the time
when we could appoint our wedding
day had not yet come, and | still re-
tained nv position in the school where
l had been first appointed to the pri-
mary department, when I was not yet
fifteen years of age. My salary made
comfortable support for my mother
and myself, and Oscar was each week
laying a small sum in bank, and we
confidently looked forward to better
and brighter days to come.
And behold they came-in way we
had hardly anticipated. My Uncle Sam
mel. after whom, as he had been my
mothers only brother, I had been named,
died in some far away place in Austria
liza, leaving ME what at first seemed the
almost fabulous sum of $4,000.
Perhaps girl who had been lowered
with the name of Samuella really de-
served a compensation of that sort, but
don't know if thought that way about
it, being just so happy and grateful that
was simply light-headed, and my Joy
was not even tempered by sorrow at
the loss of my uncle, for had never
seen him in my life.
In every way was glad and grateful
over my inheritance.
In the first place Oscar and | could
now be married; in the second place
long years in the school room, and
series of vacations spent in the hot city,
had taxed my strength more than |
dared confess to myself (although the
doctor had commanded rest, and a
summer in the country for both my
mother and myself), and lastly, could
indulge in the extravaga9ce OF having
my one girl friend come aai pay me
visit.
had long known OF cozy little house
in the country, which ! could get on easy
terms at any time when l was in the
position to bid for it; my first act now
was to take advantage of this lucky
chance.
I then sent in my resignation of my
position in school, and procured a sub,
stitute for the balance of the term, for
1 was not going to sacrifice the early
spring beauty of the country-the months
of April and May, which had always
seemed to me the true holiday of the
vear-and then Oscar and l had little
talk about our long-delayed wedding
day. At last we decided on the first o
September, and 1 gave myself up to the
luxury of few days of shopping, no
mere looking in show windows and price
| ing of goods, but genuine shopping, fo
| 1 had my modest little trousseau tt
prepare, and except my wedding dres
and bonnet, had determined to maxi
everything I required with my owl
hands.
By the end of week I was settled il
nv dear little cottage home, and thougl
Oscar had complained of the long tim
to wait, soon realized how wise [ hat
been to put off my wedding-day 10
several months to come, for what will
the gardening to do and my sewing,
was we'll if l would be quite ready b.
September.
Three evenings in the week Oscar cam
to see me. The railroad journey wa
about half an hours duration, and
allowed him to remain from $50 til
$50, and though the three bright hour
flew by almost like minutes, the memor
Of them fingered with us both durin
every moment of the time between, an
elch time when we met again we re
sumed our conversation almost at tn
word where we had dropped it on tn
evening before.
OF course | had long since written t
Clare, and she had promised to come t
me as soon as l was settled in my ne'
home, and though she had not yet name
the day on which I might expect her,
was not in the least surprised when sh
appeared one evening, in the middle {
May, in company with Oscar. I kne'
her in a moment, and far off, though
had not seen her for years, and l thrille
with delight to see that she was as prett
as ever-prettier, indeed, as I soon d.
cided when became once more accu
toned to her face.
"We arrived from different points {
the compass at the same time, almost,
she exclaimed, gayly, "and I was sti
inquiring my way when Mr.. Eckstron
hearing your name, and guessing &
mine, was so good as to take charge {
me and bring me here, and one of tn
natives, who drove very dilapidate