The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-07-05

the Seelys knew.
"Not Weyman street, Harvey" sale
his father, appealingly.
"Certainly; Weyman street," Har
vey repeated.
"But she is not-she cannot be O
good family, living in Weyman street,
said Mrs. Seely, anxiously.
"The family is quite respectable
her son responded quietly. "Dora's
mother is widow. She scws for s
lace goods house, and Dora has beer
assistant bookkeeper in our establish
ment; that is how l met her."
Mrs. Seely groaned.
"a bookkeeper-a seamstress!" she
calculated. ooh, Harvey, you could
not have done worse!"
"a penniless grill" said his father
solemniy. "And after all we have
hoped for you! No; it could not be
worse"
"A common working girll' said
Kitty, in choking voice. "And
everybody will know ii! Oh, Harvey
i: couldn't be wors,!'
The young man looked from one tc
another in astonished, hurt and half
contemptuous silence.
Margery turned to him, with a gen
tie sympathy mingling with the dis.
may in her face.
"Perhaps," she said, hopefully
'perhaps there is something to make
up? Perhaps she is wonderful beauty
or great genius, or something?"
Harvey gave her grateful smile.
II think her pretty, of course" be
said. "But suppose that's because
I'm fond of her. l don't think she
would be called beauty. And as for
genius she's very clever at accounts;
bu: she doesn't sing, or paint, or any
thing of that sort. She's never had
the time or money for such things,
poor girl!'
But Margery had turned away with
an impatient gesture.
"There is nothing then," she said,
despairinyly. "No; it couldn't be
worsew
Harvey rose from his seat, with an
energy which set the bell in the castor
jingling.
"This is absurd" he said, indignant
ly. at is more than absurd; it is un-
Just and narrow. minded. How sensi-
ble-presumably sensible people" Har-
vey corrected, rather bitterly, ''can
say, in regard to person they have
never seen, that it could not be worse,
is past my comprehension"
1--WE will not talk of it, said Mrs.
Seely, holding up a restraining hand.
"Discussion will not mend matters.
And YOU are to he married next
month";"
"On the NINTH" Harvey rejoined.
"Of course you will all he there?' he
added. rather dubiously.
"By no means!' said his father,
shortly.
"You could hardly expect It," said
Mrs. Seely, reproachfully.
Every veil, if Mohammed won't
come You've heard the observa-
ton. We shall pay you visit imme-
d,ately on our return from our we'd
ding tour, with your kind permission.
You must know Dora"
When he left the house, an hour
later, he had the required permission.
His mother and the girls had even
kissed him good-by, in an injured and
reproachful way; and his father had
shaken hands, coolly.
But his ears still rang with that
odious assertion, "It could not be
worse!" and he was thoughtful all the
way back to the city.
The Seelys were in state of sub
dued excitement.
Harvey's wedding tour was CON-
pleted; and they had received a tele-
gram that afternoon to the effect that
he would be con hand" tonight, with
his new wife.
The dining-room table was set for
dinner; and Mrs. Scely wandered from
one end of it to the other, nervously.
Her husband sat under the chande-
lier with his evening newspaper; but
he was not reading it. Kitty and
Margery huttered about uneasly,
watching through the window for the
carriage from the railroad station.
~ hope" said Margery, with a ner-
vcus attempt at cheerfulness, "that she
will be barely decent-presentable.
Think of the people who will call! l
hope she won't be worse than we're
prepared to see her."
"She couldn't be-" said Mrs. Seely,
dismally.
There was roll of wheels, and the
twinkle of the carriage-lamp at the
door, and the bell rang sharply.
Kitty and Margery clasped hands
in sympathetic agitation; Mr. Seely
dropped his newspaper and arose; and
Mrs. Seely advanced toward the hall
door with dignity.
1t opened wide before she could reach
it, and Harvey entered, his face suf-
fused with genial, blissful smiles.