Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-09-18
GOING TO
BE MARRIED

out . pian whereby YOU may be relieved Of all
anxiety concerning your future. The matter being
one which il is easier to discuss verbally than by
letter, have instructed friend of mine at pres
cnt in England to call upon you Immediately and
place my proposition before you. His name is
Mr.. George Chillingworth. RALPH WEsrssooK.
The letter SO long expected in the
little suburban villa had come at last,
and In the afternoon of the same day
the maid OF all work announced Mr..
George ChiIllngworth.
"You expected me, I believe" he
said.
"Yes," answered Mrs. Durant. "Let
me introduce you to my eldest daugh-
ter. Dora. These are Minnie and Grace.
VIII you take the armchair. Mr.. Chill
lingworthW
I'm sure it's very kind Of you to
have come so promptly" continued
Mrs. Durant tearfully-she was lady
who wept easily and copiously. las
you may imagine, l am terribly anx-
ious. To think that, after keeping
my own carriage, l should come to
this"
"Motheri" murmured Dora in tone
of distress.
Mr.. Chllllngworth murmured condo
lence. fumbled his hat and looked at
Dora under his lashes.
Most men thought her worth looking
at, and he was no exception TO the
rule, II his face was an index to his
mind.
Obviously he was unused to women
and little frightened of them.
"The proposal l am to submit to
you is this" he said. "Ralph West
broak is prosperous gentleman farm
er, as l dare say you know; also he Ii
young, bachelor and quite alone,
and for some time has longed for COM
panlonship-for a home in a wider
sense than that afforded by the walls
and furniture. To put 1t in plain words,
he wants n wife.
"a few months ago he received. with
the portraits of yourself and family, a
photograph of Miss Dora here. and
we'll he fell in love with 1t. Very
simple of him, perhaps you think, but
you must remember his great loneli-
ness and let that be his excuse.
"Now / come to the point. IL Miss
Dora would consent TO marry him, of
course she would then be able TO make
any arrangement that seemed best to
her es to the comfort of her mother
and sisters. / am about TO return to
the colony and would take charge Of
her during the voyage, and on her ar
rival she could stay with friends until
the wedding"
"Travel thousands of miles to marry
a man have never seen" faltered the
girl. 81 never could do t."
Nonsense, Dora," said her mother.
"You should feel honored-hattered
You will have kind husband-I am
sure Ralph must be kind. You will
be provided for all your life, and
shall be relieved of this terrible anx-
iety. You cannot dream of refusing"
"of course" put in George Chilling
worth slowly. "if Miss Dora has de-
cided aversion to the scheme am sure
my friend would be the last man to
wish her inclination forced in any way,
and no doubt he would arrange some
other method of assisting you all.
may safely add that he is a good sort
of fellow and that II she consented
he would be devoted TO her and spare
no pains to recompense her for trusting
her life to him"
Mother, do you want me 10 go?
Would 1t make you feel safe and happy
ah % ftrfa
tOf course il would, Dora"
"Then." said the girl, with a curious
hard note in her voice. "since my moth
er can do without me, win go. VIII
you tell my cousin or shall IT'
Il will. There Is no need for you TO
write." answered Chillingworth. "He
viii be very glad"
-
The voyage was all but over, and the
girl who was on her way to an un-
known lover and the man who was
his friend stood on the deck together.
in a few hours we shall land" she
said. "and them
"Shan you be sorryT' he asked.
"Have these been happy days?
Il wish they could last forever" she
cried passionately.
Dora, If you were going out to me
instead of to him would you mind SO
very much?"
1T would be paradise" she said.
She began to sob quietly. despairing-
ly. and bowed forward on the taffrail
In the shadow of friendly cloud.
"Dsa't, for heavens sake, DON'T
pleaded the man. Dora, / was a brute
to masquerade SO long, but wanted to
see you, to study you--to be sure had
won, not bought my wife. am Ralph
Westbrook. You are coming to me."-
Londen News.