The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-09-26

see her happy. Yet there you stand
as glum and dumb as mute at fu-
neral.''
II wish her happiness, sir, with all
my heart.''
Sam Semple came here this after
noon by order of my lord. Sam gives
himself airs now that he is a secretary
and companion. He came and demand
ed conversation with me. It was quite
private, he said, and Of the utmost i'm
portance. So we sat in the parlor, and
with bottle of wine between US we
talked over the business. First he told
me that his patron, as he calls him,
meaning his master, had been greatly
taken with the innocence and the
beauty of Molly. 1 replied that unless
he was q stock or stone or an ice
berg expected nothing less. He went
On to say that, although a noble earl
with long pedigree and a great es-
tate, his patron was willing to contract
marriage with a girl who was not even
OF gentle birth and had nothing but
her beauty and her innocence. l told
him that she had, in addition, a very
large fortune. He said that his pa
iron scorned the thought of money,
being already as rich as most noble
men of his exalted rank; that he was
willing also to pass over any defects
in manners, conversation and carriage,
Which would be remedied by q little
acquaintance with the polite world.
In a word, his lordship offered his.
hand, his name, his title, his rank and
himself to my ward"
"His condescension." 1 said, 'sis be-
yond all praise"
Il think so, too; beyond all praise.
l ask his advice touching a husband
for my girl. He promises his assist
ance in the matter, and he then offers
himself. Jack, could anything be more
fortunate?"
Il hope it may turn out so. What
does Molly say?"
You may go in and ask her yourself.
She will tell you more than she will tell
anybody else. The matter is to be kept
for the present a profound secret be-
tween his lordship and ourselves. But
since Sam Semple knows it, and Jen-
infer knows it, and you are one of our
selves, therefore you may as we'll know
it too. But don't talk about it,
"Why should it be kept a secret?
Why should it not be proclaimed every
where?'
my lord says that the place is a hot
bed of scandal; that he would not have
Molly's name passed about in the pump
room, to be the object of common Cos
sip and inventions made up of envy
and malice. He would spare Molly
this. When she is once married and
taken away from the place, they may
say what they please. Whatever they
say, they cannot do her any harm.
Why, some Of them even declared that
she was one of the company Of stroll
ing actresses. There is nothing that
they will not say"
l made no reply because it certainly
did seem as if in asking for secrecy
his lordship had acted in Molly's inter-
ests.
well, captain, we must make the
best of it. You must find your own
happiness in thinking of Molly's."
"What aggravates me, Jack, is the
ridiculous behavior Of my cousin Jen-
infer. She is in the kitchen crying, and
the black with her. Go and comfort
her before you see Molly"
l looked into the kitchen. Molly's
mother sat in the great wooden chair
beside the fireplace. She held her apron
in her hands as If she had just pulled
it off her face. and the tears were on
her cheeks. When she saw me, they
began to flow again Jack" she said,
"have you heard the news? Has the
captain told you? The worst has hap
pened. l have lost my girl She is to
be married. She will go away. She
will marry a man who scorns her guard
ian and despises her mother. A bad
beginning, Jack. No good can come Of
such a marriage. A bad beginning.
Oh, foresee unhappiness! How can
Molly become a fine lady? She is but a
simple girl, my own daughter. l have
made her a good housewife, and all her
knowledge will be thrown away and
lost. 1t is bad business, Jack. Nj
gra has been telling her fortune There
is nothing hopeful. All the cards are
threatening. And the magpies and the
screech owl"-
She fell to weeping again, after
which she broke out anew: "The cap
tain says he is the most virtuous man
in the world. 1t isn't true If ever l
saw the inside of man in my life,
have seen the inside of that man. He
is corrupt through and through
But consider. All the world is cry
ing up his noble conduct and his many
virtues"
''They may say what they like. 1t is
false. He is heartless. He is cold.
He is selfish. He marries Molly for
her money. Persuade the captain, if
you can. He will not believe me-"
"How can l persuade him? l have
no knowledge. Are they all in tale?
Are you the only person who knows
the truth? How do you know it?'
IL know it because l love my girl,