The Owosso times., 1902-10-03
THE PAPER BALLOON
[Originall


mo; it's an eagle"
1t was neither, but little paper bal
loon, which came nearer and nearer,
descending as 1t came, till it fell at the
feet of the younger man. He picked
it up and found that it's shape was
that of heart. Tied to it was a note
written In feminine hand:
If the finder of this be a man, a gentle
man under thirty years, of age, let him
consider it addressed to himself. My ia
ther does not wish me to marry and
keeps me shut up In his country seat at
l.. You. good sir, may help me. G. r.
After reading the message the young
man handed it smilingly to his father,
who read it and returned it to his son
without sharing in his amusement
"Tear it up" he said. "The person
who wrote it is doubtless very young
and has been impelled to do so by
having her natural instincts interfered
with. Between the ages of fifteen and
twenty young girl should be handled
very carefully. 1t is quite likely the
father of this one has acted unwisely."
Young Henry Thorpe looked sur.
prised at his fathers serious tone and
instead Of tearing up the note put it
in his pocket. The two went home for
dinner, and the episode was not again
mentioned between them. Nevertheless
it had made deep impression on the
young man. He did not rest till he had
visited L., where he learned that
Gwendolen Rathbun, an only child,
lived with her father, widower, in
the center of a large estate, surround
ed by a high wall. 1t was reported
that the father, who was very rich,
desired to transmit the bulk Of his es-
tate through the male line by leaving
it to his nephew and preferred that
his daughter should asver marry and
have issue for fear Of litigation over
the Inheritance.
Henry bribed a servant to take the
note he had received through the bal
Icon to the young lady, with one from
himself which was very delicately
and sympathetically drawn. To this
he received reply, and in time a
meeting was appointed to take place
by moonlight at part of the wall
farthest from the house and passing
through a wood. The young man was
to provide a ladder for himself, the
young lady was to mount by means Of
a large box, and they were to make
each others acquaintance at the top of
the wall. The young man found the girl
attractive, feminine, a true lady. His
father was right. She had acted indis-
creetly only because her natural in
stincts had been blocked at too tender
an age for her to realize what she had
done.
There were a number of meetings
"over the garden wall" and two hearts
became intertwined. But it was i'm
possible that the affair should go fur
ther. The girl dared not inform her
father of her action and its conse-
quences, and the young man, knowing
that she must be an heiress, though
he would be wealthy himself, would
not think of marriage except by the
most honorable and open approaches.
Both. being opposed to clandestine
marriage, finally gained sufficient
strength to agree to q separation. Hen
ry Thorpe went abroad.
It was about year after his depar-
ture that he received a letter from his
father telling him that he had ar
ranged a match for him which, If he
found 1t pleasing, would be of great
advantage in uniting two important
interests. He was to know nothing
about the lady, not even her name, un-
til they had met. Then, If they were
mutually pleased with one another,
each should have all the information
they desired about the other. Henry,
not caring whom he married so long as
he was deprived of his love, consented
and q few months later returned to
America and informed his father that
he was ready to meet the young lady
In question. Before starting Mr..
Thorpe said to his son:
"There is one point in this matter 1
have not mentioned. If you marry this
girl, you must add another name to
your own, the two to be connected with
hyphen."
"And what is the name to be added"
"Rathbun."
"What? Is the girl Gwendolen Rath-
BUMP
"She is. How did you know
"But this cousin to whom the estate,
is to go at Mr.. Rathbun's deathY'
"He is dead. You and your wife
will inherit the estate under the name
Thorpe-Rathbun."
SLOW did you come to know these
peopleY
"Do you remember the balloon with
the note attachedr
Certainly"
"Well, l felt sympathy for the girl,
sought out her father and found that
we had investments in rival properties.
You see the result"
"But Gwendolen-I mean Miss Rath-
bum
"How did you know her name was
Gwendolen RathbunT'
.'Do you remember the paper balloon
and the note?"
"Of course. We have been speaking
Of them"
'Well, 1. too, felt n sympathy with