The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-11-28
HIS ONLY LOVE.
BY JOHN Fl. RAFTERY.

| - 0ailleS AouCdHIOu heAlOTQ was WndL
you might call model man. and he
knew 1t. He couldn't help but know it,
because he had spent years of patient,
self-denying effort to become so. He had
devoutly religious mind and a disciplined
| heart. He had never done anything friv-
oious or very sinful, never smoked tobac-
co, drank liquor or used the name of God
Ill vain. He had practiced economy first
trom necessity, then for precautionary rea-
sons and finally from habit When he got
his medical diploma and put out his shin
| g.e he realized that he must begin to mix
with the world. He didn't care for wom-
en-particularly, but he learned to dance
because that is an easy way ito mix and
ne saw that mixing paid. He danced as
ne sawed bone or bound ligament-
outifully and with no aid from either his
IMAGINATION or his heart. Some of his
oanclng companions became his patients,
SC 1t was a wise move.
| When, by dnt of incessant economy and
hard work, his practice began to grow
profitable, he was 50 and tired of board
ing houses. He didn't have many friends,
because, he explained to himself, friends
are time MASTERS; they cost money, they
lead one into shiftless ways But he be-
gan to think it might add to his profess
slonal dignity, to his circle of acquaint-
ances, to his personal comfort, if he were
a married man. He began to east about
iof WIFE, much in the same way that he
hau cast about Tor a sound, city broke,
handsome, gentle driving horse for his
buggy. Having never given rein to what
| ever aptitude he had for lovemaking he
was little awkward about it at first. but
ne was gratltied to notice that there were
plenty OF nice girls" always ready to
meet him half way" You see, besides
Being on the road to aff1uence and not
wholly repulsive in appearance, DR.. Rex
ford was widely and we'll known of
mothers, fathers, brothers and daughters
as model man"
Having never made mistake in any
OF the considerable affairs of life, DR.. Rex
ford was intensely determined to make
no false matrimonial step. He tried OUT
a dozen of the most feasible connubial
possibilities, taking his time to the pro-
! cess and devoting his best mental ener-
gles and quite sum of money to the
business OF uncovering and vivisecting the
character, habits, temperaments, religious
and domestic views, hopes, tendencies and
ambitions of the several "cand dates for
his marital favor. This, he knew by the
books he had read and the sermons he
had heard, was the proper manner to adj
dress the momentous question of matri-
mony. But he couldn't find single wom-
an who exactly measured up to his stand
ard Glnevra, who was mentally and vpi-.
ltually y. X, had a catarrhal tendency:
Lucy, perfect physical specimen. wan ca
PRECIOUS and too fond of aduation: ,yane
had penchant for religious heteroioxv
that suggested future MISUNDERSTANDING;
Helen had everlastingly condemned her
sell with the admission that if she w.re
married her husband might go barefoot
before she'd mend his sox!' Edith cane
very near touching the high mark of his
approval, though even she showed occa-
sional signs of having a mind of her own.
And SO it went. Poor Rexford began to
think that the world did not contain the
one, onliest one.
1t was in this frame of mind that he
started on his summer vacation. He was
sitting on a bench in little park at tie
edge OF the small town of Brookhayen one
evening, when singularly beautiful young
woman approached him and said:
Would you be SO kind as to direct ME
to the railway station?"
He rose to escort her, for he was a we'll
trained man, and was surprised at tie
frank look of admiration which she bent
upon him.
You are going with me? Oh, how kind
1t is of you'll And she took his arm with
evident delight He talked about the
weather and other very proper subjects
such as We're best handled by men of bis
type, but was SO impressed by her atten-
ton to his words that when they reached
the station he gave her his card. Sne
said:
My name is Judith-Judith Homer
yes, Miss Judith, she laughed
II was afraid you were married. he
answered, trying to thing of some gallant
bit of persihage.
'No, no, l have-that is, I'm afraid 1
haven't
Met the right man." he helped her out.
lie was wonderously impressed by her
glrlish, dependent manner, and continued.
surprised at his own speed, "Who knows
Judith?"
An, sir, glancing at the card, "ah,
James. May | call you James,"
The doctor pinched himself to find
whether he was awake.
Il sometimes fear | NAV never find
him, but if | did, if | were married." She
bllnked tearfully at the dim station light
How would You treat your husband
Judith he asked with revulsion of
horse sense
Il would be his willing, yearning slave,
sir!' she cried, with odd emotion. you
see | have yet the oriental idea of .he
woman's place, though | am an ardent
Christian too. How would | treat him?
l would hang upon his every syllable |
would toll for him, watch over him as
mother watches over her child; poverty
could not dim the glory of my alteration;
wealth could not dull the luster of ny
love for him. L"
Are you going to catch this train?" he
interrupted, gancing at his watch aid
hoping that she would say no.
Shall |? Shall l, james," she wins
pered, coming closer to him, so that her
sweet voice sounded in his ear above tie
shrill scream of the whistle
Il would like to know more of YOU,
Judith he said. ~"Strange as it ma,