Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-02

no difference"
"She is different from girls in En-
rope" said the prince, biting his lin.
Gordon lot ont joyous guffaw.
Il should say she was" he said
different. Why, she is n real, whole
healthy woman. She doesn't smok,
cigarettes, gamble at cards and rae
after titles and wealth. Not my girl
prince. Frances has healthy min,
ana Is as noble as she is good looking
But she has mind of her own, if it /.
healthy, and--well, she is my boss.
can tell you."
You charm me. / am more in Low,
than ever"
Wont do bit OF good. tell YOU
II thought you were the finest man OF
earth, my wishes would not prevail
upon Frances to marry you. She vii
make her own choice, when it is made
and it will stand"
You lead me to believe this choice
has already been made"
NO. did not mean that, prince. II
might be so, for all | know to the con
trary. Frances might love n man and
not yet be ready TO tell me. although
there is nothing secretive about her
we nave each others confidence"
still it could not be possible that
she would be IN love and you not know
it,"
1T might. and | will tell you why,
she has refused to marry the man I
chose for her. the finest Young man in
my estimation, on earth"
Then you have already given your
allegiance to IA lover"
Il gave it TO the lover but Frances
would not marry him. ! have no OBJ
lection to your knowing who it is. If
Is Denton, the bridge builder. Jack
Denton was he son of one of nv oldest
friends. Old Denton was at one time
worth a lot of money, but lost if
through the rascality of n man he trust
Ell. Jack was sort of genius and ask
en me what profession TO take IN. 7
told him bridge engineering. He is
one OF the best at the business now
ana Is only twenty-five. He is out near
the Oh. The big iron bridge we are
TO put across the Obi will he his work"
1T is Fascinating profession. And
your daughter refused HING
les, anu 1t was great disappont-
ment 10 me. Jack and she have been
friends since they first went to school
He loves her, and his love is the kind
mat a father likes to see his girl got
But she won't have him for some rca-
son. Said they could never be roman
VIC lovers or some such argument.
couldn't love him because she had
known him all her life. Thought it
was easier to love a stranger, | sup
pose, who could bamboozle her."
And so it was broken OFF,"
mere was nothing TO break off.
Ihey We're never engaged. She sim
ply refused him. They are friendly
when they mcet-coolly so. What could
90! She had to have her own way"
"A prosaic friendship such as that is
not dangerous" said the prince Have
your permission to enter the list:"
My permission is worthless. You
&n ask Frances if you like, hut it
won't do bit Of good You are too
rlch' and Frances has peculiar notions"
There is some one in whom vour
daughter is much interested, and per-
maps You have not heard. 1t is my duty
TO inform you. although ! myself do |.
not attach much importance to the
thing. There is u blacksmith"-
"Oh, the blacksmith Of PERM ex-
Planned Gordon, with a slight GOODNESS /
N his voice, AS though he did not relish |
laVing the story told him by the prince.
i am fully aware of all that"
docs Franrcs-does your daughter
owe that MANI"
Goodness, no. She is Interested, she
lNeS MN and is trying to help him."
Through pity, ! suppose, and pity
soon leads to love"
WELL said Gordon, laughing. "if it
Hoes in this case neither You nor can
prevent IT, | am sure, however, the
-lrl IS fancy free. and, as for him. he
5 too staple and sensible to look unon
heir friendship as moro than ordinary.
they met in this way: When the road
was crossing into TobolSk. | wanted
'ome peculiar ironwork done. and she
vent with me. The stature and strength
md the handsome face of the young
ronworker pleased her, and she talked
with him. She saw that he was "A
magnificent specimen of man and TT
ed by nature TO adorn "A higher station.
She Is trying to assist him in improv.
ne himself"
You take this very coolly," said the
Prince. But, being Russian, perhaps
'ur customs are so different that this
rec intercourse between a girl like
our daughter and mere ironworkor
Gems more TO me than to you. Then
on assure me there Is nothing more
han mere friendship between these
wo"
Np do not assure you Of anything
T the kind. | do not know. think.
hough, if there was Frances would tell
ne. If there is, she will have her way;
there is not, the same"
But If this blacksmith asked her TO
1arry him would you consent?"
"Td have to-"
do you consider such a thing prob.
bleW {
Prince, ] know as little about it as
on do. There was only one man-Jack 9
'enton-that ] wanted for son-in. '
NV, and she won't have him. Now, ] |
now little about her plans, If she has
n.y. She might fail in love with you,
which case could not prevent her Q
lHrrylnu Won If she does not fall In