The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-05-16

1T all rests with her, then. VIII
you promise me one thing. Ned? VIII
you promise not to say anything to
her before ] get word from your moth
err? After all, isn't man to be al
lowed to choose for himself when he
loves person~
Edward hesitated. He did not know
just what his mother would say. But
what Willis said had a good deal OF
weight after all.
Eyes, I'll promise that" he said at
last reluctantly.
'All right. Thank you" replied Will
lis, and then, as by agreement, the con-
versation stopped.
A week later Willis showed Edward
letter from Mrs. Blake.
Edward read 1t through In some sur
prise. 1t was In answer to Willis let
ter, in which he had evidently gone
into full account of the matter. He
had put his case as strongly as posi-
bic, and Mrs. Blake had evidently
sympathized with him to a degree.
His proposal concerning Freeda had
come as great surprise, but she was
willing that Freeda should decide her
future. She had always given her
great freedom and did not wish to CO.
cree her feeling. At the same time she
ventured to express her strong regret
that Mr.. Preston was not a Christian
by profession and more than limited
her doubts concerning Freeda's ac-
ceptance Of such a future On ac-
count of her religious home training,
etc. The letter closed with reluctant
assent to Willis appeal to be allowed
to speak to Freeda.
Its all right so far as your mother
Is concerned" said Willis, with some
satisfaction, as Edward handed back
the letter.
Edward did not answer.
There's one more thing ! want to
ask Of you, Ned, and that is that you
let me speak to Freeda before you say
anything to her against me. Will you"
81 won't say anything to her. Let her
settle it," replied Edward shortly.
This was about two weeks before
commencement. Three days after, as
Edward was going over to the library
to get book, he met Freeda coming
from the hail. Her face bore marks Of
weeping. and Edward knew at once
what the reason was.
He went up to her and faced her
with sympathy.
"Come, Freeda, take walk with me
out on the lower campus and tell me
what you can. l know about it,"
Freeda silently assented, and they
went down to a seat under an old elm
and sat down there after walking slow.
ly around the wide path that encircled
the campus.
"And I couldn't give him any other
answer, Ned, could II" asked Freeda
as she continued her account Of the I'M
expected interview she had had with
Willis.
"No, l don't see how you could" re-
piled Edward gravely. "And yet you
say, dear, that you had begun to like
him very much?"
"'Like' isn't the word to use, Ned.
I'm afraid l think great deal too
much of him for my own happiness
now. And yet l felt as sure all the
time he was asking me to marry him
and looking so handsome and so
brave"-here Freeda choked a little
and Edward waited in sympathetic ST.
lence for her to recover-"so brave,
Ned, that had hard work to say no.
And yet knew 1t was for the best.
told him plainly that l feared for my
future with him on account Of his
drinking especially. And he promised
everything about giving 1t up for my
sake. But have no faith in his prom
ises. Isn't 1T strange, Ned, even though
] believe have somehow come toto
actually think more Of him than of
any one, still know, somehow, that
after awhile he would begin to drink
again, and our home would be ruined?
It's an awful thing, the drink habit.
isn't it, NedY
'It certainly is, dear. And you don't
believe you could keep him from it?"
he asked, finding his sympathy for his
sister softening his feeling toward Will
lis.
"No, I've no faith in that, Ned" re-
piled Freeda sadly. 81 don't believe
in marrying a young man to reform
him. A man has no right to ask girl
to do that. He ought to come to her
as pure and free from vices as he ex-
poets her to be. Men are not expected
to marry bad women to reform them.
What right have they to expect a girl
to do that for them"
"You will not regret your decision,
DEAR" at last Edward said. 81 am
very glad of 1t. feel as you do about
1t. You would never be happy"
"No, don't regret it," answered
+ la, pushing her foot nervously
over the cinders at the foot Of the
seat. And then, to Edwards surprise
and distress, she clasped her hands In
her lap, while the tears ran over her
face as she said, -"But I am very I'M
happy now, Ned, for I think l loved
him very much"
That evening Willis did not come In
until quite late, and Edward waited
for him. The minute he saw Willis
face he knew that he had taken his
answer In a hard way.
"Of course you know all about 1t" he
said, with n short laugh. "She's too
good for me. | made her confess that
she cared for me though. You said