The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-03-02

numbered out, 'Ay, sir fifty thousand
Yet" replied Eric, "the Great Chan
picked out wife whom I'm sure oul
bureau would never have thought suited
to him, and apparently he was as happy
as possible. ] venture to say the bureau
would have made fiat failure had they
tried to provide Samuel with a helpmate!
/ think do know something about mar
riage. There's no reason why | shouldn t
get good idea of what it means by see
ing 1t around me-in my fathers house
( hold, for example. As for the Councillors
Of the Bureau. most of them have had the
experience of only one marriage, and per-
maps That has given them n warped idea
of the institution. To have a competent
bureau nothing under twenty experiences
should qualify a councillor to hold office,
Joking aside, Alora, know | could choose
well for myself. l don't want to marry
whomsoever the bureau selects for me. l
want to marry you. I'm not ashamed to
say do read those old poets and believe
in their love-
THAT only proves what I've been say
ing. We've been much together, so you
apply to mo what you've been reading. If
we were to marry you'd soon find that
the real me and the image you dream
about are two very different things. Shall
VIC rynp 81 ILL
mustn't be angry, Eric; can understand
that you feel a little anxious, thinking
any day may bring you notice. / might
feel the same If father hadn't seen the
chief councillor and arranged that my no.
tice shouldn't be served while mother and
he are away. Roger Ebert couldn't prom
Use in SO many words, but he's an old
friend of fathers, and father said it would
be all right
still, your name might come up while
Roger Ebert is ill., Some one else is
acting chief of the bureau now"
You don't think it would, Eric? I'm
sure Roger Ebert would speak about my
fathers wishes"
They walked on down the street under
the arch of elms to the great town din
ing hall. Eric left Alora at her seat with
rather sullen good-by and took his
place at the other extreme of the build
ing, where only now and then he could
catch a glimpse of the back of her head.
Alora would have been slow to admit
how much Eric's suggestion troubled her
as she went about her work the rest of
the day. The thought OF notice served,
with her mother and father away off in
Africa, was not reassuring. She wished |
she could talk it over with Eric for a |
few minutes.
She was sorry, too, that she had as
serted her opinions so strongly. She had |
been fresh from reading Lyle's inspiring |
account of the development of Chauyel's |
theory. She had read with keen
Est interest the story that told how the
,raye man, with handful of followers,
lad gained a hearing for his ideas in spite
If the bitterest opposition and had lived
o see the sons of men who had laughed
It him cast their votes for the destruction
# New York and the foundation of a
ownship on its site.
Tears had come to her eyes as she read
( the death of Chauvel before the work
e was so eager to see was accomplished.
md then as she read of the present, of
he thrifty townships spread throughout
he land side by side, with healthy race 6
( happy, prosperous people evenly dis ,
ributed through them, living in touch ,
nth nature and breathing Gods fresh air, .
18th not one city to contaminate them, n
he had felt a new enthusiasm at the
bought that she was part of this splen- r
id scheme She wanted to spin perfectly
er little thread in Chauyeps great cob
eb. r
Is there always a corresponding depres
ion after a season Of moral exhilaration? ,
lora began to think so. With twilight
llling it even occurred that she could :,
lblephone her father in Africa, but her :,
ride prevented anything so childish. :,
!.
There 1t lay in all it's bulky Importance, h
g white ribbons and seals Haunting
,emselves In her face with what seemed :,
CHASTITY mockery. In all her experience T.
lora had never been so unnerved and
.terly helpless as at the instant when II
,r eyes rested on this folded packet of f.
,rchment. NJ
The little clock told off the hours cheer :,
v by quarters and halves, the noon bell h,
ON the refectory rang its invitation O,
# Alora did not move. With head buried
her arms. she sat there alone with her ~
,tice. Il
In at the window came the sound Of a
tha
id they know of this paper hidden be- e,
.ath her arms? And If they did 1t would In
only few days before they would be
aiding her name from the bulletin board:
Nora Swift and -. The other name C,
10 did not know herself. At length the m
sire to know 1t overcane her dread, and w
70 went to her room, locking herself in. b,
read the ominous document. OF
II did look forbidding unrolled to its
II length, with its authoritative way OF Il
ling attention in heavy type to impor- III
nj phrases. as if to warn the receiver of
at there was no gainsaying its provi- so
,ns. II was dated June 80, and recited te
A becomingly formal manner that the vi
me of the recipient, Citizen $50, had IN
en- presented by the committee on eligi- ps
lily for marriage to the board of quail OF
ations, which had assigned 1t to the
oper group of names and submitted fbr
EN- to the council on marriages. After
reful consideration the council had Sc
ted and hereby named Citizen 504 as si
all respects best suited to be the life hi
of said Citizen 9s6. The mar tie
Lge of the abOve-named citizens would co
LII