Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-10-02
THE UNION OF
TWO ESTATES
tOriginal.1

NeauN WOulu ne the owner OF the lar
ger. 1t is an old story that young peo-
pie of opposite sexes owning adjoining
estates are induced by their elders TO
marry, thus carrying out the modern
commercial plan of community of
interest" and so it was in this case
Towle went to college. then Travelled
abroad. Miss De Neaux, after com
plotting her education, chafed that she
had been born rich. She pinned for Il
vocation.
One June day Towle was wandering
about his grounds and before he knew
it found himself in the De Veaux es-
tates. a young woman in the costume
of trained nurse was resting on a
board seat between two trees reading
or studying. Towle. who had been
carried through long illness by one Of
this profession and had a great adj
miration for them as class, raised his
hat politely.
II beg pardon" he said. Twill you
tell me who is i'll at the house?"
She hesitated to reply.
mo matter" he added. 81 have no
right to pry into family secrets"
Miss De VeauX Is not very we'll"
Indeed. l have-I mean we have
not been informed of her illness"
why should you be informed?'
1t occurred to Towle to play a part
and learn something about the lady
whose interests and his were identical.
"Well, l am Mr.. Towles business
man, secretary, general utility man.
He lives on the adjoining estate Had
heard of Miss De Veaux's illness l
should have suggested the propriety Of
his writing to express his concern. He
would have directed me to write a
letter, and in this case he would have
copied it in his own hand and sent it
to Miss De Veaux"
BLESS me. Is that the way these
rich people express sympathy"
Usually"
but | thought there was some talk
of Mr.. Towle's marrying Miss De
VeauX. How could he be so coldly
methodical with herT
HE has never seen her His family
has long owned its estate here, hers
only a few years, during which both
Mr.. Towle and Miss De Veaux have
been getting an education"
81 see. Doesn't he rather shrink
from such a cold blooded union?'
Hes practical fellow, with no
romantic nonsense about him."
"Then he's not like Miss De Veaux,
who is in full sympathy with that ro-
nance which is at the bottom Of every
true heart"
Il am surprised. l supposed Miss
De VeauX was rather practical
have heard that she is proposing when
she comes into this estate to organize
a staff to assist her in devoting her
immense income to practical charity"
Her postgraduate education, so to
speak, is directed with that end in
view"
Towle sat down on the other end of
the board and beat the grass with his
cane.
Il wouldn't suppose" he said, that
Mr.. Towle would care to marry that
sort of woman. They are very we'll
to admire at Il distance, but they don't
work well in double harness"
I'm quite sure Miss De VeauX
wouldn't care to marry a man who
would write her letter of sympathy
drawn by his business man"
Towle sat for a few minutes with 4
sober look on his face, then turned to
the nurse with smile. eve are set
ting the affairs of our betters as
though they were our own. Suppose
we drop them and chat about other top
ics-that is, if you don't mind making
an acquaintance in this way"
a trained nurse can't be squeamish."
The pair talked for an hour. then
off duty for an hour of recreation the
next day. In this way they kept up a
series of meetings for several weeks.
Meanwhile Towle had sent letter Of
sympathy with flowers to Miss De
VeauX, asking to be allowed to call as
soon as she was able to receive callers.
One day he received formal note
signed by Miss Edna Knapp, Miss De
VeauX's secretary, informing him that
she was quite recovered and would be
pleased to see him. Towle was some
what startled at this method of com
munication, but Miss De Neaux might
be still too weak to do her own CORE
spondence. He did not much care, for
he had been captivated by her nurse.
When Wadsworth Towle was usher
ed into the drawing room where Helen
De VeauX, arrayed in plain but becom-
ing costume. awaited him he started.
Miss De NeauX and her trained nurse
were one and the same person.
pardon me sending you a note
through my secretary, Mr.. Towle. l
should have made an exception to my
rule In your case, but since your note
of coincidence to me came from your
business man presumed you wouldn't
care. Were you aware that he sent me
the flowers, or did they come under gen.
eral instructions for cases of illness"