Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1903-11-14
CHAPTER XVI.
PATERNAL ADMONITION.
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bright, CHEEKY fashion, Il must know
more about the matter before | can
weep for the other persons concerned
1.-THE first essential, as it seems to
me-" said 1, sis that you should know
Miss Witherspoon. You have seen her,
but of course it did not then occur to
you
hesitated for the exact phrase.
ut did not strike me as probable"
said he, that should ever be asked to
consider her as member of the fami-
~, and the fact is that she was present
not more than ten seconds. Sibyl and |
were sitting on the veranda, and | had
no idea that there was any one inside
the little house, but suddenly Miss
Witherspoon came out. She was be-
hind me, and l caught only the most
imperfect sight of her face. To be
frank with you, mistook her for-for
Miss Scott"
"Who Is Miss Scott?' inquired.
''She Is SibyPs maid, or perhaps
had better say companion, for we
don't in the smallest degree make a
servant Of her," said he. "She is a
Young woman of somewhat humble
birth, but excellent breeding and in
struction. why have you rugged Miss
Scott up like thatY l asked, for there
were so many mysteries in the air that
l could be pardoned for suspecting an
other But Sibyl set me right, It's
Ldcy Ann Witherspoon,' she said. She
comes down from the house to bring
the luncheon So l thought no more
about it till you mentioned the girl
later, and then l didn't regard it as
necessary to tell you that had heard
her name"
"St. Peterw l exclaimed, growing hot
in the forehead. 1T can't be that she
really is Miss Scott!'
"Oh, no." said my father with deci-
sion. "Sibyl would play no such prank
with you. Sibyl is girl of very deli
cate feeling. Still, she couldn't fore
see''-
That's just it'' cried. ''She couldn't
know or suspect that either Miss Scott
or myself would suffer an injury
We were silent for some seconds, and
l pondered deeply.
II don't care who she Is" said l at
last, "since my talk with Trask week
ago last evening"
"a whole week?' said he. Il didn't
understand it was so long ago. should
have thought you would have sent for
me at once"
Il wanted to be sure Of my ground,
said 1; ''sure of myself. In this week
L ho r of nngSihtp
and have tried hard to make no mis-
takes. The harm, if there was any.
was done already. 1t remained to see
how it could best be righted. | have
said not a word that savored of love,
though it has been very hard some
times to keep tight rein ON my tongue.
/ have found her out to be girl who
isn't happy, though she has every pos
sible right to be SO. 1t is that which
has drawn me to her, and you are to
blame for it. You endowed me with a
great inherent love for all who suffer,
and this is the result. l have come to
the point where l care for nothing
else in the world except her happiness.
The merest shadow of pain upon her
face Is an appeal to my heart, and
when | can make her laugh and play
like the happy child she ought to be |
am in the seventh heaven. l am more
than willing to do this all the rest of
my life. | ask nothing better than to
serve her forever. If this is love, |
love her."
He looked away from me out OF the
window and down toward the orchard.
II don't think it is, If you wish for
my opinion" he said at last in the gen
tlest way. I'm sorry to say so, but
that isn't love- And | don't believe that
you can make any woman take 1t for
loye--that is, the sort of woman I'd like
to see you marry. One you love must
meet q great need of your own heart
and you mustn't be in doubt about 1t.
Merely the wish to serve isn't enough.
Love is bit selfish, you know. And to
marry a woman from sort or exalted
pity for her, based partly on vain
idea that you are her only means to
happiness, Is the way to make her a
just object of the pity of the angels.
would rather have my arm broken in
second than in a week, and would
rather for her sake see you desert this
girl now, even though you were much
more bound In honor to her, than wit
ness her long agony in q marriage
with the best fellow In the world who
doesn't love her.
But l am a poor philosopher. Let
me come down to practical advice.
There is plenty of time. Do nothing
hastily. Marshall, know you soul and
body. l know some one whom you
would love. and YOU couldn't help it.
And as for her.
He paused.
You know that she has cared for
me-" said |. ''In strange way heard
of it. When Sibyl was in New York
she did the best thing that she knew
Tor a man who was learning to love
her, man when SHE will yet love.
am sure. She told him her own story,