The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1903-11-13

1olS one week and six the next.
anu ut the end OF every fortnight II
was her fathers custom either to come
for her himself or send some one to
bring her home FOR over Sunday.
on one particular Friday night the
uncle whom her father had delegated
20 10 for her failed to put in an appear.
Nuye. and vida. after vainly watching
undl after 10 o'clock for some one TO
come, decided TO get up early In the
morning and start for home on foot,
with a possible hope that she might
either meet her father, or catch a ride
with some one else, at least for part OF
the way home.
The reason why she was so deter
mined 20 reach home before Saturday
night was 10 keep an engagement with
q certain young man by the name OF
Walter Mather. whom she had prom.
ised TO marry. In point OF fact, there
had been considerable difficulty con-
nected with her engagement TO this
young man. In the first place she was
an independent little woman. and
wanted 90 test her own powers at earn
ing living. In the second, she wasn't
Just sure whether she cared enough
for Walter TO marry him. and I'm the
third he had met with an unconscious
rival I'm the person OF one Theodore
Graham. Wilda's fathers hired man.
who, by the way. could not be called
such. according TO the common accep-
tation Of the term. on the contrary he
claimed TO be Il broken-down athlete
from nelghboring university who had
begged the privilege OF working for her
father for the purpose OF recuperatlng
his wasted strength.
Vida had felt no little trepidatlon I'm
regard 10 her engagement with Walter
Mather. Her father had cautioned her
repeatedly about the consequences OF
making an unwlse choice, ana some OF
her numerous friends had felt II their
duty to tell her In plain English that he
wasn't half good enough for her; that
he possessed some traits OF character
that would surely bring her to grief.
However. Walters father was a very
wealthy farmer, which counted for
considerable In those days. but that
didn't amount TO much In Wllda's est.
nation. Tor her own father had enough
and 10 spare. and there was no need OF
her teaching school had she not wanted
TO. The main proposition with her was
whether In her uncertain state OF mind
she was justified in marrying him at
all.
uTheOdorc Graham had on several oc-
Mons tried TO make advances to
II IN. which. under the circumstances,
LILI4Gas wise enough not TO encourage,
&C. wise enough 10 keep 20 herself.
His mental position would not warrant
him I'm advancing very far, albeit,
Wilda did not doubt his being n col
lege.bred man. Judging from his habits
and knowledge Of books. But she knew
nothing OF his life and character. ex-
cepting what she observed for herself,
and as far ns he was concerned he had
his own reasons for not letting her or
anybody else know that he was city
bred man. too, ana that at his mothers
death he would come into the posses
sion OF at least half n million.
wilda's father. with an eye simply to
the best interests OF his motherless and
only child. had never delegated his
hired man TO 20 and bring his daughter
home from her school. but somehow
Theodore always managed TO be nc the
gate to assist her TO alight. Vida un'
derstood his mancuvers. but her father
took II as an act OF courtesy which was
simply her due.
At the first peep Of day, Vida was
up and dressed aud ready TO start fol
home. Mrs. Thompson, the lady with
whom she was boarding that week
said TO her:
"You shall not go one step until you
have had good hearty breakfast"
at is too early for n good hearty
breakfast, Mrs Thompson" said WI
da. ~ can't eat II you get IT,"
"Now you just go out and wall
around the house and down TO the
spring and back, and drink in some OF
this morning air. and then sec II yor
won't eat some OF IT,"
So Vida did as she was hidden, ant
20 her surprise she did eat her break
fast with a relish.
Mrs. Thompson smiled with approvn
all the time she was eating. then, whei
she had finished, she saw her through
the gate which opened Into the lane
and watched her until she entered the
public highway.
vida waved her hand good-by. theT
abe said 70 herself
81 hope / shan't meet any one com
ing for me. for at least mile any way
for do love TO take long walks In thu
cool OF the morning and hear the bird
sing"
Along the road she trudged. he
young heart as Hight ana happy as tn
birds she watched and listened to
thinking OF Walter, how happy an'
pleased he would be 10 know OF the Of
fort she was making to keep her fort
nightly appointment with him.
IF he only knew" she said to her
self, "he would gladly have come 70
me himself; but then be doesn't, 81
there's no use IN my botherIng my heat
about that. Besides, father wouldn'
be pleased II Walter came for me, o.
he considers that n particular priyl
lege OF his own. from which he derive
much Measure Poor father, Hcl