The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1904-12-22

| WHICH udu ueleTHllueu W ldUlOui
and so l proceeded about it in anything
but a diplomatic manner, for l wal
| young and thoughless. My whole soul
had become wrapped up in Grace. She
was the ideal woman had pictured
| in my dreams, and l had determined
that she must be mine at any cost
/ look back to those days with
wonderment, more perhaps at my own
temerity under the circumstances, for
l did not even know that was loved
| in return.
Gene" l remarked, one morning,
after l had lain awake all night plan.
ming and hoping, Il want to talk with
| you about matter that concerns me
| nearly-concerns us both"
lie looked at me in some little
amazement. Then putting his arm
through mine, laughingly pushed me
along, saying, "Well l should judge
from your long face, it's something
serious. Drive 1t away, old man, don't
consort with your cares during the
holidays. Never worry in December.
January is an awful good month for
blOhth NONS, anu til ina
sort O. thing"
"Gene, I'm going to blurt 1t out and
have it over with. I'm head over
heels in love with your sistery"
"Walter!
If l haven't mentioned it before
will say the above is my given name,
although it really has nothing to do
with the story.
There was that in Eugene's face
which fairly dazed me. He seemed
| terror-stricken at my abrupt but
simple announcement. All the acts
Of my life passed before me, for ]
was in vain endeavoring to find q
cause for his CONSERVATION, and then
poured out my soul.
Truly, Gene, there can be nothing
against me. / have some wealth, ex.
cellent prospects, am not roue-''
Hush, my boy" cried Eugene. at
| isn't that! why my sister has been en-.
gagged for a year, and do you think
my mother would ever forego a cor
onet! It's impossiblew
Engaged! A corenet! What do
you mean," I cried.
Il mean simply this" he replied,
putting his hands on my shoulders,
"Grace was abroad with mother,
a year ago al you know. At that time
but please remember that this is all
confidential, it's family secret-Lord
Deerland fell madly yinlove with Grace
| and proposed for her hand. Mother
accepted the young man with alacrity,
and l thAk Grace likes him. The for.
NAL announcement is to be made after
the holidays and they are to be mar.
rled in the spring. That's all there Is
to the story, my boy, and now don't
make fuss over it, but just accept
the inevitable"
l presume / looked crestfallen after
this disclosure and for twenty-four
hours kept to my room, determined
to get over my chagrin and not To
spoil the Christmas party by any
hasty departure.
On the following day, the day before
| Christmas, l summoned all my cour'
age and went down stairs, into the
midst of the gayety. The expression
on Mrs. Kerr's face had undergone a
| delightful change. She fairly beamed
on me, and lurking suspicion filled
my mind. Gene had undoubtedly
told his mother and sister all, for In
no other way could l explain the rhap
sodic expression on the mothers face
and the sadness that seemed to have
come over the younger woman. THAI
Of course was simply pity, L argued.
She was like all the others, ready to
play the coquette though she knew
she would break heart or two
By most fortunate chance | re
ceived message late in the morning
which summoned me to tn, city for n
few hours on a matter of business
Eugene had arranged a sleighins
party for the afternoon, and this l
was forced to forego. My train lef
shortly after noon, and was waiting
at the station scanning a paper, my
1 -, 60 In,