Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-09-06
"a perfect cadw

with satisfied delight?
Yet his very soul WINGED at the
thought Of an Oglesby in love with Q
typewriter girl-and one, moreover,
who scarcely noticed him! With that
thought the queer. unreasonable ex.
ultation that he had experienced before
at being snubbed darted through him.
He was proud Of her-prOud Of her
as II she had been himself.
For two generations the Oglesbys had
married bellies of their day. Indeed. to
be born an Oglesby--and a man-was
much the same thing as being born a
prince Of the blood.
And now the head Of the Oglesby
family was absolutely dependent upon
girl OF the people-a young woman
who earned her living by means Of the
skill by which her long. white fingers
licked Off the letters that pertained to
the vast Oglesby interests.
Admitting that the impossible could
happen, he reflected, wouldn't 1t be
sweet? Glaring headlines in the daily
newspapers: "Oglesby Wetls His Pret-
ty Stenographer" Romance In Wall
Street Omce~ The thought was too
much. And he turned to the papers
that lay on his desk with his lips shut
in cruel smile She must go.
"She Is a queen. all right" he was
thinking as he held q portentous dOcu.
ment before his eyes in the delusion
that he was reading 1t. She's a
queen, but we Oglesbys cannot marry
queens who have got lost from their
Queendoms."
At that moment there was tap at
the door, and In response to his num-
bled "Come in" the lady of his
thoughts entered. In less time than it
takes to write 1t the Oglesby pride
skunk out of sight. After all she need
not go. The mere thought Of some
round checked girl with belligerent
pompadour filling her place made him
feel murderOus.
He rose to place chair for her, dim
ly aware through the confusion Of his
thoughts that she had expressed wish
to speak to him upon personal mat
ter. Then shiver Of intuition caused
him to look at her keenly.
"And | should like to get away as
soon as l can, Mr.. Oglesby. without in
conveniencing the firm in any way"
were the first words that OGlesby
heard clearly as he recovered from his
dazed surprise.
For moment he did not speak. For
the first time in all his elegant. arro-
CANT life Hubert Oglesby felt forlorn.
bereft. In that moment the Oglesby
pride was forgotten.
MAY | ask why you have decided to
leave us?' he asked at last. very hum
bly, and with fear clutching at his
heart US very probable reason for her
action suggested itself to his imagina-
ton.
"Of course" he went on soberly, not
waiting for her to speak. Il do not
need to tell you how much 1-how
much we have appreciated your pres
ence here. We
She interrupted him by little ges-
ture ut once imperious and girlish.
Now that she was about to leave, the
cold reserve Of her manner had dis
appeared.
you've all been so very kind to me
here that
Something in the intense gaze that
he bent upon her caused her to leave
her sentence unfinished. Then slowly
the color burned in her cheeks like
the fire in an opal, and Mr.. Oglesby
was speaking, rapidly, eagerly and as
a man rather than an Oglesby.
Don't tell me that it Is too late.'
he pleaded, "and that there Is some
one else. think l have loved you
from the first. but
He stopped in embarrassment. Miss
Wentworth looked up at him with a
quizzical smile.
"The Oglesby pride?" she queried.
with gentle raillery.
1t was trying moment. Oglesby
turned hot and red will shame. The
Oglesby pride suddenly seemed to him
contemplate thing. Then he looked
up and nodded with dull hopelessness.
She would never forgive such an ad-
mission as that, he felt sure.
Miss Wentworth laughed delightful
ly-unaccOuntably
"The Wentworths Of Boston, she OBJ
served demurely, "are unused to being
scornedw
But how in the world came you to
be earning your living"
Family and fortune" she smiled
back ut hia. sometimes part COM
pany."
And in that smile Oglesby read that
there really might be chance for him
some time!