The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-23
Miss Diana Talbot was so pretty that 1

Miss Diana Talbot was so pretty that she might have been pardoned if she had felt that she was fulfilling her pur- | pose in the divine plan by merely exist | ing. Bnt a strain of almost morbid consciousness drawn from long line of New England forbcars prevented
 her from taking such a simple view of the problems of life.
 | NO, Herbert" she said in the course of an animated dispute with Mir. Mat
 teson. T cannot turn my back upon
 the promptings of duty. I have been l thoroughly educated-expensivel edu-
 cated, at least--as you know. More
 than that, I'm a specialist. wen.
 from college to Professor Arbuthnots laboratory. There aren't ten women
 in the country who know zoology as l know 1t. Professor Arbuthnot has of ten said that if Maud Jones and ! wasted the chance he gave us and threw away the pains he took with us by get | ting married he'd never bother with another woman as long as he lived. He's right have duty to him, to the students who come after me, to the community. I cannot turn back from my task. I shall not even seek pro- fessional chair. I shall teach young children In the common schools who need me. You do not. You have your factory to attend to, your mother and sisters"-
 "Confound my sisters! No, I don't mean that exactly. They're well enough, my sisters are; but I don't want another. Somehow I can't get the hang of these modern phiianthropic ideas. Here are you and I, plainly de- signed to be married. and some millions of children equally destined to grow up in happy ignorance of bugs and butter flies. Instead of marrying me you go off to teach them lower forms of animal life. Result-Pm miserable, you're lonely, they're disgusted. Unhappiness all around and not soul the better TOT 1t. You don't need to do it either. Met for money-no. But here in Massachusetts there are plenty of girls for all the men who wish to marry. There.li be fewer superfuous women by one if I 20 to work. Society has made great sacrifices and gifted men have spent their lives to prepare me for working. To be perfectly frank, l think am fit for something better, in- dustrially. than sewing on buttons Don't doubt it.; but I refuse to con- slider you industrially" observed Mat teson.
 "Ah, yes" cried the girl throwing her head proudly back. "a toy in gilded cage--tired of, probably. as soon os won; that's the mans idea of matri- mony! Don't argue with me. Herbert. It's breaking my heart to send you away, but I must do 1t, and l beg you, oh. beg you, not to make 1t harder for mel
 At this outbreak Matteson began to look uncomfortable. His silence reused in Diana's mind the hope that he was convinced by her cogent argument-a hope which proved that, much as she knew about invertebrata, she was lit- tie versed in the ways of the higher mammalia. For Matteson, a bullet headed ex-right tackle with magni- ficent record in ground gaining and in- terference. was by no means quit- ter" Nevertheless he kept silent for some moments, and when he spoke ms words were honeyed guile.
 I'll tell you what I'll do," he said slowly. 'Tll go away and not see you again unless you send for me, if you'll kiss me goodby."
 'Not see you again?" cried Diana Talbot aghast. But I don't want
 T think 1t would be best" said Mat teson gravely. Your duty prevents your marrying me. Then l must learn to forget you-the sooner the better. You cannot expect to refuse me as husband and keep me as lover. or even a lTleHUs LOu hhASNA AAeAANS sS harder for me. Goodby"
 He rose to go.
 Pale and panting she confronted him. Then, finging her arms around his neck. she kissed him passionately.
 "Go, go! she cried, and, turning about, she fled from the room.
 Matteson looked after her rehec- tively and then took his departure in fairly good spirits for a rejected lover.
 It was only a few days after this that Nepontic became aware of an as- founding rumor that Herbert Matteson had mysteriously disappeared. As he was the most important individual in the place-shops, professional men ara even churches being almost dependen: upon the weekly pay roll of che Ne pontic Milling Company, of which he was president--the news caused sen sation.
 Many were the queries addressed to Arthur Rankine, the treasurer of the mills, a pleasant faced young college chum and personal friend of Matte son. Of course. because of these rela- ions. he put the best possible face up- on the situation.
 q do not know where Mir. Matteson is," he would say when he felt called upon to say anything. "I presume he went away on private business. but he said nothing to me about its nature. AS for the mills, of course it makes not the slightest difference" "Oh, of course not"
 Nevertheless the reply became monot- onous after some weeks, and at last Rankine began varying 1t occasionally with testy He may be in Kamchat- ka for all I know
 The people shook their heads, and rumor became gossip. Stripped of the clrcumlocutory phrases proper in speak ing of a first citizen. Nepontic was cer. tain that the chief proprietor of the main industry of the town was indnlg- ing in a spree" of appalling dimen- | sions.
 For one. Mrs. Rankine was sure of it ! because of her husbands persistent re-