Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-04-16


Whats wrong about Ben Smith?"
she asked. isn't he honest, sober and
Industrious? Hasn't he worked and
scraped and managed every way to get an
education 50 he could teach school? And
hasn't he saved his money and gone down
/ to town to study law with Judge Pow
/ ers?"
Whats wrong with Ben Smith," he
snorted. isn't he a Smith, with no more
family name than snake? Isn't that
enough?"
| ssNo. I love Ben for what he is, and
don't care anything about his family.
/ would love him just the same II he
I never had an ancestor. Its the man.
what he is himself, that care for
The colonel stormed. He threatened
to shoot Ben Smith on sight, and de-
clared he would lock Emily up In room
IL be ever knew Of her speaking to Ben
Smith again He further declared that
she should marry the major In spite OF
I everything.
That very night Emily and Ben Smith
met. and she told him or the majors
wishes and OF the conversation with her
father. Ben listened, his face very pale,
pub7 IklS lips sci GlCSG LOEELlEIs +
4 1T Is all right" he said finally =
have no family record; and don't know
anything about my ancestors, and
care less; but, in spite OF all Of that. am
| a better man than Maj. Buck, and some
day will prove It to your father il We
both live. With your love to cheer me
on can face the world with bold heart,
and sweep obstacles from my path as
fast as meet them. And, no matter what
anybody says, ] am sure OF your love for
all time"
Yes, to the end OF eternity tits yours,"
she replied.
And some day he went on, Il shall
have the right to claim you for my wife.
''You have that right now she MUIR
INJURED. 7 would marry you to-nightif
you wish it.
He started to take her In his arms, but
] suddenly checked himself.
] DO not tempt me-, he said. Il wish
TO be honorable and honest, and worthy
of your love, but 1t is not always easy.
To make you my wife now would be like
stepping into Heaven--if only had the
right. But must not think OF such
thing. There Is too wide a difference be-
tween US. | will not pull you down TO
my level, but I will grow up to yours.
Some day will be worthy to claim you,
and then / will claim you, but | must
prove myself first
1 II will wait for YOU"
II know you will. but you will not
wait with the impatience SHALL
Time passed and then by and by there
began to come little scraps Of news to
the co1onel's ears about things that Ben
Smith was doing down at town. First
he had been admitted to the bar, then he
had won a case OF Importance after q
fight that was marvellous for keen man
agement. Then there were rumors that
he was developing into great orator,
and was forging his way to the top in
political matters. But all this made lit
tie impression on tho colonel, and he was
still bitterly opposed to the idea OF a
! family alliance with the Smiths.
/ Maj. Buck, although he had about
abandoned all hope or winning Miss
Emily, was not averse To making numer-
Gus and lengthy visits at the Clifton
home. He enjoyed the colonel's society
very much, and he enjoyed the coIonels
dinners even more. The colonel gave
him warm welcome always, for he still
had hopes of having him as a member
oil the family
But after awhile the major ceased to
make his visits to the colonel, and short
" after that it transpired that the colonel
was badly. involved financially. When
the whole truth came out 1t was found
that the colonel had been going security
for the major for large sums OF money,
and that the major. forgetting his FAM
lily honor. had gone away leaving his
debts for the colonel to pay.
The colonel would have lost every
/ thing IL Ben Smith had not taken mat
tiers In hand, and by resorting to Coz
I ercive measures. induced Maj. Buck to
pay his own debts This saved the
! colonei's possessions. and at the same
| time 1t softened his heart toward Ben
Smith to such an extent that he reluc-
family consented for Emily to marry him.
/ Ho probably concluded from the con-
stancy of the two young people that this
would inevitably happen sooner or later
and thought he might as well give his
/ consent and have 1t over. It was easy
to see, though, that he was by no means
pleased, and that he looked down on Ben
MS creature very much inferior to him
self.
After the marriage things drifted
/ along in tie even tenor OF their way Ben
and the colonel seeing but little of each
other. and the latter seldom mentioning
the formers name. All the time. how
ever, Ben was hard at work, building up
law practice and making friends; and
he and Emily were quite happy in their
| great love. They found they could get
along very well without the colonel's
blessing, although they would have been
| glad to have had 1T.
Four or five years passed, then one
DAY the news came that Ben had been
elected to congress Right then and there
| the colonel gave in and acknowledged
| that his idea had been all wrong, and
that, family or no family, Ben Smith was
q great man and worthy to associate
| with even the Cliftons In fact, he be-
came proud Of Ben, but he would never