The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-09-02
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Every one said it was a sacrifice. a
crying shame. a case of barter. and 1t
seemed surprising OF the Hewisons to
allow 1t. Yet every one agreed that
Mrs. Clarence Brooke had summed up
the matter we'll when she stated her
opinion at the Troubridge Woman's
club. Il should like you to tell me-" said
that eminent lady, what else Adelaide
Hewison could do? She has been so
long In the market. and they are actu-
ally so Door. that a successful green
grocer is a perfect godsend to the fam
lily. At least they can be assured OF
vegetables for dinner in the future.
He is ten years older. by no means
handsome. and his grammar is faulty;
yet Adelaide might do worse. There
are 10 eligibles OF her own class in
Troubridge. The town is getting as
barren OF men as a mothers meeting"
merchant with the largest business of
its kind in the town, Hugh Travis by
name, called punctually at the Hewison
mansion every night at half-past eight
and left with equal promptness at
ten.
The wedding was to be no mean at
fair.
The night before Adelaide and her low
er sat alone in the cold majesty of the
Hewison dining room. 1t was getting
late and there had fallen upon them an
awkward silence.
He rose at last, and, with a few ner-
vous sentences of farewell, made prep
aration to depart.
The girl turned quickly from her
rather listless contemplation of the fire.
Please come back. There is some
thing l want to say to you"
He sat down and looked at her
steadily.
What | am going to saw she con-
tinued hastily. is very Unnecessary and
foolish and sentimental. no doubt, but
still l think it is only fair. and we'll
honorable. had a letter last week
hear of him or his career in Trou-
bridge? Nor 1t seems strange none
OF my friends told you about him. she
continued.
You forget" he said quietly, that
your friends are not mine"
Hell color deepened.
Well, then. 1 must tell you. He was
In fathers office for a While. We We're
cousins in a way, and later we be-
came-fond of each other. We We're
never engaged-llke the rest Of us, n
1t was impossible. Finally he went to
me at the club one night, and you
know the rest"
She paused.
Yes" he said slowly, IT know the
rest. but this letter. What was in the
letter."
The color died from her face. She
dropped her head. ut says-he is to
be married., a rich wife-and he wishes
me happiness"
His voice broke the silence sharply.
If the letter had been different-if
he had asked. If he-don't you under
stand?"
She covered her eyes with her hands.
and he saw his diamond flash in the
soft light.
Poor child" he said. in his heavy.
rough voice, rs it as a as that??"
She shivered as he spoke. Please
go away. 1 will marry you as 1 prom
ised tomorrow, only now, please go. l
will be all right tomorrow. l will never
intrude this thing again. We can be
good friends. Few marriages amount
to more anyway"
u will go in a few minutes" he said.
and his voice made her lift her head
with a sudden fear.
His manner had changed. He seemed
possessed of some new dignity, and
his voice was very gentle.
Let me tell you a story also. Have
you wondered why l was so WILL
Ing to take the little o offered me
In the way of-affection? Did you
think was blind to your half-hearted-
ness and deaf to all the nonsense the
town folks have been talking these asst
otN a VI Soal5Cy L hACw YOU
were poor, and things were in a bad
a still until tonight thought 1t was
Just pride you We're suffering from.
I didn't know you loved another man."
She made a frightened gesture Of
dissent, but he went on steadily:
Il never had much to do with wom-
en-. so know little about them; but
there was one girl tina 1 was going
to tell You of. She wasn't of your
class. She lived up in the country
where 1 came from, and we We're child
rem together. Both of us We're poor,
and had a hard times, but she the
hardest.
"At last 1 left the place and came
down here. had a tough fight. There
was many a day l had never a decent
meal and many a night when jump
ing in the river seemed the only thing
left to do; but 1 did pull through, and
made money finally, and now, as you
say, I've the biggest business in the
town.
Il had never forgotten the girl, and
she. poor thing, used to write me every
week to cheer me up n keep me go
ing while she was dying by inches.
didn't know it you see.
last, when the worst was over
for me, l went up there, but it was too
late; nothing could save her. Hard
work and poor food, n the long. cold
winters had crushed out her life.
Il stayed with her until she died,
and did what I could. You see, she had
always cared for me, and it used to
please her In those days to lie and fam
cy the future, n dream and plan for
me.
One day. by chance, 1 showed he1
some local papers thai had pictures in
them. Something about a dance, ]
think. Among them was your photo
graph.
She picked out the prettiest of them
all. n grew mighty fond of it. It's
the face OF the woman you must mar
ry," she would say, good, and sweet
and lovely?'
AT last she died, and 1 came back
here and went on with my work, and
made more money than ever, but
was mighty miserable and lonesome
like. None of the women. l knew. ]
cared for, II l missed the dead girl
and her letters-not that | had ever
I really loved ier hut Sha carad fa~ .aa