Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-03-10

this remark made 10 me. and II always
set me thinking, but l never arrived
at Il satisfactory solution OF the prob
lena.
Everytl ing undoubtedly pointed 20
me az a marrying man. yet here VAS
at nearly forty years of age, stu q
bachelor, and. so far as | could judge,
likely to remain one. 1t was not want
of money that influenced me. l had a
comfortable income, being the manager
of an opulent city house. where my
duties. if somewhat onerous, seldom
etained me more than seven hours
away from home.
| was a very quiet individual, and
when I returned from the city about
6 o'clock daily. my chief pleasure, after
tea, was TO make myself as comfortable
as possible in IN easy chair, with a
pipe and q book.
Perhaps, in the evening, | got Maud
10 sing and play d little. for / was fond
of music, but hat was my only d.
version.
have said that / searched vanity
for the causes of my continued cell
bacy, but nevertheless there was
thing that Weighed with me TO some
extent. That was Maud. | wanted to
= NJ IN AAiNAtf u tVNo' =
should follow her example.
Whom ! should marry | had never
troubled about. Some widow prob
ably-a woman about my own age, who
would attend TO my comfort, and be a
companion for me. [ never thought
OF marrying for love. Il was too old.
Maud was twenty-five and not n
gagged yet, but | had hopes that she
soon would be.
UNhiu cry lIaYp4yy q IlrnyD1 hD6
questioned me on the subject of matri-
mony, was, | felt sure, i'm love with my
ward. | still call her my ward because
although she is OF age, | still consider
myself her guardian. AS such had
asked many eligible young men to
gather around me at my Flushing villa,
hoping that in this way | might find
a husband for my girl. But somehow
she had never taken to any of them,
for although he was obviously at
tr. cted by her, I had never detected
any: hing but friendliness in her treat
melt OF him.
She had been quite a daughter to
me. Her father, a dear cousin and
schoolfellow of mine, was an officer.
He had marie ! when little more than
a boy; but, dying suddenly five years
Later, had LEFT rs wife and her one
y AAA AAAfAl1DA VII IN w vi VI
/ helped them as well as | could, for
/ was not then as we'll off as now, but
Mrs. Thorpe only survived her US
band a year or so.
Then Maud was an orphan. and I
a adopted her. l had sent her to a
boarding school, where her education
had been well seen TO. and when she
was seventeen. ~ her schooling yer,
/ had quilted the rooms i had hitherto
nnnJIniAd in fhn lclinOtnn otl1 hnIlerhf
tive villa | still inhabit. Then / had
engaged a kind of Superior house
keeper in q cTergyman's widow, and
started housekeeping AT thirty-eight.
After his remark as to my marrying,
we pulled away at our cigars in sill
ence for a few minutes, / watching the
clouds of smoke as they ascended, and
thought deeply. Smoking always makes
me c~ontemplatiye. u Brown inter-
rupted my chain OF thought.
well, | wish ! was married." he
said.
"A very laudablc desire" / replied;
and o can easily attain your OBJ
ject. | should think. Your salary is
quite enough 10 start upon in a quiet
way
~oh. / know that" he said; but
puff, puff-'the fact is, I'm uncertain
as 10 whether she1l have me-
Whether she'll have you? Are you
In love, Them"
Yes he said: there's no use dis
guising it n longer. Harrington. /
love our Maud. May / ask her to be-
come my wife,"
"Oh. by all ii and all success
attend YOU" / replied gaily.
THANH you," he said. II will-this
very evening. too. I'm tired OF his
suspense"
Before we could say any more Maud
herself entered the room. She invited
us TO stop smoking and go into the
drawing room, where we were to have
some music.
As / looked at he. pretty figure and
her masses Of auburn hair, which fell
gracefully e her forehead, l couldn't
wonder az anyone being enraptu-ed
with her.
Then we put down our cigars, and
followed her into the adjoining room.
Mrs. Graham. my housekeeper, was out
this evening. so when / had listened
to IA song I left the two young people
to themselves, and l went back into
the dining om
1t would be the best thing she could
do. But somehow at this critical mo-
ment j began TO think how 1t would
affect me. Things did not altogether APP
pear in the rosy hue l had imagined
they would III Maud were settled in
life.
How lonely 1 should be, Yes: but
/ should Dol be married, too. But
that, after all. was p-obleinatical: I
might not get anyone &c marry me.
How IL was / don't quite know, but
a remarkable idea came into my head.
Why had / never ask ed Maud to marry
me? / tried 70 dismiss the thought
as preposterous. Why, i was like a
father TO the girl. and she. doubtless.
looked upon me in that light. Forty
three-and twenty-two-it was absurd!
I wished that Brown and j could have
changed places; then ] smiled at such
a wish. I placed my hand i%nvoluntar-
lily to my head; there was M use deny
Ing 1t. I was getting bald. No, James
Harrington" ! said bitterly; the wild
ow Is the match for you. Oh, con-
found the Widows" ] muttered.
/ The door opened. Brown, no doubt.
coming TO tell OF his acceptance. /
must try to congratulate him: but he
did not come with the blithe step Of a
successful lover.
briefly.
1t should not have beer so, but a load
seemed lifted from my mind. i said:
I'm sorry for YOU.
He did not reply. After a few min
: utes he said:
Il think. II youll excuse me, ri not
stay any longer. a walk will do me
good. Besides l IA bear to meet
her ct supper; ! would look such. a
HE would look such a fool
Wounded vanity. l thought. rather
than wounded love. I hoped SO.
Maud was sitting at the ~pianoforte
playing softly. How pretty she looked.
wondered that ! had never noticed