Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-04-08
OutWitting a Father.
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her wing for walk, and glanced cas-.
ually on departing at her son, the old
man understood perfectly well that the
glance meant something" and Her
bert was kept as closely under his eve
as a cat ever kept the prey she had
doomed for her dinner.
But after a time Mrs De Lisle de-
sisted from her strategic maneuvers.
Herbert gave up all attempts to con
verse privately with Ellen and be-
gan absenting himself from the house
for whole days at time.
Not long after this, Ralph de Lisle's
| oft-repeated assertion that Ellen was
tickle and volatile seemed to meet with
! confederation, for a new wooer. who
came in the loose garb of a sailor, and
who constantly wore a broad-brimmed
hat. seemed to have completely turned
the young girls head.
How or whence he came Ralph did
not not know. His wife assured him
that the sailor had been properly in
troduced by a mutual friend and he
was too rejoced at the turn affairs
had taken to ask many questions. How
glad the old man felt that his son stay
ed away from home so much He was
uneasy every time he saw the sailors
broad hat overshadowing Ellen's little
SHUTDOWN in the garden, lest Herbert
should return ana impede the progress
of this, to him at least, desirable court
| ship.
The sailors devotion to Ellen be-
came more and more apparent, and
| Herbert absented himself more than
ever, and made no attempt to regain
Ellen's wandering affections when he
was at home.
Mrs. De Lisle watched the progress
of the sailors love making complacent-
~, and the old man was perfectly de-
lighted both with Ellen and her sutton
and began to contemplate purchasing
a certain coy cottage he knew of as
a bridal gift to his ward.
Ralph de Lisle was seated In his H.
brary one evening, thinking delighted.
| ly how, with Ellen married, it would
| be an easy thing to bring about the
much-desired match between Herbert
and Isabel Denver, when a servant en-
wanted to see him.
The sailor entered and bowed awk-
wardly enough to the dignified man
who rose to receive him. The broad
| hrimmed hat, which not one of the
| family had yet seen him remove, kept
! its place even In the august presence
Of Ralph de Lisle who wondered men
! tally whether he wore it in bed, and
concluded that custom on shipboard
must have made the constant wearing
of his hat a habit with the sailor.
your ward, Miss Ellen, IS very
beautiful and good" began the young
man. stammeringly, and no doubt
blushingly, though little of his whis-
lered face was visible.
Old Ralph rubbed his hands together
gleefully, and determined to help the
embarrassed lover.
That's a fact" said he; "she is
handsome and better girl never lived
You wish my consent to marry herr"
The sailor hung his head.
Eyes, if you please"
"She's the same as a daughter to us
you see, and we shall miss her terribly.
But her happiness is the main thing.
Ii the dear girl loves you, and wishes
to marry you, l haven't the least OBJ
lection. Sailors are good, whole-souled
fellows, l know, and you'll be kind to
our darling"
"I'll try my best to make her hap
py," said the lover, in a mumbline
tone; but I'm not a sailor, as these
clothes make you think. | got them
under price, so l bought them. / am
am young and strong, and will take
care that your ward does not lack for
the comforts of life" Then, after n
short pause, he added: Il feared you
might withhold your consent on ac-
count of my poverty"
Poverty! Nonsense" said old
Ralph, magnanimously. "Not consent
because you are poor? Why, riches
should never be weighed against the
heart and its affections; and If you
are not a sailor, as we supposed, you
are a noble fellow, | am sure; and let
YOU be who you will, believe you are
worthy to be Ellen's husband, and you
shall have her, too, since you are both