Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-03-14

ised was equivalent almost to not mar
rying at all. Eight or nine years ut
least must pass before Cynthia would
love, and she might never love at all.
Had | not met Irving Peck l would
have promised my aunt all she asked
without hesitation. l had only known
him little while, hut 1t was long
enough to tell me thar had met my
fate. The truest love, to my thinking,
is that which comes upon both the
man and the woman from tile moment
they meet. Irving Peck and each
recognized In the other mate, and
a month after my foster mothers
When told him of my promise he did
not ask me to break it: Indeed. lie told
me that IL did he would not respect
me. He said that he would marry no
other woman, and il Cynthia stood al
ways in our way he would never mar
ry. We did not think 1t best that we
should remain near each other, and
Irving went away.
neither saw nor heard from Him
till Cynthia was seventeen; then he
wrote ME that since she was of a mar
riageable age we might meet again. /
replied that Cynthia promised to he a
coquette, and there would be little hone
of her choosing husband. contin-
ued after this to hear from him occa
sionally. AT nineteen Cynthia had
flirted with every young man in the
village, and, like Alexander, there
were no more conquests for her to
make. AT this time a friend In Cald.
: well invited her to a visit, and Cynthia
gladly accepted the invitation. / wrote
Irving while she was away that he
might come to see me. The truth ia.
Cynthia was so full of witchery and
withal was SO much younger than /
that I feared to have him come while
she was at home. was disappointed
to learn from him that special project
would prevent his coming till about
the time Cynthia would return.
When Cynthia was fifteen she had
discovered the secret of my promise.
We slept together, and talked in nv
sleep. had never told her, fearing
that she might feel constrained TO
marry on my account But / did not
know her. Realizing that looked to
each of her love affairs to release me.
she seemed to take malicious pleas
ure in tantalizing me- wrote Irving
of this, and should not have done so,
for 1t made him furious.
One morning received letter from
Cynthia, and, to my great delight, 1t
told me that she had met man whom
she fancied she could love. She had
not thought to give me his name, but
this was of little consequence to me.
for would not know him. Her next
letter, written two weeks later, an
nounced her engagement, which meant
that Mt last was free Before finish
Ing reading her letter threw 1t down
and took up my pen to write Irving
announcing the good news; but, turn
ing to the letter again for the name of
Cynthia's fiance, the room swan. and
fell In swoon. The name was Ir-
wing Peck.
w udL StIuuSe concurrence had
brought these two together? Did Cyn-
thia know that her lover had been nv
lover? Did Irving know that Cynthia
was the girl who had stood between
us? Cynthia could not know the truth
unless he told her. Irving might and
might not know her. He had not seen
her before since she was little girl,
but he must surely know her by name.
Another week passed. and nothing
from Irving. Then one morning car
rage drove up to the door, and man
alighted. He came to the door with
quick step, pulled the bell, and with
out waiting for it to be answered
strobe into the house. On seeing me
he stepped forward to take me in his
arms. / drew back.
Eve are free" he said. "Cynthla is
engaged"
"What Is our freedom worth since
you are engaged as wellf"
"yoar promise was TO remain single