The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-08-24

WrOnBluB me. As NOu iiNSS' lch JOu
there is no woman in the world so fit
to be my wife as you are. My only
wish is that | were worthy to have
such wife! | intend, of course, to
achieve all that | can-to make the best
use | can of such faculties as possess,
but nothing imaginable could so great
ly help me to do that as the inspiration
Of your love and the stimulus of know
ing that you were to be always by my
side"
An occasional tear was by this time
trickling down the girls cheeks. How
could it be otherwise when the man
she loved and honored above all others
was so tenderly saying such things OF
her and to her with Il sincerity too
greatly passionate to be open TO any
doubt? How could ii be otherwise
when she knew that she must put
aside the love of this man, her hero,
the only love. as she knew in her in
most soul. that she could ever think OF
with rejoicing so long as she should
live?
She would have interrupted the pas
sionate pleading if her voice had been
under control AS it was she sat ST.
lent while he went on.
Il have spoken of my ambitions hrSt
and of your capacity TO help them not
because such things are first in my esti-
nation, but because you have treated
them as worthy of being put first.
There are much higher things to be
thought Of What a man achieves Is
of far less consequence than what d
man is. That which | ask OF you is
TO help me be the best that am capa-
bic of being, and for you to be it with
me | want TO make the most, the
best the happiest life for you that is
possible. Oh, Barbara, you will never
know how longingly | dream of q
home with you at its head! You can
not know how absolutely the worthl
ness of my life depends upon such q
linking of it with yours.
The girl had completely given way tc
her emotions now, but with that reso
lutte self mastery which was dom
inant note in her nature she presently
! controlled herself.
.sYou do not know all" she said
you have not heard all | have to tel
YOU. You haven't heard the most i'm
portant part of 1t. l have only told
YOU what | thought on that evening
when-wheu you asked-questions.
still think that ought to settle the mat
/ 70 fhinlg-nprhDn
YOU might have convinced me, or a
least-oh. you don't know! There are
other reasons-stronger reasons, rea
sons that nothing can remove
Tell me of them | can imagine NJ
reason whatever that could satisfy
me-"
1T is very hard to tell. You know
| never knew my parents. Both m!
mother and my father died on the da!
/ was born. | seem to know my moth
err because auntie loved her so mucl
and has talked to me so much abou
her all my life But she never talked
to me much about my father. Hi
family was a good one, his father hav
inc been banker, with some reputa
ton as an artist also, and my fathe
was his partner in business. But tina
is all | know of my father-nO, tina
isn't what / meant to say. | meant I
say that that is all my aunt ever toll
me about him and all knew until tn
night when you asked me-questions
After you went away that evening
went to my room and thought the mat
ter out. | have already told you VIVA
conclusions | reached. When l ha
decided | went to auntie's room an
sat on the side of her bed and told he
everything. She cried BITTERLY didn
understand why at first. After awhil
she said she didn't at all agree wit
me in my conclusions and added:
eff the things you mention were al
Bah, l should tell you to stop thinkin
of them and let Mr.. Duncan judge fc
himself but there is something els,
Bab-something very dreadful. | me-
or intended to tell you of it, but now
, must You would find it out very sool
, for Tandys wife knows it, and if 81
heard that there was anything betwee
you anu MT, Duucdu size WOulu man
haste TO talk of it, particularly aftC
r what has happened between Tand
and Mr. Duncan. Then you woul
? never forgive me for not telling you
'She went on then and told me whi
[ l must tell you. She told me, NJ
q Duncan, that | am the daughter of
thief
I The girl paused, unable to go o
Duncan saw that she was sufferr
acutely, and he determined to spa
her.
you must stop now, Barbara
said I'm a caressing tone. You a
overwrought. | will hear the rest a
other time when you feel stronger al
send for me- l am going to say goo
night now, so that you may rest b
before | go | want to say that nothiI
- you have told me can make the lea
difference i'm my feelings or my
! sires or my purposes. You are VIII
you are Nothing else matters. VIII
you feel strong enough I will cor
4 10. 10 ho. xxyti