Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-05-01

| "You are not .cell. You must st do,rqs. '' to say, and don't know where to be- gin. Oh. yes; know now. I must begin where we left off when-well, that other time" ...1 Duncan saw that she needed assist ance, and he gave it by speaking sooth- ingly to her, saying:
 "You are to begin wherever you find it easiest to begin, and you are to tell me nothing that it distresses you to tell" "Oh, but all of it distresses me, and I must tell it-all of it.'' .@..--
 Again Duncan spoke soothingly, and presently the girl began again.
 Well, first, I can never-I mean I mustn't-I mustn't say yes to the questions you asked me that other time"
 You mean when I asked if you would be my wife?
 "Yes. That's it. Thank you very much, That's the first thing I am to tell you.'
 "Who bade you tell me thaty
 "Oh, nobody, or, rather, I mean no- body told me I mustn't say yes but after I had made up my mind that I mustn't. then auntie said I was bound to tell you about 1t all. I wanted to write 1t, but she said that wouldn't be fair and that I must tell you myself"
 But why did you make up your mind that you mustn't say 'yesT Can you not love me, Barbara2"
 "Oh, yes-I mean no-or, rather, mustn't"
 But if you can, why is it that you mustn'ty'
 That question at last gave Barbara courage to speak It seemed to nerve her for the ordeal and at the same time to point a way for the telling. a"Why,@I mustn't love you, Mir. Dun- can, because I cannot marry you. You see, that would be very wrong When you-well. when you asked me those questions, 1t startled me, and didn't know what to say, but after you had gone away that night I saw clearly that mustn't think of such thing. It would be so unfair to you"
 But how would it be unfair? It would be doing the one thing in the world that I want you to do. It would be giving me the one woman in the world whom I want for my wife. the only woman I shall ever think of mar rying."
 But you mustn't think of that any more. You see, Mfr Duncan, I am not fit to be your wife. I should be a ter rible drag upon you. You are already man of prominence, and everybody says you are soon to become man of great distinction. You must have a wife worthy of such man, wife who can help him and do him credit in so- ciety. Now, you know could never be- come that sort of woman. 1 am only an obscure girl. I don't know how. I cannot talk brilliantly. I couldn't im- press people as your wife must. I am not even educated in any regular way. I've just grown up in my own fashion in the shade. as 1t were-and the strong sunlight would only emphasize my insignificance."
 Will you let me say one word at this point. Barbaraf" broke in Duncan in spite of her effort to prevent. You are wronging yourself and you are wronging me. As God lives, I tell you there is no woman in the world so fit to be my wife as you are. My only wish is that I were worthy to have such a wife. I intend. of course. to achieve all that can-to make the best use I can of such faculties as possess, but nothing imaginable could so great ly help me 10 do thnt 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 tsnderly saying such things of her and to her with a sincerity too greatly passionate to be open to any doubtf How could 1t be otherwise when she knew that abe must put aside the love of this man. her hero. the only love. e she knew in her fn- most soul. that she could ever think of with rejoicing % long as she should iive7
 She would have interrupted the pas sionate pleading If her voice bad been under control. As 1t was she sst si- lent while he vent on