Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09


still be friends. but / cannot meet you on
the old footing just yet. and 80 do not
wonder IL you do not see me for little
while. IL IL hard TO bear--harder even
than thought II would be. III you never
marry until you find someone nobler than
yourself. l shall certainly not be obliged
to bear the added burden OF jealousy.
Yours. etc.
RUSSELL j. MAYNARD"
1T isn't at all satisfactory" said
Russell, as he folded the note and put
1t into an envelope, but could do no
better II Tacked my brains for a
week."
Nearly three months had passed and
he had not yet summoned courage to
visit Miriam Grant She had spent
part of the time with an old friend In
neighboring state. and since her re
turn he had planned several times to
call on her, but never felt himself
quite strong enough to do so.
II don't want to make a fool OF my.
SELF" he thought 1T has never been
my ambition to marry wife who did
not love me. IL she can't, she cant.
and l shall not beg for what Is not
given freely: but, oh, Miriam, II
YOU"
He stopped suddenly and began q
romp' with Dick.
II found a lovely lady to-day, uncle. .
said Dick finally.
Where did you find herr"
she rang the bell, and Mrs Wilson
was busy, SO / opened the door She
! said you must bring me to see her
some day, and / said thank you; uncle
will be pleased to- Did do it rightT
quite right" answered Russell
laughing. You are learning very
| fast"
II told her perhaps We would come
tonight and she said she should ex.
pect us; then she went home without
seeing Mrs. Wilson at ALL"
IL don't know about allowing you
| to make engagements for me. young
man." answered Russell, carelessly. as
he took up the evening paper and set.
tied himself comfortably.
Cant we go just few minutes -
pleaded Die. She was so pretty and
so good, and love her just awful"
Mercy on me! Has it come to that
so soon? What is the lady's name.
may l ask"
Miss Grant. She said you knew
where she lived"
"Miss-ahem-yes, | know! What
did she say about my-your going Ia
see her?"
Dick repeated the conversation, and
was rewarded by being told that he
might go to call on the pretty lady
and soon he was seated in chair very
close to her side, busily engaged with
a picture book.
How did you happen to do it?'
| asked Miriam OF Russell. with glance
at the boy.
II don't know, I'm sure" he AN
swered, with a smile. II had to make
J fool OF myself in some way, | think
My friends tell me that couldn't have
succeeded better"
You haven't added to your reputa
ton as a man of common sense and
good judgment" answered Miriam
with a laugh.
II am kept well posted in that di
rection; but really suppose you'd
laugh at me for saying so-but the lit
tie chap makes such things quite easy
to bear"
Russell, why haven't you been e
see me before? | felt hurt TO think
that | should be the last of all your
friends to learn of your new acquisl
ton"
Il haven't treated you fairly. but
well, to tell the truth, | haven't YET
arrived at the stage where ! am will
ling to meet you simply as friend"
II am glad of It,"
What do you mean? Miriam"
Russell hesitated, and his face be
came a shade paler. He did not want
to make a fool OF himself a SECOND
time, he thought, and he had beer
very sure that Miriam Grant returned
his love.
II do not mean to propose" answer
ed Miriam, with blushing cheeks and
laughing eyes, but | have no objec
ton to confessing that
"Confessing what?" Russell had heI
in his arms. and Dick was staring
wide-eyed on such scene as he had
never before witnessed.
THAT was mistaken in you
thought you an easy-going individual
without much purpose, one who would
be easily swayed by public opinion
and such man, though very pleasant
as an acquaintance, was not my idea
as a husband"
Russell and Miriam have been mar
ried several years, and Dick still lives
with them. People who predicted all
sorts of trouble now say that they are
the oldest couple that ever lived, and
IL is fortunate that they married each
other. for neither would have been
happy with any one else. or made any
one else happy.
Two Of a Kind