The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-09-26
The "Might
Have Been


10 each other, gushing young girls
we're prone 10 wonder that Sarah
Irving had never married.
ana With her Madonna facet
she's Just lovsly, n she is an old
maid"
FOR o than ten years Sarah
Irving had made her home IN her mar
red brothers family. TO the hsppi-
ness Of the whole household. what
better proof Of her goodness could
zen ask7 For everybody knows this
cannot be said Of ali maiden ladies' OF
20 who are domiciled under a mar
ried brothers roof.
Il goes without saying that the
young ladies' Of C~loverdale e quite
Wild over Dr. Bryant. and a greater
number Of gentle inyallds suddenly
developed in the place than anyone
had ever known there before,
Il declared one belle would say
to another, half On Jest hall In earn
est. isn't Il too aggravating when
Or. Bryant is outst any evening gath
ering with the Iryinss. always 70 see
him eoolly tack Sarah's arm within
his and walk on home with her as 8
matter OF counsel"
Il should think sol when at her age
she can't care anything about Il. and
any Of the rest Of us would be 30 de
lighted with the honor! Much as
/ admire her. / fear ! shall come TO
fairly hate her. n It goes on 80, I'm SO
green with envy"
At home. IN his leisure hours ne
proved himself a most delightful com
panioa. He had travelled widely. had
read almost everything worth read
ing, and was withal an enthusiast In
bis profession.
He found in Sarah a refined, intel
ligent woman. who could talk well
and listen well. both rare accom-
pllshments. so they got on famousiy
together. And so naturally did Il ali
come about. that months passed be
fore she mistrusted that the esteem
In which she held the young doctor
was any warmer than that she had
felt for many.
And DR.. Bryant?
He considered her n Of the finest
women he had ever met trusted her
and confded IN her as he might
have done IN q sister, had he ever had
one, and did not realize bis true feel
Tags toward her TN Il was all at once
revealed TO him when he accidentally
80 - $500 rstrnfnV ~ 4
poor n~elghbor's sick children.
Then Il dawned upon him that this
was Just the help-meet he needed
that Sarah Irving was a woman
among a thousand. and In short, thai
be loved her and had for a long time
though be had not realised H.
One night they were out riding n
the soft summer starlight. No word
was spoken until Dr.. Bryant turned
20 his companion and said. impres
aiv0ly:
Miss Irving, / have always admired
ana respected you. ! have found thai
you are my other self. the very WON
az ! need for a wife. / say 10 yoT
nov what I never said 70 any woman
before-I love you WITH all my hear
and soul! DaFlingl"
Ard before she could % from
the surprise Of this announcement h
had drawn her 10 him and pressed
kiss upon her lips. the frst and las
lovers kiss she ever received.
ohi sweetest moment Of al her e.
istence. No starving mortal eve
tasted food. no parched lips eve
QuaRed water 90 delicious as wer'
those words 10 sRrAh's soul. spokcI
IN the fondest. tenderest accents. Th'
music Of that last word Of endeaT
ment, the very tone IN which It wa
spoken. rang In her a 80 the las
day Of her life, Who shall blame he
II for one moment she yielded 20 IN
profseFed earessi The next inEtan
her strong. pure love for him haI
triumphed. and drawing herself ereeI
she replies:
"Dr. Bryant, you must know ! 81
ast0nished beyond measure at wha
you have said, 40 ] had no reason Z
expect such words from you. / esteeF
you very highly, and appreciate n
honor you do me "a asking me {
be your wife, but Il can Be"
"And why notf' he asked.
Look AZ the unsuitsbleness Of n
thinE." abe replied. with a calmnes
that astonished herself. while he
, heart was beating as II Il Woui
burst its way out and speak IN Il
own behalf. Il am IS years olde
than you. Such a marriage would b
absurd"
"Not II you loved me 81 ! love you.
he replied earnestly.
. Hos little he dreams itl" though
/. poor Sarah.
Sarah shook her head sadly.
1T would not be WiEe nor kim
Think for one moment; look 70
ward 20 years. You would be
. man IN The prime Of life. I a era.
haired old woman. You will live
see the time when you viii thar
me for my decision tonight. althouf