Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-27
A Matter Of Disposition.

This is a story something like dupli-
cate whist, which is intended to elm
mate chance in the game of whist and
give a comparison of pure skill. This
story eliminates the physical person
atty in the game of love and leaves all
to disposition.
When the engagement of Harriet
Hartwel1 and Sam Thatcher was an
nounced everybody said that it was
good match. Harriet was high prin-
cipIed girl, steady, digni1ed, full of
noble aspirations, which she made
good show in carrying out. SSne was
wealthy, and her surplus income went
where it would do the most good.
Thatcher was also a steady going fell
low, with no evil or weak traits about
him, his life purpose being to achieve
success and do his duty by his fellows
Notwithstanding the opinion of the
world the engaged couple failed to
grow together. Harriet studied when
with her fiance to be interested in what
he was interested in, to accord with
him in his views-in short, to make her
self a part of him.
There came a period when Thatcher
noticed that his fancee was different at
different times. At one evening when
he called she would manifest her usual
interest in what interested him or what
he was supposed to prefer to talk
about. and the next she would chatter
lightly, principally about what she was
herself interested in. Thatcher was
rested by this semifrivolity and per-
mitted her to chatter to her hearts
content. Then, too, she manifested
disposition to have her own way about
little things and occasionally would fly
into sudden burst of passion, SO i'm
potent, so unreasonable, that he was
quite amused. Instead Of fiaring up
himself he would sit and laugh at her.
Then when he had had enough of this
summer tempest on millpOnd ne
would take her to his arms and cover
her face with kisses.
The next time he called he would
probably find her former self-ready
with her sympathy and practical adj
| vice as to his affairs, her expression OF
those strong womanly principles for
which she was so valued by the world
at large = indeed, all that she had
| thrown off, nothing that she had as
sumed, during their last meeting.
One evening when he called-he had
witnessed the evening before one OF
her April storms, with bit of thunder
and lightning thrown inland found her
her own steady self he deliberately set
1 about to make her angry. She looked
at him with a dignifed astOniShment.
He kept on with his prodding till final
~ she arose and with a panied sur
prise, mingled with contempt, walked
out of the room He sent maid for
her, but she declined to return, and he
went away without seeing her.
He did not sleep that night, for he
was much troubled. Her treatment OF
him had repealed him. If she was 10
be always this serious self he was
quite willing to release her from her
engagement But he could not give up
that lighter Harriet who rested MIN,
amused him and of whom all he asked
was to be loved However, the matter
was settled the next evening when he
called by greeting far more demon
strative than she had ever SHOWN him
before. Indeed, it seemed that the bond
between the two which even when she
was her lighter self had been f1imsy
had suddenly become unbreakable;
that they were now the letters OF a
real mutual ecstatic love.
Sweetheart" he said, what has
brought about this change"
I'm pledged not to tell"
He could get nothing from her, but
she showed no disposition to relapse.
From that time till shortly before the
wedding he saw no more of her other
serious self. She was the same light,
whimsical, irrational, emotional, Iowa
BILE creature When the lover, tired OF
his daily labors, left them at his office
he could be sure that during his even
ing call upon his fiancee he could laugh
and chat without being reminded OF
them. Occasionally if he felt ike
throwing the burden upon her 1t woulu
be received not with advice and a
dissertation on the better part Tor d
man to choose, but with kiss. one
thing above all pleased him-sne mao