The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-06-14
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Mr.. Augustus Sheringham entered
his hanson with much the demeanor
with which an Indifferent sailor might
climb into seagoing ship. He had a
bad half hour before him, and he was
well aware of the fact. Having direct
avenue and Strengthened his immacu-
late tie at the strip of looking glass
beside him (thls last purely mechan-
fcal proceeding), he leart forward, and
with fixed, unseeing gaze, that seemed
to scorn the traffic Of the city, again
surrendered himself to the problem
that had been torturing his brain for
hours What on earth should he say to
her? How could he ever hope to ex-
plain the position In which he found
himselfi
New York was looking its best that
flne June morning. In the pale warm
sunlight Central Park glowed gently;
the merry chorus Of birds blended har-
moniously with the jingle of busses
and the soft purring Of electric auto
mobiles. 1t was day to delight the
senses of one who loved his New York
but half as intensely as did Mr.. Sher-
bingham on ordinary occasions. But to-
day as had been limited, he cared for
none of these things-saw them not,
indeed. For almost the first time In
mis- forty years of blameless life Mr..
.Sheringham, on that drive to 9Th ave
nue., neglected to observe and return
the salutes Of passing acquaintances.
He was thinking, too, deeply to be con-
sc!ous Of anything but the one ques-
tion that absorbed him, and which he
did not know how to answer.
Presently he drew from his pocket a
letter, and fixing his glasses, regarded
the paper with frowning concentra-
,tion that seemed determined to gain
saome inspiration from Its mere peru
sal. The action was, however, an emp
ty one, for he already knew the con-
tents Of the letter by heart had read
and re-read 1t fifty times since 1t had
burst like bombshell into the midst Of
his placid bachelor breakfast But for
the fifty-frst time he strove to grapple
with the problem that 1t presented.
my Dear Mr.. Sherlngham-Yo
mote only reached me this morning,
but | am obeying your wish and re-
plying to 1t with as little delay as
possible Perhaps 1t is unnecessary for
me to say how much your proposal has
touched me; 1t cannot be otherwise
than fiattering to woman Of eight
and-thirty (my age!) to be asked to
be his wife by man whom she both
,admires and esteems. $, But dear
friend, while fully sensible of the
worth of what | renounce, you must
forgive me IL say that l fear It can
not be as you wish. Some day, per-
haps, may try to explain to you my
reasons; till then, and always, please
permit me to remain, as before, your
sincere and attached friend
ANNETTE PILKINGTON."
A sufficiently straightforward and
charming letter, you will admit, for
woman to send in reply to the propo-
sal of any man. Why, then, did Mr..
Sherlngham, whose appearance was
hardly that OF the rejected suitor, feel
apprehensivef The reason is simple.
He had not written the letter to which
this was an answer. Mr.. Sheringham,
IN short, had never proposed to Mrs.
Pilkipgton. and was now faced with
what he conceived to be an unpleasant
duty OF telling her 30.
He had small doubt as to the mis-
creant who was almost certainly the
cause OF hls dilemma. Not for nothing
had Mr.. Sherlngham been bachelor
uncle FOR the past twenty years He
remembered with grim satisfaction
how often he had reproved his sister
Mary FOR her absurd leniency toward
those unconscionable boys, how often
be had predicted that some day Tom.
now cadet at West Point. with his
dangerous capacity for initiating hand
writing. wculd achieve some serious