The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1908-07-23
THE TUTORS WOOING.

For reasons best known to himself,
but which you shall learn later, Her.
bert Ford took a situation as holiday
tutor to the son of Mr.. Brackley, a sub
stantial merchant, whose business was
in the city and whose house was in Lam
caster Gate.
The two boys were aged s and 9, and
they were the only offspring OF MI.
Brackley's second marriage. Refine
ment went out of his home when pros
perity came in, at the date of that sec
ond marriage.
Miss Mabel Brackley was now near
ly 20. and far superior to the other in
mates of the house, with whom, how
ever. she lived on the most amiable
terms.
She felt. nevertheless, that she was
not unite one of the family. Her step
mother had many relations, who were
inclined to consider her an outsider. OF
little account. and who devoted tnelr
attention to her little half brothers. She
would not have been sorry to have a
home which was really ner own, and
her father realized that it would be a
good thing for her. Therefore, while
discouraging any attempts OF poor, young
men to paw attention to the daughter OF
the substantial house, he was at the
present moment encouraging the au
yances of a very rich young merchant
who had looked on Mabel with FAVOR
able eye.
It was to this household that Herbert
Ford entered as tutor to the two boys.
Frankly he had admitted that up to
the present his experience III teachlng
had not been great. He intended Tor
himself a literary career, he stated, and
tutored only as a temporary eXpedlent'
but his public school and university edu-
cation fully qualified him to undertake
his task.
Mr.. Brackley had been much pleased
with the young man at his first inter-
view with him, and his impression cor
responded with that of Mrs. Brackley
when she saw him.
Mabel Brackley had an impression. OF
having seen him somewhere before, put
NOT remembering where, and feeling
she might have been mistaken, she SAD
nothing about it. He, at any rate, dld
not seem to remember her, Tor MS
greeting, though extremely courteous
was that of a complete stranger. a
few DAYS later he asked for an interview
with the father.
II come to ask you for your daugh-
ter's hand,' he said simply.
"What, sir-what do you mean!
II want your daughters hand of
course, | mean the rest of her with 1t.
I want her. l want to marry her. In
deed, she has consented to marry me.
But. as in duty bound, l ask you for
your permission"
you are an outrageous scoundrei,
sir" was all Mr.. Brackley could get out.
He was pink with rage. The tutor
manner was not calculated to make him
less angry.
Come, sir, come" said Ford testify,
''have I your permission to marry your
daughter?
Brackley looked at him in impotent
rage. He wiped his forehead with a
large red handkerchief. At last he col
lected himself sufficiently to speak.
''You steal into this house-the best
house on Lancaster Gate-under the
pretense of tutoring my boys, and de
liberately set yourself to, take my daugh-
ter away"
'Precisely. You have stated the case
as shortly as 1 could, though you have
guessed rather quickly. l stole into this
house with that deliberate intention
The tutoring was only a blind"
Mr.. Brackley gasped again. The man
acknowledged it, seemed to acknowl-
edge more than even he had charged
him with.
give good mind to send for the pc
lice" he cried.
unfortunately, what l have done is
not criminal offense-not one recog
nized by the law, at least"
$50 you came here for that purpose
What do you mean by that?'
II came for your daughter, yes; mos
decidedly I came for her. And" ht
LII L
you would take her away from {
luxurious home; you have already
caused her to give up a most eXcellen
chance. And for what? That she may
| be a typewriting drudge, and typewritt
| your wretched and, / have no doubt
wicked stories"
| "Well, if she likes, she may
| "You think that | shall give her mon
ey. You are mistaken. She will never
have a penny from me-"
''That doesn't natter"
"You say so. But you know I am hcl
father. You trust that | shall repent
| II hope so--for your sake"
"Now, sir, I tell you that the girl il
penniless, and that she will never-nevel
you understand-have a penny of m!
money. If you have spark of honor
| left, a spark of true regard for her hap
piness, you will give her up"
II have her promise, and l shall keel
her to it," said Ford.
''You talk bravely. / suppose yol
! will tell me that you never cared abou
her money, that you love her for her
self?'
"It is sufficient for me that she love
me for myself" said Ford, calmly. ga
any rate, she doesn't love me for m.
money" ~
mo, indeed" sneered Brackley. -
man like you would never have got int
house like this save by a subterfuge
You and 1 don't meet in the ordinar.
way"
0That is true" admitted Ford, ''an'
that is why determined to become tn
| tor here"
'.And why sir, did you single M
daughter out for your designs?"
''Well. you see. 1 had seen her in tn
distance, and fallen in love with her.
wanted to know her better. She is al
! / thought her, and if | am not all sh
! thinks me, at any rate | shall max
| hnr q GOOD husband"