Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-09-10
The Tutors WOOing

SO-N@N~~~@~S-~~~T~~
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
substantial merchant, whose business
was In the city and whose house was
in Lancaster Gate.
The two boys were aged s and 8, and
they were the only offspring of Mr..
Brackleys second marriage. Refine
ment went out of his home when pros
perity came in, at the date OF that
second marriage.
Miss Mabel Brackley was now near
" 20, and far superior to the other
inmates of the house, with whom, how
ever, she lived ON the most amiable
terms.
She felt, nevertheless, that she was
not quite one of the family. Her step
mother had many relations, who were
inclined to consider her an outsider, of
little account, and who devoted their
attention to her little half brothers.
She would not have been sorry to have
a home which was really her own, and
her father realized that 1t would be a
good thing for her. Therefore, while
discouraging any attempts of poor
young men to pay attention to the
daughter of the substantial house, he
was at the present moment encouraging
the advances of a very rich young mer
chant who had looked on Mabel with
d favorable eye.
IT was to this household that Her
bert Ford entered as tutor to the two
bows. Frankly he had admitted that
I'D to the present his experience in
teaching had not been great. He in
tended for himself a literary career, he
stated. and tutored only as a tenn
porary expedient, but his public school
and university education 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, but
not remembering where, and feeling
she might have been mistaken, she said
nothing about 1t. He, at any rate, did
not seem to remember her, for his
greeting, though extremely courteous,
was that of q complete stranger. A
few DAYS later he asked for an inter
view with the father.
az come to ask you for your daugh-
ter's hand" he said simply.
What, sir-what do you mean?'
Il want your daughters hand-of
course, l mean the rest of her with it.
l 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 scoundrel,
sir" was all Mr.. Brackley could get
out He was pink with rage. The
tutors manner was not calculated to
make him less angry.
Come, sir, come" said Ford testify,
have l 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
daughter away"
Precisely. You have stated the case
as shortly as could, though you have
guessed rather quickly. l stole into
this house with that deliberate inten-
ton. The tutoring was only blind"
Mr.. Brackley gasped again. The
man acknowledged it. seemed to &C
kowledge more than even he had
charged him with.
i've good mind to send for the
police" 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?"
81 came for your daughter. yes most
decidedly | came for her. And" he
added exultantly, Il have got her."
"You would take her away from a
luxurious home; you have already
caused her to give up most excellent
chance. And for what? That she may
be q ypewriting drudge, and typewrite