The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1908-09-18

her request
She had almost forsaken the room
before the astounded man could
stretch forth a OBTAINING hand and beg
her to tarry a moment AS she haltod
and turned partly around TO face Mr.
Clearing, he advanced toward her, and
bowling courteously, invited her to sit
down
GIVE me a minute to think. Try
dear" said he. Your extraordinary
words have so taken me by surprise
that | am at loss to reply off-hand"
"You have told me clearly and con-
cisely why you will not wed my son.
so l need not ask you to repeat that
part of your statement" said Franks
father, 81 respect you for your amaz-
ing candor Let me ask YOU DO you
love my SOM"
Il love him too much to permit him
to put his future happiness in jeopardy
by contracting an alliance with me
that may bring misery l respect him
too much to become his wife when
know that by SO doing | might cut him
off from his family Frank is worthy
of leading part in social and busi-
ness circles, but if handicapped by
your enmity, the enormous disadyan-
tage he would labor under would not
be compensated by the possession of a
wife who mi@ht happen to please his
fancy"
Does Frank know of your visit
here?'
Certainly not, sir"
"You express fear of further acts OF
violence. | infer from that, that vio-
lence has already been done"
Frank has whipped three young
men who aspired to pay their ad-
dresses"
What! You mean to tell me that
lightweight boy of mine licked three
men?">
Yes, and one of them was a big
football guard, twice as big as he
Frank is certainly violeat in his man
ner of making love He's a whirlwind
in affairs of the heart If he put az
much enthusiasm into business puT-
SUITS he undoubtedly would make a
"glittering success. | told him that,
but fooishly he declared he couldn't
keep his mind on commerce because
he was constantly thinking of me- He
said that if | were only his wife, he
would have an incentive to work like
a good fellow"
Is your determination not to go
away irregccable? Could you be in
duced to change your mind?'
THAT is as far as you need proceed
on that line, Mr.. Clearing Let me
tell you plainly that you haven't
enough money to induce me to leave
this city, and unless you really wish
to insult me you will not aaain refer
to the subject of my absenting myself.
l came here not to blackmail YOU"
"Have you any objection TO telling
me your family history"
mot the slightest, if you viii ey-
plain to me your object in requesting
it, in the light OF the fact that this
is to be our final Interview"
Dear Miss Rockwell: ] personally in
teryiewed the families to whom you re-
ferred me in our little chat few days
ago, and if that impetuous son Of minis
don't marry you, | win, if you VIII have
me, If you choose him, and he ever toes
anything to cause you unhappiness, ] win
wiring his neck AS for myself. ] give
you this as a bond to do everything in
my power to render your life peaceful
and luxurious and nothing to the con
trary in case you become my daughter
in-iaW. Yours sincerely,
|. S. CLEARING
My Dear Mr.. Clearing: If l hadn't met
and chosen Frank first, what an honor
it would be to become the wife of such
a perfectly lovely gentleman as you are.
Frank and ! are going TO be married. and
will not show yogr note to anybody so
long as you are serene, but if YOU are
real cross, | will let you read it. I know
YOU will be the sweetest father-in-law In
the world. Yours lovinglyx.
HELEN ROCK WE'LL.
Il reckon tie new girl is too smart
for the old man, soliloquized the
senior Clearing, when he had read
Helen note.