The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-12-15
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, THE DAILY STORY {
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poRoTHY's WAY


(By Edith S. Speed
James drew up the window shades
and. laying some letters on a little
table by the bedside. remarked:
"A tine day. SIR
The sleepes opened his eyes. Don't
lell me it IS time 10 set up?"
IL is 3 O'Clock. SIR
While James was drawing the bath
for his master the Rev John Ashe
stretched OUT his hand and took up
the bundle Of letters On top vas
: little blue envelope addressed In a
feminine hand, familiar and full OF
character.
The man tore open the envelope
and began eagerly 10 read the con-
tents
eOverlook. L. l., April l.
"My Dear John--I am writing to
announce not only my engagement
but the date of my wedding. May /.
inst a month hence.
You no doubt will be surprised
at my decision to marry so soon after
the announcement OF my engage
ment: but. as you know. ! always did
do eccentric things, and now that
know my own mind. wish 10 he mar
ried as soon as possible.
Perhaps YOU know the man | am
TO marry At present | shall not tell
YOU his name, but leave you to guess
He il one Of our own old circle Of
friends.
WIN you marry us John2 This ]
wish most earnestly The wedding
viii be solemnized at noon on the
first, only a quiet little home wedding
With very few friends present Try
TO catch the 9 o'clock train from Long
Island CITY DO not refuse his one
request and please your sincere friend
DOROTHY MILLS"
II was not meant 10 be a cruel let
ter. but II hit hard. The Rev. John
Ashe had known Dorothy since his
junior wear al college. where she had
met her at football game. She was
a very attractive girl and he had fal-
len in love with her After graduat
Ing from the seminary he had plopos-
ed but she had refused him a year
later, when he received flattering
call % parish church in Evanston
he repeated his proposal 10 Dorothy
to become his wife but her answer
was no She admitted she cared
about him. but not enough TO marry
him and promised that. should she
find. in years 10 come that she real
~ could love him she would write,
but he must not propose to he again
To this he had reluctantly consented
Now. he had been in the West fol
two years aud had received friendly
letters from Dorothy, but she never
had said the words he SO longed "a
hear.
And. sfter all this time, she was
about to marry another man and she
begged him 10 offciate. That seemed
more than he could do II was hard
enough TO know that she was TO mar
rv some one ..eise--but to perform
the ceremony No. he could never Dc
that. Why was Dorothy SO cruel
She knew that the one great hope he
had cherished for the last three years
was to make her his wife He woulc
send he. word at once regretling his
Inability to be al Overlook on tht
first
Again the strong desire to please
her-the desire that had mastered
him since their first meeting, prompt
ed him 10 send n telegram of accent
ance. He would do for Dorothy the
Que thinauaeainat which his soul and
heat rebelled He would attend hei
wedding
The tub filled James returned e
arrange his masters wearing appar
el lnsi cad Of having to call him 2
second time. as was the custom, hif
man found the minister sitting up il
bed staring into vacancy His brown
eyes. no longer full of sleep were
unusually bright and his month had
become very stern
DO You recall any engagement foi
MAY T. 1ames?"
The Rev John Ashe had always K
depend upon his servant TO keep hin
IN mind Of engagements.
We leave New York for Old Point
Comfort sir, Al 1870"
Bless me. | had forgotten II. Bui
tN"t h'N"A AhtNi ttAt " III a - ~ NioSf
wedding"
Ills servant stared a minute. then
remarked. Your bath is ready, sir
The minister was sure he woult
never have performed his duties cor
rectly during he month that follow
ed II ii had not been for jones The
faithful man instantly reminded hin
Of things to be done. and when the
lhirtieth came secured berths, pack
ed the luggage and. at the last min
ute bundled his master on the traif
for New York and the wedding
The train rolled along all night ant
he minister slept with a semi-con
sciousness that provoked endless
lre4ms One was very persistent. il
which he proposed 10 Dorothy and sh'
accepted him Finally no awok'
with a happy sigh which memory turn
ed into happiness Thus dlsoonsolat'
he arose. for the train was nearini
New York. and he began the diffienl
performance OF dressing in sleepins
ca,
BY S:so he was crossing she ferr'
from New York to Long Island Cit
70 catch hts train. He met no one h
knew. th wedding guests were 4
20 out later in the day.
Tn an hour he reached Overlook.