The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1910-03-31

man like myself | will tell you what
| will do. | am as attached to Miss
Dorchester as II she were my daugh.
ter. She is Of suitable age for you
and a woman Of rare good sense. !
can safely trust her to carry out your
grandfathers intentions toward you.
III she will have you and you will
have her | will make will leaving
my property to you both jointly. Civ
ing her meanwhile control OF the In
come"
But | don't know that I like Miss
Dorchester" exclaimed, taken aback
at this offer. Then after pause.
"Will she consent to the plan"
'That Is for you to find out"
l had no hope that Miss Dorchester
would marry me simply to gain for
tune, and In any event | should have
to live with her and carry out my
grandfather's wishes. But anything
rather than beggary. l went to the
young lady, told her of Mrs. Welles-
ley's proposition and asked her to be
my wife.
What did she do but toss her nose in
the air and decline to have anything
to do with such proposition.
left her furious. She would rather
give up fortune than be my wife.
| spent the next twenty-four hours
In inventing imaginary ways Of tortur-
ing her. The upstart!
We all know that a woman scorned
becomes fury. There Is no such
adage about man. but there should
be, "a man scOrned is soon conquer
ed" / resolved that would make
Miss Dorchester love me. then toss her
aside as wax doll.
In n few weeks / had softened her
so far as to receive a proposition from
her
II cannot bear" she said. ito stand
between you and fortune. feel that
1t will be impossible for Mrs. Welles-
ley to carry out your grandfather's In
tentiOns toward you. l will agree to
her proposition to marry you provided
you will promise to 60 away and not
trouble me-"
| had secured terms that In the be-
ginning would have considered very
acceptable. But what did l consider
them now? An insult.
Are you aware" / said, the color
rising to my cheek and spark glitter
ing In my eye, that you are by no
means fiatteringT
"But l supposed what you wish is
to go abroad and break your neck
climbing mountains"
"Ohw I exclaimed ironically. "ln
that case you would not be troubled
with me further"
"And death would release you from
living with wife you had married
for convenience"
In this retort fancied I could de-
tect something womanly-something Of
pain. l was surprised. went TO her
and laid my hand on her arm. was
not repulsed.
II think" I said. that you could
carry out my grandfather's wishes.
At any rate, try. l will do all I can to
help you"
"To retain your fortune" she said.
pouting
"And become loving husband"
The evening before the wedding,
when was a hundred miles from my
intended bride, | was thrown into q
wild state by the receipt Of the follow
ing telegram:
You must marry your grandmother, att
er all. or lose your fortune. AGNES.
What new complication could have
arisen? Why could not those lawyers
be certain OF anything? had become
violently in love with Miss Dorchester
and would not In any event give her
up. replied:
Grandmother be hanged! will marry
you tomorrow.
could not get train till early the
next day, but after a sleepless night
at 5 a. III. was steaming toward my
bride that was to be. On my arrival
hesltated whether to go at once to see
her and discover the meaning OF her
telegram, but there was little time,
and my mind was made up as to the
marriage, so dressed for the wedding
before setting out. dashed up to the
house in a carriage, alighted and hur'
ried up the steps. Agnes was standing
in a front window in bridal array, her
face radiant with happiness. Rushing
into the room where she was, caught
her in my arms.
whats the matterT' asked, breath
less.
You're going to marry your grand
mother"
mo, I'm not I'm going to marry
you"
I'm your grandmother" Her eyes
were dancing a hOrnpipe.
Then | saw 1t all. My grandfather
had married her instead Of the old
woman. She had been playing game
with me. My grandfather in the pres
ence OF death had hit upon the expe
dent of marrying the girl who had
been supplying my place by deYotinG
herself to him. This would make hei
inheritance stronger In law, though ht
left will in her favor telling her thai
It was his wish that she should marry
me and make a man of me.
But she bad no mind to make &
business transaction Of the matter
She had therefore put an old woman
forward to pGsonate her as the widow
while she stood in the background
The old woman had nothing else to d.
with the matter except Il receive (
handsome salary. had been com
pletelv dupcd. but had become so i'm
pressed with the ability and good
sense of my real grandmother that th'
moment WAS piQued was hopelessl,
| in love.
Il philiD Francis