The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-11-08

we're discussing Matilda's affairs over
their sewing she was working With
her usual harnestness with the young
| curate
DO you know, Miss Grant," he
said, looking at her with an intensity
of purpose that almost surprised Ma
| tilda and made her feel for the first
| time the real force of the young man,
y wSnt to ask you something. j
thought I'D speak to the bishop about
| 1t at first, but it seems as If you could
perhaps give me the best and wlsest
answer Knowing me so well you
/ can best and naturally advise me-
Please don't consider the personal
side at all" He paused nervously and
then came to the point do you
think ought to marry?
You see, want eventually to de-
vote my life to my little mountain
mission. That's always been my am
bition, and when / first spoke to the
bishop about it he advised me not to
marry until had established myself,
because of the hardships of the work.
1t didn't seem hard then, for a year
ago had never even considered the
possibility Of wanting to marry. But
since have been here it has come
upon me very forcibly. OF course
wouldn't want to marry woman
who wasn't as devoted to the cause
as ! am; but a young woman like
you, little older than I, with her
whole heart in the cause, couldn't
help but be an inspiration to me-"
Matilda had listened to this studied,
but obviously heartfelt, declaration
with the color deepening In her
cheeks and her eyes lowered with
embarrassment IF only he liked
me for something besides my devo
ton to the cause" she thought, and
then, after pause, she said:
Il understand your point Of view
perfectly. am glad you have put 1t
as you have. Yes, do think wife
would be helpful to you; one who adj
mires you and would have your inter-
ests at heart Yes, Stephen, think
you are right" She spoke with hest
fancy and faltered because Of his I'M
demonstrative behavior
Thank you from the bottom of my
heart" said the curate. And then
some one, the sexton. no doubt. came
into the room and ended his confess
sions.
Matilda went home that day with
confusion of ideas, some pleasant,
some very disconcerting To devote
herself to the mission of the neigh
boring wild mountain district might
be almost as absorbing as being an
engineers wife in South America.
And then she thought with her. cheeks
burning with annoyance that she had
hoped for q more ardent declaration.
Matilda kept her promise to her
sisters, and when she found her way
to their tea table that afternoon she
told them that the curate had pro-
| posed. I'm a way" she explained.
1T was a queer sort of q proposal,
but l didn't refuse him. The sexton
interrupted us, but it is settled. I'm
Mrs. Parson Cobb for the rest of my
| life"
1t was while Matilda was waiting
| for the call from the curate that she
was expecting that evening that a
| telegram reached her from New York.
| Her heart sank within her as she
read, II will be with you in two days.
| Paul Meade" And as she re-read 1t
the vision of mountain missions and
curates vanished from her and in its
place came thousand recollections
of the old friend. Paul.
| Fortunately for Matilda's peace of
mind, Stephen Cobb had been called
to his beloved mountain mission the
! day after the telegram came and had
left Matilda with only very kind
| farewell, and did not seem to notice
the look of anxiety in Matildas eyes
as he promised to tell her all a;SOes
his plans ON his return.
An hour before Paul's arrival
Stephen returned from the mountains
and FASTENED to the house of Matilda,
| who had decided that whatever Paul's
reason for returning, she would stand
by her guns and marry the only man
she had ever really encouraged. II
she had made a mistake she would
suffer the consequences, she resolved,
but when she saw the curate's face
before u0r sue luOuBAt Will 6uuly
conscience of the telegram and Paul.
"Oh, Matilda" said the curate with
beaming blue eyes, Il am going to
marry Deaconess Gray in the spring.
My little mountain deaconess has
promised to marry me as soon as her
pledge expires. l am the happiest
man in the world She is SO impa-
tient to meet you"
1t came upon Matilda in flash,
and because the excited curate was SO
full of thoughts Of his beloved dea-
coness he did not notice the excite
ment in Matilda's voice as she con-
graduated him or the abruptness with
which she rose and bowed him to the
door.
Two days later Matilda announced
her engagement to Paul Meade, her
old boyhood friend, who had never
known till he left her that he had
! loved her all his life.