Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-03-04
THE BROKEN
ENGAGEMENT
-----------------------
How a Busybody Interrupted
a Love Match.

Walter came out from the city yeSter-
day, and after tea we climbed the hill
and sat In the summer house. There
he proposed to me. haven't the
slightest Idea what he said. He had a
hard time In getting 1t out. and l
didn't help him a bit. He made sew
eral attempts before he was success
full; then II came out incoherently. As
soon as he began l knew what was
coming, and that was all l cared about
It. He talked on. while I was In a de-
lirium OF joy and never heard a word.
I don't believe he could repeat a SEN
tence of what he said. and I'm sure I
couldn't
When we went back TO the house we
felt Obliged to go Into the library,
where the family were. felt so hap
by I wanted to tell them all about 1t
then and there, but Walter looked as IL
he had been stealing sheep. can't un-
derstand why men are so ashamed of
giving way In public to their gentler
emotions.
July 18.-Miss Graves came yester-
day. She is to be with us a week.
wish she had stayed away. She lis
tened peevishly to all l had to say
about Walter and our engagement,
then threw a bucket Of cold water over
meat least she might as well have
done so. She said she had heard OF so
many cases where men had deserted
the girls they had professed to love
that she had at last kept n record or
engaged couples and found that out of
twenty cases only Eve resulted in mar
riage.
In, the others 1t was the mans fault
every time.
wonder how she knew that the man
was always to blame.
Sept. love came home yesterday.
Walter is unfortunately away on busi-
ness. I'm sure he is away on business,
though Miss Graves says that the prob
ability is he has gone to the country to
see some other girl. What nonsensel
But | wish she hadn't said It.
Sept. 20.--I am very miserable.
was suspicious of Walter when he re-
turned and showed It by being cool to
him-that Is, ! wasn't at all demon
strative. / am not satisfied with the
reason he gave for his absence. he
admits that he spent one night at the
seashore and that an old friend Of his.
Laura Goodwin. was there. Walter
and l parted coldly.
Sept. 22.-Miss Graves told me she
had heard that Laura Goodwin and
Walter had once been on the eve OF an
engagement. She has convinced me
that there is something in this matter
and that Walters visit to the seashore
was for purpose Miss Graves has
no faith in men whatever and advises
me to be very careful what do. She
kindly took me into her confidence and
told me that she had had lover who
treated her exactly as Walter Is treat
ing me--that Is. as she thinks he Is
treating me. Her lover walked Off de-
Iiberately and married another girl.
This was ten years ago. ! suppose l
ought TO rely on her more than I do.
she is SO much older than and has
had so much more experience. Still at
times distrust her.
Nov. 12.-It Is all over. Our engage
ment is broken. Walters visit to Laura
Goodwin last September did it. At
least that started 1t. Besides. Walter
has been very jealous of Amelia
Graves and has warned me repeatedly
to keep away from her. If his con-
science was clear he wouldn't mind
how many friends l might have to
spy on him." for he says that's what
Amelia is doing. How unjust! She Is
simply giving me the benefit of her ex-
perience. Heigh-ho! What a miser-
able world to live I'M To think that
Walter should have released me so
easily. When l told him he was well
come to marry Laura Goodwin he said
that she at least didn't have any
bosom friends to advise her and she
would trust him implicitly. If he mar.
ries her don't know how shall be
able to refrain from murder.
Dec. Bill am so mad that / would
like to tear the shingles Off the roof.
That woman that thing. that NEEDLE
some creature, Amelia Graves. has
ruined me. Just listen to this:
Dearest Heien--I have the great Joy to
announce to you my engagement to Mr.
Enoch Speilmeyer (what horrid name).
my lover that told you about. But I
didn't tell you that his wife was dead.
We met week ago. and he told me that
he had never ceased to love me He was
very considerable of his wife, not blaming
her at all because she couldn't win his
heart from me- thus showing himself to-
bc a true man. am so happy. Your low
! Ing AMELIA GRAVES
p. S.-How is your affair with Walter
coming on? Rumor has II that he is de-
voted to Laura Goodwin
Talk about men deserving womepl
II this isn't the meanest case of a wo-
mans deserving one of her own sex y
don't know what Smeanness Is. I'm
nearly crazy.
Jan. 1.-Well. I'm happy once more
after months Of misery wrote
humble letter to Walter last night. and
this afternoon he came In radiantly
happy. He said he had no alternative
but to let me 10 till l found out the
lnexpediency OF having confidential
friends who would prejudice me
against him. He seemed to have
known what Amelia Graves was doing
just as well as II had told him all
about It,. =
Oh, am so glad she showed The
cloven foot" before Walter had gone
too far with Laura Goodwin
We are TO be married next June.
Amella.will not be invited.