Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-03
The Argus Daily Story
Her Aged Lover-By Gwendohn Turnlee.
Copyrighted. 1911 by Associated Literary Bureau

1Se Lamond, supposed nelreSS, whose
estate he was managing, 81 see but
one way out OF the tangle. Unless
you are prepared to do as 1 suggest 1
fear your property will pass into the
hands Of John Paddock"
Your plan is
Marry him"
"Oh, heavNlsT
The girl sat thinking with a dis
tressed look on her face. Finally she
asked, why are you so sure that he
will accept this-that unhallowed plan
of settling the suit?"
Because he proposed it to me at our
last meeting"
"Why, he has never seen me-"
True, but he has learned from me
that you are very clever, a very
comely and altogether attractive young
lady"
Miss Lamond was too absorbed in
the matter of discussion even to thank
the speaker for the compliment She
told him that she would take q week
to think the matter over. If at the
end of that time she decided to look
favorably on his suggestion she would
| notify him and Mr.. Paddock could
then open the grewsome negotiations.
She spent the seven days in an agony
of vacilliation, then took seven days
more for further consideration. At
: the end of the second week she was SO
worn with indecision that she spun a
coin to decide whether she would lose
q fortune or double it with an unat-
tractive elderly man thrown in. The
coin turned up for the marriage. Miss
Lamond at once informed Mr.. Peck
ham of her decision.
Within a few days came a formal
letter from Mr.. Paddock stating that
he regretted that he and Miss Lamond
had become entangled in the meshes
of the law and he was ready to do
anything to arrive at a settlement
He did not feel that 1t would be Just
to those who would come after him to
surrender any part of a property that
the law would give him. If Miss La
mOnd could bring herself to unite the
two estN,es by marrying man so
much older than herself and with no
pretentions to personal attractiveness
his suit against her estate would be
withdrawn and he would do his best
to make her an affectionate husband.
Women do not always shrink from
marrying men older than themselves
simply because of the difference in
age. A hope came to Miss Lamond
that there might be a possibility of her
becoming attached to the man she
was intending to marry, and this hope
influenced her reply. She wrote Mt
Paddock that even to save a fortune
she could not consent to marry man
who would be repulsive to her. She
was ignorant of both his appearance
and character. She proposed the mat
ter be handled with elaboration in or
der that they might gradually draw
out knowledge of each other; then, II
they were mutually pleased, or at least
not mutually displeased. they could
carry out the matrimonial plan of stop
ping litigation. Both the matter o.
her letter and the delicacy with which
it was expressed were calculated t.
win the respect and admiration of an.
good man.
The reply to this letter, which sug
gested only a general method ant
gave no especial plan of procedure
caused Miss Lamond great satisfac
ton. 1t was full of sympathy. re
GREETED again the necessity for he
making a marriage of convenience
and the writer offered to do anything
In his power to make it as little dis
p,,l 10
gested that the courtship be begun b!
correspondence. Possibly by thi
means he might show Miss Lamont
what manner of man he was, and i
his thoughts, his impulses, his lime
nature were not dlsagreeable to her
on seeing him she might be favorabl,
predisposed to him in the flesh. Their
was not a word as to any doubts o.
his part that she would be agreeabI
to him.
From the beginning of the corre
spondence Miss Lamond began
throw off the repulsion she had cor
ceived for such marriage. She wor
dered how a man of John Paddock
age, especially one whom she had bee
n disposed to consider skinflint, CoulC
away down in his nature. have sue
admirable emotions. when | thin
"a of my imperfections," he wrote, 81
despair Of ever winning the heart {
so estimable a young lady, and | cal
not be content with a mere union {
e interests Possibly the world and
may have exaggerated my disagree
able traits, or may not better natul
in me have been warped by that ba
r. tie with the world which every ma
who succeeds-especially in buildin
Of up a fortune-must ightY
This excuse that the man made II
himself appealed strongly to Miss l.
mond. Her father had made q forum
o. and she had often heard him say tn
the work was crucifying to the i
ne stincts of a gentleman. She replit
that she understood how a man mig
IN appear to the world and even himse
TO be spoiled by this struggle wi
those who were endeavoring to be
him. but that Mr. Paddock had show
d. plainly that his true character ht
tome through the contest unscathed.
Miss Lamond was beginning even