The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-01-09
Her Decision
8, B.ATNiG STURDEVANr

When Farmer Aerlen died his wife
had is-n dead several yearS-his
daughter Lucy WAS seventeen years
old Every oiie said what u pity il WAS
that she. ,l!dat have a lover. ~ that
she could I've married and thus tse pre-
videti for. S..ae did have lover. hui he
had gone aa-ly. Gu Gle knew nor Jared
where. far ne was a neer do we.l
shiftieSS. uor. a:..sys Hui he was near
Lacy's Az. :i.iii The only one who had
made howe io her. That he was her
oIlly lover Is sssas reRasflka bie. for sbe
WAS siili almost Toe youn;. 10 have one
iBcS,seripne ~ she was. her heart
wen. cut To him. and, when he DEPARTED
he took it with him
But Providence ut the time Encys was
left an orphan raised asp a friend to her
Stephen Woodbridge. a neighbour. thir-
into the Merton home aud remain there
with Lucy until she could form a ptaa
for her future Stephen did mare than
this He had her fathers farm ae-
praised by several good men in the
neighborhoo,l and bought il Mt a larger
price than the appraisement. bat even
with this help Lucy was left with noth-
ing. because her father had died heav-
lily in debt.
What was the poor child to do? A
friend of Stephens said to him one
day: Why cont you marry her? YoH
are alone in the world. and she needs
TO he provided for" A great joy ut the
mere suggestion welied mp IN Stephens
heart I'm too old for her," he re
piled. But though he knew this. he
did not AIT upon il. He went TO Lucy
and told her that il she could he satis-
fed to he his wife her problem would
be solved
during her tronble about James
Tucker. her lover. and wished he were
there that he might help her. But he
was not there. and she had no expecfa-
tion of his coming. So she accepted
Stephen Woodbridge's proposition
Stephen had his doubts about the AZ
ran-ement. realizing that she WAS
barely out of ehildheod- and fearing
that she would not be happy with one
who 10 her must seem an old man.
He deferred the wedding for some
tine leaving Lucy and the woman he
had provided for her in the bause
where she had always lived.
1t was nearly year after her
fathers death before day was set for
the wedding Stephen was very
happy. foI Lucy to alb outward appear
ances seemed at least not averse 10
the marriage. Stephen provided funds
for a wedding outfit and made inn
proveInenfs in his ha,tse preparatory
10 the recel,tien of his bride.
But u few days before the wedding
all these plans were upset by the aT-
pearance IF James Tucker. Finding
his sweetheart about to marry aRe
other. be reprnached her. The sifHa-
tion caused her surh unhappine<s that
she eonld not heip showing it. Stephen
knew that Thicker had returned and
was Informed that he had beep de-
voted to Lucy. his informer adding
that If would be well for Stephen TO
look out for the Younger man. Fhfs
was said not only for Stephens sake.
but for Lucy's. since Tncker's worth
lessness was well kBown
Bit Woodbridge far from icaking
out for Thicker. went tn Lney and told
her that he was ready to giye her ny.
Lncv seemed mach Distressed bat
made no reply. ..lf Jim han BethinR
with which to support yasI. added
Stephen won have means Of yOiIr
own for since bongbt yeur farm q
railroad has been projected to- run
close beside IT, and II IL now worth
double what paid you for IT. That
excess | will return to you.'
Still Lucy remained silent and Ste
phen went on:
"Everythins having been provided
for wedding. II max ~ well take
place with change Of grOoms. I'm
less you wish il to the contrary viii
give orders TO that effeet. II ] don't
hear from Won during To-day ! win con
slider my offer accepted.
He left her Ia great perplexity That
afternoon Tucker came tp see her to
say goodby. he said When he vent
away he had rer-eired permission 10 s.
to Woodbridge and tell him that biz
proposition TO I.ucy had. been. aasepted
II WAS a great blow to Woodbridge.
but he bore up manful,y and SET about
completing the arrangenaentK FOR q
wedding ut whirh be was to haze heen-
the groom. but was DOW ta I've replaced.
by one whose age was more in keeping
with ti,ai' ef tire bride ~,.'
= hr ryn:rin- fsafore the wedding was
re take f'i;i... S.ri. .sfE. sat down In lbis
loHeis in,ise l.,,f.,fss74r s,ry-r:sse threw on
SonsS L,s,ss.ifia ..-fre 4.,:si,;,..f a., t0r de-
spe0dt.n,-y. Izr-sss=Ns5erswnb The Dis
aef HIS :rifip - .si-s.uTf- sesme
hour the next evening the girl who was
10 have been his WAS 10 he welded 60
another
While he WAS sitting thfres t1,sySwas
trying ON the Welding 3feSs .thak be
bad provided. 70 see that sllyae right
She stosd; looking ai hSr Ernua non Ira
mirror bslt she was pek ! hipkiaE q her
apparel. Suddenly resolution carse
TO her Swimming down a stairrase.
she lefss.s4ie ifst,Ae I'D. ten minutes
tak Sdljnssnr s6rooD
11eTe SSfseAsn sWDfsfs6ffcas - NM