Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1913-01-16
Her Aged Lover
A Correspondence That Brought
About a Change Of Heart.
By GwENDOLN TUENLEE

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My dear young lady," said Mr..
Peckham, attorney at law, to Miss Lou
ise Lamond, supposed neiress, whose
estate he was managing. Il see but
one way out OF the tangle. Unless
you are prepared TO do as | suggest
fear your property will pass into the
hands Of John Paddock
Your plan is
Marry him"
"Oh. heavensp
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 suitE'
Because I've 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 Lamoud was too absorbed In
the matter OF discussion even to thank
the speaker for the compliment She
told him that she would take week
TO think the matter over If at the
end Of that time she decided TO look
fayorably on his suggestion she would
notify him and Mr.. Paddock could
then open the grewsome negotiations.
Gbo upaut tho Sayan Ioyq 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
coin to decide whether she would lose
a fortune or double It with an unat-
tractiye elderly man thrown in. The
coin turned up for the marriage. Miss
Lamond at once informed Mr. Peck
ham Of her decision.
Within few days came formal
letter from Mr.. Paddock stating that
he regretted that he and Miss Lamond
had become entangled In the meshes
OF the law aud he was ready to do
anything TO arrive at settlement
He did not feel that II would be just
to those who would come after him to
surrender any part OF property that
the law would give him II Miss La
mond could bring herself to unite the
two estates by marrying a man so
much older than herself and with no
pretentions to personal attractyeness
his suit against her estate would be
INIT .1aa No a hFu
10 make her an affectionate husband.
Women do not always shrink from
marrying men older than themselves
simply because Of the difference In
age 4 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 Mr..
Paddock that even to save a fortune
she could not consent to marry a man
who would be repulsiye 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 ut least
not mutually dispeased, they could
carry out the matrimonial plan OF stop
ping litigation. Both the matter y
her letter and the delicacy with which
II was expressed were calculated TO
win the respect and admiration Of any
good man
The reply to this letter, which sug.
gested only general method and
gave no especial plan of procedure,
caused Miss Lamond great satisfac-
ton II was full of sympathy. re
GREETED again tie necessity for her
making a marriage of convenience.
and the writer offered TO DO anything
In his power TO make 1t as little dis
tasteful to her as possible He sug-
gested that the courtship be begun by
correspondence Possibly by this
means he might show Miss Lamond
what manner of man he was, and II
his thoughts, his impulses. his inner
nature were not disagreeable to her.
on seeing him she might be fayorably
predisposed to him in the flesh There
was not word as TO any doubts on
his part that she would be agreeable
10 him
From the beginning OF the CORE
spondence Miss Lamond began to
throw or the repulsion she had con
ceived for such marriage She won
dered how a man Of John Paddock's
age, especially one whom she had been
disposed to consider a skinhint could
away down IN his nature, have such
admirable emotions, when think
OF my imperfections," he wrote, II
despair OF ever winning the heart u
so estimable young lady. and ! can
not be content with mere union OF
interests. Possibly the world and
may have exaggerated my disagree
able traits, or may not better nature
In me have been warped by that bait
tie with the world which every man
who succeeds especially in building
up fortune-must fightY
This excuse that the man made for
himself appealed strongly to Miss La
moud Her father had made a fortune
and she had often heard him say that
the work was crucifying 70 the tn
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