Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-06-01
On the Horns OF
a Dilemma
He Was Obliged to Sit Be-
tween Them.
BY F. A. mitchell

prominence as well as wealth don't
know, for she has not told me.
I went to Lenox yesterday. where
Miss De Roode lives. and begged hei
to give me a final answer. The spring
Is on, and spring is the season for love
We walked out In the spacious grounds
surrounding the De Roode mansion. an(
80 fragrant was the air, 30 enhancing
the lances of sunlight piercing the
branches on which the leaves were
sprouting. so delicious were the songs
Of the birds. that 1t seemed to me II
she loved me she could not help ~
spending to my impassioned words.
Nevertheless l returned to. the city
disappointed. l was not refused. 1 wal
still held in doubt. Anita admitted
that she preferred me to any other mar
and did not tell me that her feeling fol
me was not love. But she would moi
promise to marry me. suppose must
possess my soul in patience. II were
poor or not even very rich would con
slider myself dismissed, but there an
nowadays SO few of US millionaire
bachelors who have anything except
our wealth to recommend US tina
when q passably refined chap like my
self asks a girl to marry him she al
least hesitates before turning hin
down.
I had a letter from Chesborough this
morning-Chesborough is in Rome
about a man be met there who Is com
ing to New York; second son or some
thing like that Of IN earl, with ar
elder brother dying of lingering dis
ease. Chesborough has given the fel
low letter Of introduction to me and
wants me to put him into my set
don't see how am to do so without
letting 1t be known that he Is a noble
man. and Chesborough says that be
wishes to remain incog. Doesn't want
to be fawned ON. suppose.
Chesborough's friend. Chichester
called at the club today and inquired
for Inc. ! was there. as / usually am
after p. H.. and put him up with 6
visitors ticket for two weeks. hop<
he'll do the same for me when I go tt
London, but the Londoner has con
venience in his club In house rule
that no stranger Is to be received
However, Chichester seems to be G
good fellow. and l am fond Of Ches
borough and glad to oblige him.
Chichester says he doesn't care II
know many people, only few Of my
intimate friends. He positively de
clines to be introduced as anything but
q plain English gentleman Of the mid
die class. l have taken him with me
to the Ashtons and the Spencers and
have arranged for q week end al
Lenox with the De Roodes. He tells
me that the income his father allows
him Is not sufficient to return favors
from multimillionaires. and this Is the
reason for his incog.
Just returned from the De Roodes
having left Chichester there to con
tinue his visit for a few days. Anita
seems much pleased with him.
Three weeks have passed since Chi
chester came to New York and intro
duced him to Anita. He has passed
the principal part Of that time al
Leno1. What It means can't imagine
unless he has admitted to Anita his
identity. could ask him II he has
done so. or l could ask the question OF
her. But / shall ask neither. If they
wish to make a match they will not
ind me dog In the manger.
What I have been looking for has
happened. Received q note this morn
Ing from Anita announcing her engage
ment with Chichester. She doesn't say
that she prefers him to me or me to
him. OF course he has told her that he
Is very near an earldom, and she ex.
poets me to understand that Is the rea.
son why he has supplanted me without
her saying so. 1t Is certainly a very
good and practical reason. and ! have
no protest to make.
I had scarcely read the letter when
In came Chichester for my congratu-
lations. I managed to give them. at
fecting some warmth. but 1t certainly
was difficult. He expressed himself in
debted to me for life that I had intro
duced him to so admirable woman.
Then a troubled expression came over
his face when he said:
"But how am to bear the expenses
attending an engagement with one
whose position In the American social
world Is so exaltedf My income Ia to-
tally inadequate"
I believed that when his brother died
he would have all the money he need
ed and could repay loan. but of course
I couldn't say so. simply told him
that 1t wouldn't trouble me at all to let
him have what he needed. He grasped
mv hand with fervor and swore that II
It were fated that he should come to
the family title he would see that any.
thing I wanted In England should. be
mine. he further stated that his tiancee
was aware Of his financial condition
and had proposed that their engage
ment be not regularly announced until
shortly before their marriage. After
the wedding the bride would be liberal
until such time as he succeeded to the
title. which, If he lived long enough,
he regarded as certainty. To which
replied that in the meantime would
furnish funds which 1t would not be
proper for the lady to furnish or for
him to accept from her.
.
have just come from a visit to
Anita. She sent for me. she said, to as
sure herself that placed no blame
upon her. She could not put on paper
what she could say verbally. OF course
must understand that marriage
among US who are lifted by our possess
sions so far above ordinary persons
must always be a matter for serious
The prizes our wealth
places within our grasp are not to be de-
'pised Among the lofty and powerful
Lha choice of a narfnar for life has al.