The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-08-12
An ingenious
Courtshiip
Bv WILLARD BRAKEMAN

step into matrimonial traps, desired
| that her daughter should be settled
matrimoniully while her mother lived
and that she should marry good man
Edward Sawyer was the person or
whom Mrs. Martindale had fixed hel
intentions for her daughter. One day
she said to him:
edward, l have noticed that you
seem pleased with Gwen wish to
see her settled before leave her. II
you wish to marry her will help you
to win her. II not, shall try to make
match for her elsewhere"
"You have not been deceived in my
Partially for Gwen, Mrs. Martindale
but l don't see that Gwen has any
special partiality for me-"
"Gwen is romantic and needs to be
won by romance. That is why T. fear
for her. Some worthless fellow is liza
BILE to appeal to her in that way and
marry her. value that which is prac-
tical in you and wish that you might
sink it temporarily, be bit senti.
mental, catch Gwen and marry her
After marriage am sure your good
sense and wisdom will hold her."
Mr.. Sawyer sat evidently turning
something over in his mind, then as.
sured Mrs. Martindale that, although
he would be glad to win her daughter
he feared that he was too matter of
fact to please her.
One day Gwen received note which
put her in a futter. The writer de
clared that he had known her for some
time; that he had loved her from the
moment he first saw her; that he had
forborne to give her the slightest ink
ling Of his affection because he had
not observed any predisposition on her
part for him. He was believer in
love from the beginning. He knew
the woman he wanted the moment he
met her and felt sure that If she want
ed him she would know him. While
he would not make himself known, he
could not refrain from telling her that
he loved her.
In few weeks came a second letter.
In it her correspondent said that he
was impelled to write to her, though
he had no information of himself to
communicate He had met her once
since he had written the first letter,
but had observed nothing in her greet
ing to give him any reason to think
that she had chosen him as he had
chosen her. Nevertheless he had a
faint hope that there might be some
subtle medium Of trahsference which
would enable his love to kindle its like
in her.
Whether or not this medium existed
Ovens heart went out to this I'M
known lover, or, rather, to being
whom she created. She was troubled
that he did not enable her to make
even written reply by giving her an
But one day she received a
letter in which be said that he was
Ill and was pining for word from her.
If he did not get it he feared for the
result. An address was given, but
she was assured that she would not
be able. even If she desired. to trace
him.
Gwen did not find the difficulty to
be expected in writing reply, be-
cause she wrote to one created by her |
own fancy. She did not intend to
write loving letter to an unknown
man. She thought she merely ex-
pressed sympathy. But sympathy is
50 nearly akin to love that the ex-
preston Of the one will often do for
the other.
The stranger having given an adj
dress where letter might reach him,
quite a brisk correspondence sprang
up between him and Gwen. She sug.
gested that he make himself known,
that if they could not be lovers they
might at least be friends, and she
longed to do something to show. her
Of his preference for her.
To this he replied that he was sure
that when she knew which Of her &C.
he was, that he was
plain, ordinary man, she could not re-
frain from showing her disappoint-
ment. Nor would she believe that one
she had known could have so long
the love buried away down
in his breast.
To this she replied that such dis
covery could not but interest her and
might turn the scale in his favor.
After much urging and the expression
of many misgivings he consented to
make himself known. He agreed to
call upon her on a certain evening.
When that evening arrived she spent
much time before her glass arranging
her costume, and when she heard the
ring Of the doorbell her heart leaped
into her throat She went downstairs.
with anticipation.
why, Ned Sawyer!'
Sawyer shrank back as though fear.
ing she was about to cast blight
upon him.
"Can 1t be-" Gwen added, slight
color rising in her cheeks, "that you
have so long lived near me, have seen
me so often and yet have been able to
conceal what you have expressed in
those lovely letters?'