The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-05-07
Her Account
Of Herself
By T II VANDEVEER

Ten years have passed since we we're
last togcthcr-tcn years that have made
u great change in both of us. You, be-
ing u year older than l, must now be
twcnty-one. You ask me to give an
account of myself during our separa-
ton. and l will proceed to do so.
Papa died three years ago, and since
mamma left us some years before his
demise l was left an orphan at seven
teen. Papa had made II will when l
was twelve, appointing an old chum
Of his, Charles Edwards, my guardian
and directing that | be taken care Of
by Mr.. Edwards till ! should come of
age. When papa died his attorneys
sent a copy of the will to my guardian.
who directed that be sent to him.
What do you suppose l found on my
arrival? The housckeepcr received me,
and when she saw me | thought she
would have a fit. 1t seems that, my
fathers directions having been laid
down in his will when ! was ten years
old, it was supposed that ] was q
child. Papa and Mr.. Edwards had
lived apart and had not seen each other
for ten years. The housckccper told me
that l must wait till she made differ
ent arrangements regarding my room.
but ] was very tired after my journey
and insisted on going to it at once.
was never more amused iii my life
when | entered the chamber that had
heen prepared for me. y crib had been
procured for me. and the room was
strewn with -playthings. including
dolls. All these things had been
bought new, for Mr.. Edwards. being a
bachelor. had never had any family.
l consented to go into another room
temporarily, where l rested till dinner
time.
l went downstairs ut 6 o'clock and
found Mr.. Edwards had returned from
business. He had been told by Mrs.
Harding, the housekeeper, that ! was
much older than he supposed. but even
with this lie seemed much surprised.
though really the surprise was with
me. l always looked upon papa as an
elderly II not an old man and sup
posed his friend to be the same. Papa
was ~forty-six when he died, and Mr..
Edwards was years younger. He
doesn't look much over thirty and Is as
young in his actions as in appearance.
We dined together. and he was very
good and sympathetic and said SO
many nice things about papa. regret
ting that. living in different places.
they had been separated. In the even
ing l overheard him talking with the
h~ousekeeper about me and asking her
opinion us to whether 1t would he
proper for him to keep me with him.
She said that so long III she was 10
the house it would not be amiss, and
he said that since his guardianship
would last only a year-till l was
eighteen-pcrhaps I had better remain
where l q ):
This settled 1t, and l was sent to
school. Mrs. Harding. a oma of six
ty, being given full charge Of me. l
found her an excellent woman and owe
a great deal to her cur and training.
When l came Of age my guardian
called me into his study and gave me
a talk, telling me that ! was now free
to act for myself and go where l liked.
l asked him where l should so. at the
same time wiping the moisture from
my eyes. With this he lost his stiff
ness and told me that I, might remain
where l was so long as l liked, but
that I was now a young lady and must
see something Of society.
Mr.. Edwards had q great many
friends and interested several Of them
to get me invitations, but I had no one
to escort me to functions. wanted
him to do 30. but he wouldn't. He
didn't tell me why. but I knew. He
feared people would ccuse him Of 40
propriating me to himself. He knew
some young fellows at his club and In
vited them to the house. This I con
strued to mean that I was to have an
opportunity to select a husband from
them.
But ! didn't.
All the young men he introduced to
me were very nice-tf they hadn't been
be wouldn't have introduced them
but l didn't care for their attentions
except to dance with them and oil
that. you know, and after a year had
gone by and l didn't make q match
with one Of them Mr.. Edwards said
to me n day:
Laura, you must remember that y"N
have a permanent home to look OFT
for. and you can't very we'll make IL
home without a husband or WIFE"
"You seem to have done So"
"But l am not you. I'm past mil
die age; you are young and at the
marrying age"
"Iow can l mate" I asked, "wbcn
the man i wish to marry doesn't wish
to marry me?" .
At this he started and asked Il I ha
really given away my heart I told
him that l didn't like to answer such
a question and that I was perfectly
satisfied to remain where I was and
would not be driven out. He looked
at me strangely at this and ended the
interview by turning to his newspaper.
think Mrs. Harding must have said