The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-15

NO" said Aunt Jennie. Her mar
rage Is really family arrangement
and as she has known Matthew Chase
all her life, she would not hear of a
ring. He Is years older than Sydney
but | hope he will make her happy"
she sighed.
Alfred rose and said bitterly: Il
wish you had told me sooner. Now
that have learned to love Sydney bet
ter than life 1t is hard to find she is
bound to another man" He left his
astonished aunt and strobe savagely
down the driveway.
Aunt Jennie gazed after him with
mingled feelings of pity and dismay.
Poor Alfred, why did | not guess
what might happen and warn him?"
She spoke aloud in her excitement;
a second voice asked:
"Oh. Aunt Jennie, why didn't you
warn me, too" Sydney came through
the open door back of her aunt, and
sank down beside her.
There were tears in her eyes as she
~OAHAAuSu" "Ao Juot SohAho OuS ~
you, and could not help hearing what
Alfred ellison said when he left you.
oh, Auntie, never did love Matthew"
Aunt Jennie was at her wits end.
Don't cry, Sydney, dear" she plead
ed. Il am sure 1t will all come right
Have you learned to care for AL
fred?"
Il am afraid So" said Sydney, for
1t made me feel SO happy when he
said he loved me-until | thought of
Matthew" The tears came in flood.
and breaking away from her aunt, she
fed into the house.
Left alone, Mrs. Biglow did some
serious thinking. and apparently was
satisfied with the result, for her
troubled face grew calm, and rising
she limped in to the big desk. She
speedily wrote letter, addressing 1t
to Matthew Chase.
Several days passed uneventfully.
Sydney and Alfred, though apparently
on friendly terms, took no more long
walks or drives together.
On the fifth day after the sending
of the epistle to Matthew Chase, Mr..
Biglow handed Sydney letter. That
was all for you today" he remarked.
Seeing 1t was from her future hus-
band. Sydney sought her own room to
read it. Mrs Biglow was alone when
very bewildered looking and yet
happy Sydney, came to her after read
ing Matthew'S communication.
Aunt Jennie, | can't understand it,
she began Matthew asks me to re-
lease him from his engagement. He
says he fears he is too old to make
Inc happy, and that he has always
known | cared for him only as a
friend. He thinks we would be wiser
just to continue being friends. Do you
suppose he has thought 1t all over
since l came away and feels as dO?"
Aunt Jennie smiled. Her letter to
Matthew Chase had been written in
the hope that Sydney's happiness need
not be sacrificed.
Matthew Chase is good man"
she answered. land | am sure he
thinks of your happiness first of all.
I think he has made a wise decision,
Sydney, and you may feel you are do
ing right in ending your engagement"
Later Aunt Jennie told Alfred of
this sudden termination to the en-
gagement, and he went in search of
Sydney. He found her In the old-fash-
toned flower garden.
Aunt Jennie has told me that you
are free, and | have come to ask if
you can ever care little for me, Sgd
ney? love you more than | can
tell have known you were the dear
est thing on earth to me, since first
saw your face
Sydney laughed happily The first
time saw your face ii was so dirty
she began, but Alfred caught her in
his arms