Show dle did presumption its of no use to talk about my being your wife charley your father never will consent and mother will never even let me see you if she can help it yit without vit hout his consent no you come aste a step P further and pretty rose carter drew her arm out of ot charley kellums very decidedly when they reached the end of the village vill e common you you yon know it almost breake breaks 1 my heart to say it charley but I 1 dont think I 1 can ever meet you so again mother will be sure to find it out and it would vex her so and she he r has had enough trouble without my giving her any poor mamma charley kellum dhru shrugged 0 meed emed his shoulders impatiently your mother comes before me of course it bisno Is no matter how I 1 feel you say coolly that you can never meet me a again aln ain that means I 1 suppose that we are never to see each other again why no charley if you will only have patience to wait everything may come out right wait YOU have been telling me to wait for forth tha alast last two tw 0 years and things are no nearer to coming out right than the they ever were 1 t cant think why your father should dislike my mother so BO I 1 think mother knows but she never will tell me miss esther esthen baggs says that hoy hey were lovers once and had a quarrel that your father can never forget but one cant believe all miss esthers gossip 1 I dont think it is anything more than a notion he has gob got ot into his head hes hels a crochery croc hety set old oid of d fellow but hes got a good big heart rose bose it if one can only get at it it if you were only my wife he would be sure to come round and think the world of you if you only would marry me rose kose f at the wor vor worst stif if he come round he could only disinherit me andl andi and I 1 have havo a pair of good strong arms and some passable brains to fight my way our way through the world the moonlight showed him her face and he fancied that there was ivas a imi little e shadow of hesitation on it but she shook her head firmly after a moment now dinow rose nose darling dont tell me gain again to wait the rest of the sentence was never broken spoken for a heavy hand was laid on the tho t young mans sil shoulder Bli and an angry voice mimicked his tender tones rose eose darling ill teach you to darling her young man and the there re was dr reli reil amb ams face red with anger looking over charleys shoulder rose at the first glimpse of it turned and ran like a little coward as she was I 1 forbidden your seeing that young woman what do ao you mean b by y sneaking round here with her like a thief in the night pursued the doctor furiously it is not my fault that I 1 do not walk with her openly it ift is 13 not my fault that she Is not my wife it is only because she will not consent to be so answered charley stoutly wont consent to be your wife oh eh it seem to me that she sho treats you exactly like a rejected lover lil lif answered the doctor she would marry me if she sho were allowed to choose answered charley try aw zher afi ing hard bard to keep his temper her mother will not consent humph not consent pretty well growled the doctor so she thinks my son is not good enough for her daughter she does not object to me moe if you would give your consent to our marriage she would give hers bers 11 all ail ali ah it well my consent never have young youn man you may rely dupoin upon that and ff ff ever I 1 hear of your being with that young woman again ill turn you out of doors sir not a penny of my money shall you ever have sir remember that I 1 am not one to make idle threats charley was about to re reply vi y but they had reached the house by t this is time and the doctor went into the office and shut the door behind him with abang a bang so there was nothing for poor charley to do but to take his way disconsolately up to bed in the meantime the doctor seized the poker ker and stirred up the dying fire lire in 90 is his grate grato savagely 0 wont consent eh That silke like ilke rose shepherd hepherd she always was a proud piece let me catch that boy with her daughter again and he walked up and down the room brandishing the poker and with a scowl still on his face looking ing C not unlike a midnight assassin I 1 in pite spite S of the venerable aspect which his gray hairs gave him but he cooled down very soon sufficiently to carry the poker back to its place and begin a search for dressing go gown wn and slippers a search which proved oved long and served to turn knis his anger from charley to another of all the miserable housekeepers that I 1 ever had this barnes woman is the worst he grumbled jerking jerkin himself at last into the dilapidated and comfortless fort less looking dressing gown and the slippers trodden down at the heel not a drop of warm water or anything to eat in the house ill warrant and he strode into the dining room which indeed was cold and void of cheer he went into the pantry and munched a hard ahard very dark colored doughnut ja savagely 0 id turn her away tomorrow to morrow she and her husband too only that the next one would be sure to be worse they are all about of a piece there is nothing worse to have in the house than a housekeeper unless its abife a wife wide and I 1 dont know dr kellum still stood in the pantry solemnly deliberating after the last morsel of doughnut had disappeared ipp eared it was so long iong since ile he had a wife that ho he could not decide whether one was worse than a housekeeper or not it was a question that he had been revolving in his mind for years without coming C joany to any definite conclusion better bear the ills we have than fly to others that we know not of the poet says but then a man cant bear this state of t things ga long iong ong ho he might as well live in a cave in the woods some time or other I 1 shall have to marry and I 1 might as well mako makko up my mind to it at once I 1 said to miss esther baggs the other day the widow zilpha thomas is a fine woman a capital manager tool too sult shot shet I 1 I 1 I 1 11 t Mana manageri manager gerl geri you may be sure of that she managed poor reuben thomas into his grave t said miss esther but then it is of no consequence what these spiteful old maids say most lithely ii k ely she has an eye on the situation for herself hersel fl and the doctor drew himself up in the proud assurance that when he did take a second helpmate lie he should leave every marriageable lady of his acquaintance inconsolable ill drive round and seo beo the widow thomas next week I 1 dont think it likely that she could manage me 11 and having made up his mind doctor kellum retook betook himself to his chamber but his face was not that of a man aman who is quite satisfied with his decision and he stood for a long time at the window d and looked down to the foot of t the he ochil hill I 1 where the widow carters house was plainly visible in the moo moonlight irs irl no no once is enough for a man to bo be made a fool of I 1 and that silly boy shall never marry her daughter if I 1 can help it he said at last turning away with a decided shako shake or of the head from which signs an observer would have supposed miss esther to be right and the widow wido v carter an old sweetheart who had made a fool of himy him roso rose carter with pale cheeks and downcast eyes sat demurely sewing be side her mother the tho next morning when her uncle old squire carter came in the pule cheeks had been observed but not commented on by her mother but the squire was not so delicate bless mel mei me what has I 1 decomo of the red cheeks why they are as white as snowballs snow balls too much cewin sewing sowing and moping and not enough air and exercise exercise or has its sweetheart deserted it poor little rosy upon which cheeks grew scarlet of course but the squire was not satisfied the child looks really ill and something must be done he said to mascar ter as she looked like herself for months and the squire haunted by roses pale face retook betook himself directly to dr kellums office 1 I want you to go and see my nelce neice little rose carter or prescribe something for her she says nothing ails her but she looks pale and moped I 1 suppose it is id nothing but want of exercise if these girls would only do as their grandmothers dial but bub you know what will help her its nerves isu I 1 suppose said the squire who fancied fancie ft th that at ier nerves ler ves were at tho bottom of all feminine ailments ali ah yes I 1 ill send her a prescription said balt I 1 the doctor heartily near tily A and nd thinking it the heartiness of interest and goodnature good nature the squire went on his way relieved and doctor kellum feeling even less amiable than on the previous night sat down at his desk and wrote a prescription arese prese rp i for miss rose hose carter just as he finished it his man B barnes arnes brought him a note it was from the man who took care of the doctors farm on the outskirts outs outa kirts of the town near the widow thomass wood lot the widow thomass man jake wants to know if you will let the widow take black bess to go down to saugus baugus to the quarterly conference meeting tonight nig lit sherold she told him to say particular lar that she feel very well and thought the ride would do her good if you would be so kind as to I 1 let iet e t her take black bess which is so very gentle HODGKINS the doctors face cleared as he read little sam hodgkins is waiting for the answer if you please sir said barnes and the doctor wrote a few words hurriedly in answer to samuel hodgkins not without grumbling at the mans stupidity in not letting the widow have the horse without applying to him but no matter matteri the widow would not have to ask for black bess again with all my worldly goods I 1 thee endow he meant to say to her very soon barnes was entrusted with the two notes one for miss rose carter and the other for little sam hodgkins to carry to his father rather in the meantime charley had come to to a new resolve he would see mrs carter once more and try to gain her consent to his marriage with rose without her hen consent rose would never be his wife it was evidently a hopeless task to try to overcome his fathers prejudices but he was determined that they should not be allowed to destroy his happiness and roses too for life mrs carter liked him she would give rose to him willingly she had told him if it were not for his fathers objection she might bo be persuaded to in spite of it and there was no time to lose for in two days ho he was g going oin oln away to a distant city to establish hasele himself in business chehad he had hoped to carry rose with him but all his pleading had been of no avail to induce her to marry him against her mothers no will all his bis hope now lay in influencing mrs carter so early that morning he took his way to the cottage at the foot of the hill squire carter had just left and mrs carters mind was still filled with the anxiety regard ing roses health which he had bad aroused so perhaps charley could n not ot have found a better time for trying to win her over to his side but though she did hesitate for a moment his pleading was in vain you know there is no one whom I 1 would rather have for a son than you charley she said but I 1 know your father he is a stern man a very stern man andie w will lil lii never relent ho he would never forgive you for marrying against his bis will I 1 cannot consent to your ruining all your prospects in life you and rose arc both very young you may change the time might come charley widen when you would regret disobeying your fathers wish you are his only son and so dear to him and before this you say ho he has never thwarted your slightest wish you ought not to disobey him hastily to be sure his prejudice seems unreasonable unreasonable it Itis is absurd interrupted charley hotly why he be has never so much as seen you to my knowledge mrs carters cheek flushed faintly 1 I lived here hero when I 1 was a girl you know I 1 knew your father then he has some reasons for disliking me which I 1 dont understand its only a prejudice a notion I 1 am sure said charley and ho he has haa no right to dictate to me in such a matter 11 and he be was beginning his bis eager pleading over again when barnes appeared with the note there was no address on the outside and mrs carter opened it while charley waited in a fever of suspense to know what his father could have to say to mrs carter her face was a picture of amazement as she read but pleasure shone through it as she handed the note to charley it was brief and to the point let him have her EDWARD KELLUM 1 11 I always told rose he had a heart if one could only get at it cried charley in a transport of delight now I 1 you can make no objection we ve have your promise and I 1 am going away the day after tomorrow to morrow you know and I 1 must take my wife with me 1 the day after tomorrow to morrow my dear boy you are beside yourself I 1 I 1 exclaimed exclaim ed mrs carter you and rose have said sald wait walt to me for so long that you cant have the heart to say it longer now that you have no reason for waiting I 1 s shall shail all ali coax rose Bose over to my side and then you cant refuse and he did coax them both over to his side after countless arguments and objections Jec tons it was arranged that there should be a very quiet wedding to which ony only a few intimate friends mends were to be invited the next evening then charley hurried home to express his gratitude to his father whom he began lyan to think he had inie inis misjudged judged while this scene was transpiring at the cottage samuel hodgkins Hodgkin shad had received doctor kellums answer to his note and being somewhat surprised and puzzled by bv ishad transmitted it directly to the widow thomas thus relieving himself of all responsibility in the matter so the widow who was adorning her best cap with new cherry ribbons in anticipation of the doctors doc doe taking her gentle hint and c ming himself to drive her to the quarterly conference meeting was called from that pleasing occupation to read the following note a mere scrawl written evidently in haste and arrita tion let her take a dessert spoonful of extract of valerian night 3 antl anel and morning for her nerves com eom common mon sense in as large doses as she can get it and stop gadding about evenings EDWARD H KELLUM the widows black eyes snapped so that the doctor if he had been there to see would have liked them less than ever and the roses that had deserted her cheeks she thought forever reappeared in full bloom she had been angry often in her life the departed reuben had not been very easy to manage but never before had she feld feid anything like the wrath she felt that moment 94 gg 44 the impertinent old scoundrel gadding about evenings indeed valerian for my nerves as if fj I 1 were some fid getty old maid common sense in as large doses asi as I 1 can eau nind find 1 how dare he write such a note well I 1 have had a lucky escape stupid cross grained old wretch A life of it I 1 should havo have had with him and the widow put on the cherry rib boned cap upside down and fell to dusting the portrait of her deceased spouse with a vim with all his faults reuben was not the worst man that ever lived charley was obliged to repress his gratitude for a while for when he reached home he found that his father had gone to a neighboring town to attend a medical convention and lie he would not return home until the following day when the doctor returned the next afternoon chailey was absent busied with preparations for the approaching wedding dr kellum finding a leisure afternoon upon his hands made an unusually careful toilet and drove out to call upon the widow thomas he had fully made up his mind that it would be a lesser evil to have the widow zilpha thomas for a wife than mrs barnes for a housekeeper but he had not the theair |