Show Ena cellar ement by E LOUISE LIDDELL copyright by joseph bow why don t you marry celiaa sug mrs harding heally exclaimed prof baldwin I 1 regard that as a most extraordinary proposition well rejo ned mrs harding wl h emphasis haven t yo i just been tell ing me it you don t marry with in the next six months you will for felt the property your uncle left you ten years ago on cond t on of your taking a wife before your fortieth birthday 7 true I 1 told you so replied the or with a sigh I 1 thought it my duty to let you know that I 1 would probably be obi ged to give up the su te of rooms I 1 have soong occupied in your house what nonsense said she ampa you dont mean to sit down and let that money slip through your fingers do youa I 1 I 1 don t know really replied tie professor gloomily the practical little mistress of the select boarding house surveyed her favorite guest impatiently I 1 d like to know what you ve got against cel a she said ain t she good looking and bright certainly declared the professor and sweet tempered 9 yes that is I 1 should imagine so replied the conscientious professor well I 1 say she is sweet tempered and I 1 ought to know said mrs harding with asperity seeing I 1 m her own aunt I 1 assure you the professor has bened to say I 1 have no objection whatever to yo ir niece but ahe fact la I 1 I 1 dont feel at all acquainted with her oh well it doean doesn t matter inter posed the practical aunt time enough to get acquainted in six months I 1 should say you ought to marry anyway money or no money you d find it so much more comfort able to have a wife to look after you keep your books and papers in or der the professor looked dubious and appeared to be on the point of protest ing sew on your buttons and darn your stockings the wily matchmaker hastened to add cella s real handy at mending the professor s face brightened it certainly would be convenient he ad pretty soon it began to be among mrs harding s boarders that the learned and dignified prof hald win was paying his addresses to their hostess pretty niece though the young woman herself appeared to be utter ly unconscious that the gentleman s attentions were more than fraternal or possibly paternal thus three months glided away when the recollection of his fast ap preaching pro aching birthday reminded the pro fessor that it was incumbent upon him to ascertain definitely whether miss celia was prepared to become mrs baldwin so he broached the subject one evening as they re turning from a lecture miss celia he began I 1 assume that your aunt has informed you of the jn fortunate position in which I 1 find bieselt on account of the proal of my late uncle s willa yes murmured the girt faintly an appreciation of the ungracious ness of his task was growing on the practical wooer but he went on manfully of course I 1 realize that I 1 am hardly a suitable companion for one so young and charming as your self but if you will consent to cast in your lot with mine I 1 promise to make it my endeavor to prove worthy of your confidence and and while it would be unfair tor me to make a pretense of any sentimental f feeling he was going to say tol ly but thought better of it you will ever find me considerate and please stop cried celia finding her voice at last I 1 appreciate the honor slight accent on that word but I 1 I 1 am already engaged engaged gasped the astonished suitor why your aunt then be stopped he had been on the point ot betraying himself they had reached the house by this time and he held the door open for her to pass into the hall he followed in a state of vague dis satisfaction and went directly to his own apartments then the truth flashed upon him he was in love how stupid he had been not to recognize the signs of the malady before for now hac edged to himself that it cella were only his that wretched money might go to the hottentots for all he carea then the quixotic idea occurred to the professor that through his inter cession mrs harding might become reconciled to her niece s engagement to give expression to his devotion to the loved one by seeking to promote her happiness even at the expense ot his own would he imagined afford some relief to his troubled feelings he determined therefore to lose no time in offering his services as ator the coveted opportunity came at last one evening as he was going out to his garden retreat he found cella engaged in fastening up a wood bine which had been torn down by a heavy windstorm of the previous even ing please sit down he said entreat angly pointing to the rustle seat in the vine clad arbor she hesitated tor an instant then complied with his request I 1 have been thinking oyer the mat ter we were speaking of the other evening he said by way of introduce intro duc alon cella blushed and paled alternately and looked very much as though she would like to escape and it occurred to me continued the professor hastily that as your aunt and I 1 have always been on very friendly terms that it might be tint Is that she might be or rather that t induce her to look favorably upon your engagement the matter were presented properly the girl raised a frightened startled face to her would be benefactor oh no she cried don t think at such a thing it wouldn t do a bit f good pardon me returned he but I 1 am quite positive that your aunt will abot prove as obdurate as you seem to fear and I 1 am fully determined to bert my influence to promote your cella regarded him anxiously it you wish to please me you will not I 1 speak to my aunt she said earnestly my dear child I 1 must disregard your wishes in this case said the proffesor profesor sor I 1 will not allow selfish considerations to prevent the perform ance of a duty I 1 think I 1 had best confer with yo ir aunt at once and have the affair happily settled and the professor arose as though to car ry out his intentions you will make me perfectly miser erable cried cella looking ready to ry why I 1 tall to comprehend said the perplexed professor it the young man Is worthy there there any young man cried cella in desperation her heeks flaming hotly isn t any young mana repeated he professor scarcely believing bis wn ears no said cella shortly but the engagements 7 he sail I 1 was engaged to teach school and I 1 dian didn t want auntie to know it be cause I 1 knew I 1 wouldn t succeed in I 1 getting away it she could prevent it and now it you ve done cross ques I 1 dioning me I 1 suppose I 1 may go she concluded in unmistakable di I 1 don t think I 1 have quite done returned the professor with most eur audacity pushing her gently back on to the bench and seating him self beside her he was in no basto to begin to speak however he was absorbed in the joyful reflection that cella was free and yet to be won then noting her lips were trembling and her eyes overflowing his heart smote him for the pain he had tingly caused her do forgive my stupid blunder be entreated but in his consternation he stopped for cella bowed her head i on the back ot the rustic seat and began to sob the professor was unprepared tor a contingency like this he really dian didn t know what to say and so he dian didn t say anything which was just as well perhaps for presently the girl raised her head and wiped her eyes i celia said he tenderly I 1 dont want to distress you but I 1 would like to know why you refused to i mea I 1 d rather not say anything more about that said she turning her head aside but I 1 think I 1 have a right to know he persisted it you must know then she re plied with a note of defiance in her voice I 1 dont choose to marry a man dimply because be is under the feces j baity of being encumbered with a wife in order to remain in possession of his money nor because he imagines he would find it convenient to have some one to sew on Ms buttons and mend his stockings I 1 may as well tell you she concluded I 1 heard you and aun tie talking the matter over and my mind was made up instantly well I 1 can t say that I 1 blame you responded the professor his spirits tailing what a brute she must think him he wondered how he could con vince her that he really did love her he thought with a sigh that it was a hopeless task cella looking up at that juncture met the anxious gaze of the protes sor s near sighted spectacled eyes they were kindly eyes she coulden couldn t help acknowledging and there was something in their expression that she had never noticed before some thing that made her look down again while a flush overspread her face cella said he gently I 1 want to tell you something now I 1 d rather have you than all the money in the world trulyn said she softly truly he answered it you 11 be my wife dear be perfectly willing to continue to sew on my but tons and darn my own stockings and yours too it such employment Is distasteful tu you he added jocosely I 1 hope he added anxiously that you really dian didn t mean what you said about your resolution to refuse mea she laughed and blushed I 1 did mean it at first she said then you were so nice that I 1 thought you really cared and I 1 well never mind dearest said the professor taking her in his arms I 1 was a stupid block head it Is to be presumed that the use ot such unusual language on the part ot her suitor convinced cella of the gen of his affection at all events the professor won hia bride and retained possession of his inheritance |