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••• II ■•••• Mtl marnm —,*m.
ANewYear’s
Resolution
; It Caused a Year of Worry
and an Illness
1 By F. A. MITCHEL
.Miss Sophie A Her ton awoke on New
Year's morning, yawned, looked at the
clock on the mantel and fell to think
ing. New Year’s day meant more to
Miss Allerton than to moat persons,
for it and her birthday fell together.
“Twenty-two years old!” she said
"Just think of It—twenty-two! Why.
in three more years I’ll he a quarter
of a century old—and not married!
Grandma was married at seventeen.
That's tive years younger than I. She
has told me - often that father was
born when she was eighteen. And I.
miserable spinster, am two decades
and two years old and am not evqn
engaged ' ,
Miss Allerton's soliloquy having ruu
itself out. so to speak, she ceased to
think coherently, permitting herself
to ramble about disconnectedly. Then
her meditations took shape in the fol
lowing resolution:
“On or before this day one year I
solemnly resolve that I will be mar
rled. be the man I marry bright or
dull, long or short, fat or lean, rich or
poor."
If Miss Allerton had an Intimate
friend among men It was John Hard
wick. John was twenty years her
senior mid not the kind of man that
she would think of marrying, being a
plain business man. who had gone to
work when lie was seventeen years old.
Having never been to college, he knew
nothing about mental or moral philoso
phy. philology, biology or any other
ology. His main asset was horse sense.
He was so old fashioned that he con
tinued a former practice of making a
New Year's call every year on the Al
ierton family, though It does not ap
pear that he called elsewhere on that
day.
During the afternoon of the da.v that
Sophie made her New Year’s resolution
John Hardwick made his New Year’s
call ns usual. Mrs. Allerton happened
to be indisposed, and her daughter was
obliged to do the honors alone.
“Another year rolled round.” remark
ed Mr. Hardwick by way of opening
the conversation, but as cheerily ns if
the announcement were one of congrat
ulation Instead of regret.
“Yes.” replied Sophie, ‘‘and I'm one
year nearer to being an old maid."
“An old maid! Why. you’re nothing
but a chit. It doesn’t seem any time
at all that 1 used to give you a doll
every Christinas."
“Y’es, ami those snine dolls now line
the baseboard of my former playroom
in the garret. But. speaking of old
maids. I’m going to give you a confi
dence that 1 shall bestow upon no one
else. 1 made a resolution this morning
to be married within the year.”
"Good gracious!" exclaimed John
Hardwick, catching his breath. “Whom
will you marry?"
"That's the problem."
"Have you any one in mind?"
"No one In particular. Besides, you
must remember that it's not to be sup
posed that I can take my pick."
John Hardwick sat thinking for a
few moments, then said, "You'd better
recall that resolution.”
. “Why?"
"Because marriage Is a mntter of
fate. You can’t control It"
“I will control it." said Sophie, set
ting her lips resolutely.
“Can I help you?"
"In what way?’’
"Well, you women know your own
sex better than we men do. and w
men know each other better than you
women know us. I might warn you
against tying yourself up with a bad
maa."
"And might suggest a good one."
"Oh. no: that would be going too far.
Even in warning you against a bad one
I would probably get myself disliked.
But I would hnve the consolation of
doing what I could to save you from
harm.”
There was a faint touch of sadness
in this that set Miss AUerton to think
hip In another direction.
“How selfish of me!” she said. “I
have forpotten that you may desire a
home and those you may love as well
as I. Why have you never married.
Mr. Hardwick?"
"Well,” he replied, with a smile,
“perhaps because it never occurred to
me to fortify myself with a New Year's
resolution.”
January passed away, and Miss Al
lerton had made no further headway
than to select several young men about
her own ape. someone of whom she
mipht encourape to mnke love to her.
February passed, and she had not con
cluded which one of them to encourape.
March catne [n. vyith a good deal of
j "J jmniJil, m Lilli
tinvingdrHmU’nolfftng. “ Xprff brought *kl
mild rtlrtntlon with a mao two years
younger than herself, but before the
Ist of May she had concladed that,
there was nothing In him. When Jane)
came and the pages of the society Jour-!
mils were filled with announcements',
of forthcoming weddings and Miss Al- 1
lerton remembered that she had not yet
even made a l*eglnning in the keeping
of her resolution she began to worry.
July and August she spent in the coun
try, where she hoped she might eet
her fate, hut there is always a dearth
of men at summer resorts except old
fellows who have retired, husbands
who spend week ends with their fam
ines. and boys.
This brought Miss Allerton to Sep
tember.
John Hardwick dropped in one eveu
ing aftpr her return to the city and
asked casually bow she was getting on
in the matter of keeping her resolution.
"Nothing doing.’’ was the reply. The
lady seldom used slang, but this seem
ed quite appropriate to the situation.
"You have four months left," said
John.
"But I’ve spent eight and haven’t
even made a beginning."
“Marriages have taken place within
a few days after the first meeting of
£he contracting parties.’*
“Yes. and I’ll warrant that 75 per
cent of such marriages are followed
by divorces."
Mr. Hardwick admitted that they
wore risky.
Miss Allerton’s hopes fell thick with
the October leaves, and November
brought an actual misfortune. She
fell ill. seriously ill. John Hardwick,
realizing how his friend had set her
heart on keeping her New Year's reso
lution and how her illness would stand
in the way of her doing so. was very
kind, very sympathetic. He sent her
little gifts and with one of t them a
note stating that he lmd in view just
the man to make her happy and as
hood as she was able to receive com
pany he would bring his friend around
and introduce him. "There is still
plenty of time." he added. "We shall
have all of December."
Miss Allerton appreciated John Hard
wick’s kindly sympathy. Unfortunate
ly she was in a low physical condition
and easily worried. As has been stat
ed. she was a resolute young woman,
and with her New Year’s resolution
she had mnde a second that come
what might she would keep the first.
Her mother knew that something was
troubling her and tried to find out
what It was. But Sophie would have
but the one confident. In thanking
John Hardwick for one of his atten
tions—some flowers—she showed her
condition by a lamentation that she
would not lie able to go downstairs, so
her doctor told her. before the middle
of December, and even then if she
met Mr. Hardwick's friend she would
present a wretched appearance, and
how could a marriage possibly coine
of it within two weeks? Shu h tilings
were only possible 1n stories. The
matter was hopeless.
When John Hardwick read this note
he was troubled. There was evidence
in it that the writer was retnrdlng her
recovery by brooding over an impossi
bility. Indeed, lie had been informed
by her doctor that gome load was rest
ing upon her mind and pulling her
down. Her condition was serious.
John wished he might do something to
tide her over a few weeks until she
should regain her strength and throw
off the incubus. He pondered on the
problem with the following result:
He wrote her a note in the name
of one Arthur Cleudenin. stating that
his friend, John Hardwick, had spoken
of her in such high terras that she
must certainly be an estimable snd at
tractive young woman. He (Clon
deuin) was tired of siugle life and de
sired a home with someone to love
in it. He was sure, judging from what
bis friend had said of her and her
picture, which had been shown him.
that he should love her devotedly.
"Now. get well, dear heart" he added.
**o that we may be married at once."
This letter produced quite a revul
sion of feeling in the invalid, which
Indirectly relieved the strain. It was
the discovery that she did not wish to
marry this man she had never seen.
Now that she was at liberty to keep
her resolution she felt easier about
the matter. She still wished to keep
It b\it somehow this stranger was no
more acceptable to her thun a wooden
man would be She wrote John Hard
wick that she was not yet bo anti
quated that she needed to take a dum
my for a husband whom she lnid never
seen, adding that Mr. Hardwick seem
ed to have conceived a strange and
unaccountable desire to have her
marry.
"I see." said John Hardwick, after
puzzling over this inconsistent note,
"you cau never tell whut an invalid is
going to do. Howevei*. I have done all
I can for her and must hope for the
best."
At Christmas time It was reported to
John Hardwick that Miss Allerton was
much improved. The mental load
seemed to have been lifted. Ou the
last day of December she wrote him
to come to see her that afternoon.
Delighted at her better condition, he
made the call. He was received some
C\vrvstmas S>oo&s
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Give something serviceable and
your GIFT will be appreciated.
Buy “him” nice Neckwear, Gloves,
Handkerchiefs, Shirts, Suspenders,
Collars, Mufflers, Hosiery, Paja
mas, a Hat, Cap, Suit, Shoes, a
pair of Riding Trousers, Leggins,
Tie Clasp, Cuff Buttons, Scarf
Pins, or something else to wear.
We have a beautiful line of Holi
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you call and look through same.
New Bank Bldg.
“Why did you take such an interest
during mv illness in marrying me to
this Clendenin man?” she asked.
“There is no such person. I invent
ed him to relieve your mind by mak
ing it appear possible for you to’ keep
your resolution."
"Was it necessary to invent a man?”
“What else could I do?”
“I must be a very unattractive per
son, or if your friendship—for the fam
ily—were what you have always pro
fessed you would have offered to help
me out in another”—
She sat with her eyes cast down
ward. John Hardwick looking at her.
a great light breaking in on his brain.
“Are you as intent on keeping your
resolution as when you made it?” he
asked.
“I am.” '-'tei
“Will I do?" * "
“If you love me.”
“Love you! I have always loved
you.”
The seeing the old year out and the
new year in by the Allerton family,
was a supper which followed the wed
ding of John Hardwick and Sophie
Allerton.
Took a Job Lot.
“Just one kiss.” murmured the book
keeper.
The pretty stenographer pointed to
a placard.
“No Goods at Retail ” it stated.
So he took a Job lot—Washington
Herald.
In Old Egypt.
An American professor claims to
have discovered that It was a crime to
flirt in ancient Egypt If the fair sex
looked anything like the pictures they
left behind them it was.—Toronto Star.
If it is wood or eoal you need,
*>Mnd 184.
There is this advantage about
being poor:— Some people may
think you are honest.
Report comes that Mr. Cnder
woO(l has been playing hob with.
Mr. Hobson in Alabama.
Anew dance is called the hes
itation waltz.” Better hesitate
!j> lonir time before you take it
1 up llortense.
SHOP EARLY AND AVOID THE RUSH
The Quality Shop
J. T. DeLIESELINE & CO
A PAIR of SHOES
makes a very pleasant CHRISTMAS GIFT.
Sizes gladly exchanged later.
House shoes for the whole family.
Nifty ties in Ohristmas boxes.
*
To make Christmas
shopping easy, visit
Maynard Shoe Store
The Exclusive Shoe House of Winder.
Wouldn’t it be fine if some
body would induce Mrs. Bank
hurst to make a trip to Mexico.
Truth goes in mourning when
some of the news papeits. begin
bragging about their circulations.
Many of us would be right
smart in repartee if the conver
sation didn’t run so blamed fast.
Have you gyer tried Bed fl r
coal the best of all coal. Win
der Wood and Coal Cos. Phone
184
Candler Street.
PNEUMONIA
left me with a frightful cough ana
very weak. I had spells when I could
hardly breathe or speak for 10 to 20
minutes. My doctor could not help
me, but I was completely cured by
DR. KING’S
New Discovery
Mrs. J. E. Cox, Joliet, 111.
1 50c AND SI.OO AT ALL DRUGGISTS.