THE STORY TELLER.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5339, 21 May 1909, Page 4

THE STORY TELLER.

; the fima&A'noN of dick • OARSTAIHB. \ I "What Is ih* ¥m*U<# wltk | <*»?." J ftlfct*!* tafckißfc »W#a lh« • worn to where my Uulfrlrhjttd tat, 1 pale and dejwtcd, holding tatiguiu ► coi»verßo with one bt her mother's > guests. • •• Frances is a headstrong, und«ti- ! > rul child," replied Mrs Lacy with ► sudden energj . "She looks the pic- > _ure of misery, doesn't she ? It's all ► because I won't sanction her a»ar--2 riage with Dick Carstairs." 2 "They are .Very f° nd of caen •ffi- <» Ur, I know; but, of course. Dick is— >%. well, rather fast. Yet the influence <* of a good, sweet girl might rerorm jj him." ,_ 2 "Well. I'm not going to sacrince 2 my only daughter bn the off chance £ of being able to reform Dick CarJ stairs," rauarked Mrs La|y , with ff just indignation.' "Frances lias no Z lather or brother to defend "her, and 2 as T am responsible for her, I don't 2 intend her • to marry a fast man. 9 Surely, Lady Mary, you don't think 2 a girl ought to marry with tne on--2 ject of ' reform ing her husband." 2 "My reason is entirely with you, S dear Mrs Lucy," I hastened to as- * sure her, "but I am very much W afraid — you know how fond 1 am oi 2 girls and lovers— that my sympathjc ios are with- the young couple.'' 2 1 think Frances had a good i idea A which way my sympathies were like- • ly to run, for next day she came W to lunch, and very soon started tnt yt auliject of her woes. Dick adored her, 2 »he informed me, and he bad said 2 that when once she was his wife he » would break off with all his wild '► ttompanions, never touch cards, and js never go near a racecourse. • j£ "Mother is so hard," she com1^ plained, with tears in her eyes. "Sh« \l won't believe in Dick. She doesn't W believe he'd reform if he were mar--2 ried. Khe says a girl ought to;marJT ry a man -who- doesn't nee<t relorm--2 i»K- Dearest Lady ' Mary, I < know Z you feel for rue. Isn't it the holiest 4) mission a. girl can undertake ?" # "To reform Dick Carstairs ? Well, 9 I don't, quite .know,, but talk ; ol 2 angels^.and you boar the rustling ol 2 their wings. What sends you here. £ Mr Carstairs? From youx. gfiiltj jjfr looks at /each other, Jioung people 2 I am of. opinion, that thero has.beci vt collusion here. Now this -won't -' do 2 I can't allow you , to meet at ) mj Z house in defiance of Mrs Tracy's "wish A «•■ Prances, Tm ashatnod of you." (► Dic4c Carstnirs was tey no mean! |> without good qualities, but he hac '?■ heen ; hiB ■• own iruistor from a" Ver; ■ c early age, and his easy good nuitur >Z had brought him under the ihflubnci of some very fast men. whose \ ex A ample had led poor Hick into a liiosi ♦ indesiraWe w«y of life. ; JP He was devotedly in love v^itl ]J Frances, and proteste<i that shi would be his salvation. Ho poijite \+ out that she was Of age, and them W fore neefl not prty any attention! V 9 her mother's prohibition, but T \va 2 glad to hear little Frances • declar S that she would never marry with fe out her mother's consent. » "And she will s never give it," ; ad 2 ded Dick glooipily. ■ |J ."1 do not know that,". I put In .^ "After, -all, Dick, you must a<Uni that there are reasons why an affectionate _ tionate mother should hesitate al^ou intrusting her one pretty.' little dau j?hter to your care." : . ; "But with Frances as my wiftj would become as steady. a follow « coukl be wished for." > , { "Why not .become steatly. befoi marriage? 1 never couUI ndvietv girl to marry in the hope of reform ing her husband ; but if , you wil pledge your, honour to try ,to thro' 60 every .bad. habit and, every ,ur desirable associate. Twill exert ;al my influence with Mrs Lncy to ge her to c onsent to your engejgc ment." , ! Frances looked radiunt, and rflcl ightened up. Hf was ready • t promise- anything 'if only the hpi) of gaining his littlo sweetheart wei not taken from him. T had' 1 a hard task to win 1 over %ir 'ljacy. ! U "All verj' well," she said, "and daresay Mr Carstairs has all th good qualities you say he has, bu I knoxv*' what kind of life he leads .and : never will I allow my darljn little girl to marry a man In hope of reforming him." • • ■ >■ \ "I quite agree with- you ; but sap pose he reforms before marriage F.orgive nvy persistency, but I ai so truly interested in Frances, an _ I know to part her from Dick wi break her heart." ; "And to be the wife of a gamble! and an idle, aimless, wild fello,w would break her heart also.. He \?ii proiuise anytj^tng. nyw, , ]>.utj j\vhen j li has" attained * hist fend," he will be jus as wild andirecklejis-as ever." "But if you were to put him on ■yearfs .probation, 'J . I- . u»^«l. "yo would see how Jar he may lje trusi cd. H you refusq all hope; he f 1 wi i ( gp utterly to the dogs, and poor lit , tie Fiances will -break her heart. J.e them become engaged on the undei standing that if Dick reforms, break off'all his bad habits, and become steady, the marriage shall tako'plac just as gpon as you. are -convince* you can safely sanction it." ' Mrs Lacy ( sat for some moment in deep thought. ' : . ! "My one idea is to<lo what it Dest for my child," she began a last, "and, candidly, Ido not thin! Dick Carstairs willjinake her a godc kusband. Yet, on the other hand j longer acquaintance, with. >him- niaj open. -Jier eyes as to his true char acter, also he may tire of being dl ways on his good, behaviour, an* may withdraw from the affair. I "On the whole I think I eau't dj better than yield to y«kir suggep ; tion. We will, see how things are ir i a j»ear." The immediate xesults of Mri L*cy's consent to the engagemeni were most encouraging. Frances b»amied with joy, and her sweet lit tlo face grew rosy and plump again Dick grew steady, and became ai nmnly and straightforward a younj fellow as the most rigid of mothers in-law could d,esir.e. ; At the end of a year Mrs Lacj was obliged to own that the refori niation of Dick Carstairs was complete, and. 'that she no longer feared to entrust her treasure— her treasup ed daughterrr-to him. -- - - ——■-.. , The other , day, five; years after tN marriage of, Frances ami Dick, Mri I^acy said to me : "I owe my happiness arid thia* o; niy dear children to you. Had I not taken your advice, my daughtei would have beep -a soured, disapi pointed old m a jd, and Dick woulc have gone entirely to the bad, instead of being, as they are now' & happiest couple and the best chil* ren that ever lived." "It is safer to get a man to r* form before marriage- than to marry hhn first and try reforming hi m «i : terwards."

HELPLESS AS A BABY. The man or woman Who is suffer- < ing from lfteumattem, Gout, Sci*ii-as-helpless as a baby, th« stiflfened nvusc.es r <l Joints' ciuse.^ifTSi lure and frequently reduce the %/c---tmi to a state oT utter ireltJessuess »on't renmin the victi m of mSSJtrrnn. Take RHBUMO : tha^JS ,s a scientific preparaHoi. "Lrni