The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-02-25

mind that lives through doubts and fears
Unaltercd till lifes latest years.
Hove the gentle breath of spring,
| l love the notes her songsters sing,
l love the long, bright summer hours,
| I love the sweet and fragrant fiow'rs;
| love the moonlight's sil'vry CLEAN,
Falling on the ripping stream,
Or peeping through the rustling trees
| That bend their branches to the breeze.
-School Journal.
LOVING THE MONEY, NOT THE MAN
"UNcLE COLEMAN, Pm going to marry
Lucia Frothingham"
"Eh? What"
Uncle Coleman put down his news
paper, pushed his spectacles up on his
forehead, and glared at his nephew.
"Going to marry Lucia Frothingham!'
he cried, after gasping awhile in sheer
dismay. "You idiotw
Thanks" was the cool reply. 81
know you do not like the lady, but
where there is a strong mutual love-
"Strong mutual fiddlesticksT inter
rupted Uncle Coleman, contemptuously
You may love her; she is pretty and
fascinating, but what she loves is your
bank account. my boy. knew it would
be SO when Aunt Jennie left you a cool
hundred thousand. But boys will be
boys. Only, for goodness sake, wait a
year or two before you saddle yourself
with wife!'
II am twenty-one, sir' with an inn
mense air of dignity.
Il am sixty-four! Now, Frank, do
hear reason. Lucia rockingham is q
fascinating woman, touching the thirties,
if not already over the line-a finished
f1irt, and as mercenary as she is pretty.
know her, and tell you her affection is
centered upon Aunt Jennie's legacy and
the half million in prospective at my
bankers"
"Uncle Coleman" cried his nephew,
hotly, 81 never thought of it, much less
spoke of it."
II don't suppose you ever did. Hav-
ing always had an independent income,
l don't think you ever counted on dead
mans shoes. But Miss rockingham was
educated in the hard school of genteel
poverty, and rich husband is the prize
for which she has studied and toiled for
well, say ten years. She was in society
before you were done playing with tops
and marbles"
"Uncle Coleman, you are speaking of
my betrothed wife, remember"
"Hem"
"Years are of no consequence where
there is true love-"
"Hemr'
"And I love Lucia as she loves me-"
"Not bit of it,"
"To-morrow she goes to Saratoga, and
if you can spare me l will go too"
"And the business in Hartford? /
should advise you to attend to all mat
ters belonging to your aunt's estate as
soon as possible, Frank"
ut may keep me in Hartford a
month";" said Frank, disconsolately.
Coleman Burke looked with plying
affection at his young relative, such boy
yet in many matters, though he had
reached mans estate.
"A month that may settle your whole
fortune" he said Remember, men do
not fall heir to 100000 more than once
in lifetime"
~ suppose | must CO."
at will be best. Besides" added
Uncle Coleman, dryly, it will be good
test of your lady-love's constancy!"
II am not afraid of her forgetting me-
said Frank, loftily.
You are actually engaged:"
Certainly! l bought diamond ring
at IS yesterday, and put it on her
taper finger last evening"
"Hem! Well, the fool-killer hasn't
been here lately, that's certain. There,
be off and let me finish my paper in
peace. You will 60 to Hartford?"
"Yes."
But after his nephew left him Cole
man Burke left his paper lie idle upon
his lap, Will he fell into q fit of musing,
often interrupted by impatient ejacula-
tions. He was a man, as he said, of past
sixty, and had been childless widower
for thirty years, while four little graves
beside that of his wife recorded the heart
history of his life.
When he had lived lonely and sim
cere mourner for many long years, his
brother and wife died, leaving Frank,
curly headed boy, to the care OF his I'm
Gle Coleman. All the long sealed foun-
tains Of love in the desolate heart opened
to pour out their affection upon the
child. He was truly the sunlight of the
old mans existence, and, though his man.
ner had been cynical, his heart had been
sorely wrung by the announcement of
his engagement, but not from any paltry
jealousy or any mercenary motive. Had
Frank loved true, tender woman, were
she beggar, his uncle would have given
her fathers love and welcome. But
by the light of his own brief married
he read the misery in store
for his nephew if he married Lucia Froth-
ingham.-a flirt, extravagant and selfish.
How to save him was costing the old
man torturing thought. Active opposi-
tion would only strengthen what was
now but boyish infatuation, and yet
saved he must be. Suddenly q light
broke over Coleman Burke's face, and
he rose from his chair and went to long
mirror in the room. The reflection was
not calculated to waken any vanity, yet
the old man smiled, well pleased.
"If I can only carry it out it will he
proof positive" he thought.
Short, fat, nearly bald, with specta-
cles and a cane, Coleman Burke was GER
tainly strong contrast to the tall, hand
some young fellow who had won Lucia
for his bride, yet he said aloud:
I'll cut him QUIT"
"A week later all the fashionsbles at
the c.. Hotel, at Saratoga, knew that
Coleman Burke intended to take wife.
What bird first bore the news upon the
scented air no one could have told you,
but there was NO lack Of information
about the elderly bridegroom in pros
peetive. Everybody THAT was anybody
knew that Coleman Burke had retired
from business years before, worth half
million Of money, and had made fortu-
nate investments since. That he was
dccked in fashions latest styles, wore
diamond studs end ring, carried : switch