The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-04-10

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held her in the quesion,bi" light Of an eaycs
i i VA, a,ionIshcd to sec Mrs.. Mark shelton
ont M. riohi. exclaimed the elder of thc tive
ladies, whose diamonds flashed Ia the gas
light,
hive YOU not heard? Why, Mrs. Lamar
Shelton Is on the verge OF bankruptcy,
i Mark Shelton impossible! Why, ne is
considered one Of the stauEChcSt merchants
in the city
1 Nnd was. But he has lost credit somehow
\ lie has been on the street for days trying
TO raise money TO cancel most OF his urgent
debts; and wouldn't be surprised ifhis wife
did have to give up her stylish home before
the winter is over
she Is nobody, anyway Her father wa>
only a soap chandler, and | haye often won
dered at Mark Skeletons taste in choosing her
for wife remarked Mrs. Lamar who had
once decided taste for Mark herself.
'Soap.chandlcrs are a. good as other men,
provided they are sober and respectable re
turned the lady with the diamonds, whose
father had once been Il peanutvcnder, while
Mrs Lamars ancestors were famous Tor blue
blood and reckless dissipation.
Il don't pity Mrs Shelton, though, went on
Mrs Lamar, politely ignoring the elderly Ia
dy's home.thrust, for expect she is just like
other women IN the same situation; Mark
made oceans of money and she spent it.
Doubtless. Just give any woman that
never had anything some money to splurge
on and see how fast she'll go through it,
laughed the elderly lady as she glided out OF
the library, her rich SILK sweeping after her
1 like purple pillows, while Mrs. Lamar fol
lowed her like shadow in her pale-coIored
tarletan robes
Poor Alice Shelton had heard every word
and sat perfectly still with her slim white
fingers Clasped tightly together. Every fac
ulty of her nature seemed paralyzed by the
intensity OF her emotions. Her honest, con
scientiOus heart was shocked at the hypo
crisy of two of her most intimate social
friends, and with the bitterness was mingled
feeling Of intense pity for Mark, who had
/ kept all this from her ears that she might
hear 1t from such uncharitabie lips. Verify
she thought, the world is a vain show and
those who love it but moths Huttcring about
in dazzling pleasures only to have their
wings singe,. by the cruel tongues of fame
that leap up from envy, malice and deceit
Mark shall not fail, she said, rising up
with white determined face. Il will show
them his wife 10 verify of him"
Needless of the gayety md warmth around
her, of the binding snow storm that was rag
ing without, or the long, bound walk
that lay between the ASstIn mansion and her
husbands warehouse, she hurried up to the
dressing-room and, wrapping herself up in
cloak and furs, went oat into the Storm and
boldly faced the binding sheets of snow that
the wind dashed into her tace--a face almost
as CHASTITY as the snow that fell so swiftly
and silently on the half deserted payements
The gas tlared out through murky gas-lamps
with Il dull, sickly glare; hacks and CARR.
ages went whirling by like sheeted ghosts
and once in while some belated pedestrian
almost walked over her; but still Mrs Shell
ton walked on, her heart too hard and anxious
to think Of fear or fatigue.
When she reached the warehouse the clock
on distant sieeple was just Ginning eleven,
and Mark was staading in the dlmlylit office
putting on his overcoat. The porter dozed
in chair before the stove in the outer room
and Alice stole softly past him and stood be-
fore her husband.
"AliCel'
His eyes dilatcd in establishment. Alice
dropped into seat and looked up at him
with glitter in her blue eyes that held him
spell-bound.
Mark, do you think I'm a fool:"
Her voice had raspy ring that startled
Mark He glanced at her snow covered wraps,
and then made a dash for the soaked boots
peeping out from under the edge of her be-
draggled silken skirts.
Alice! one boot came off with Jerk
what insane within drove you out on the
street such night Is thS:' He flung its
mate to the farthercst end Of the room.
%, Mark, Mrs. Shelton's temporary
strength and courage were swiftly vanishng,
are you gong to fall
Mark instantly comprehended the situation
She had heard the story of his financial trou.
bles, probably in some distorted form, and the
knowledge had almost crazcd her. He blam-
ed himself severely for keeping her in gno.
rance of the truth. He always had a:repug
nance to womanly interference in business
matters but felt, in justice to his wite's general
worthlncss, he should have trusted her in
this emergency.
Hush, Alice Tor she was beginning to
sob cally-'you must not be alarmed
II can raise the money 10 pay Oft a note
that falls due tomorrow may weather the
panic yet
How much will you need"
-Four thousand Gallars.
is that all = with little hysterical laugh
Then you won fail; for | have five thous.
and dollars all my own, saved out of the mon
ey you gave me to spend on the house and
myself All, Mark, yoa thought | spent it.
'Alice,-Mark took the little shivering
form in his arms-'you are worth your weight
in gold"
4 know it, slyly rctortcd Alice; but it has
taken you five wears to find it out. And,
Mark, if you cannot cancel the rest OF your
debts, we will sell the house and the furni.
ture and live IN IA room or two until the panic
is over; for you shall not fail
Mark sent for a carriage. and they wen,
home through the white, noiseles. streets
Alice recounting As they went the story she
heard in Mr. Austins perfumed library Al
its conclusion she said:
1t was cruel in you to keep ne in the dark
50 long, Mark. Aud never, never treat Inc
like fool or child again for if am a soap
chandler daughter have sense and feeling
and Judgment and discretion enough 10 save
something for rainy day
. II Is neeuicss to say that Mark redeemed
his note, 10 the chagrin Of some of his busl
ness rivals, who had secretly gloated over