Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1877-02-24
Won by Fire.

Sald MIS-. Marcy, addressing neT
daughter Mary, who, book in hand,
was seated near the library window,
"You know that his prospects are
excellent, to say nothing of the
wealth his father left him." con-
tinued Mrs. Marley.
Mary made no reply, and Mrs.
Marley further remarked, she is the
hsndsomest man IN town, and you
can't gainsay that
As if feeling that some reply was
needed to this last remark Mary
Marley closed her book and said:
81 grant you that he is very hand
some, but when I marry, my hus-
band must have better passport to
fame than a pretty face"
Mrs. Marley slightly raised her
eyebrows and gazed at her daughter
with look of unfeigned surprise.
"'A better passport to fame than a
handsome faceY Why, what do you
mean, Mary? John Bramwell is
rich, handsome, and of good fam
lily. He certainly has talent that
will compare favorably with most
young men of our day, and what
more do you want?"
81 don't want any more" replied
the daughter with a little yawn.
Mrs. Marley was getting impa-
tient. her fingers worked nervously
with the silken fringe of her dress.
But John Bramwsll loves you, "
she continued, 'and there's not a
girl in the city who does not envy
you, and yet you persist in treating
him as distantly as if he was almost
new acquaintance. Now this is
what l don't comprehend.
Mary Marley laid the book upon
the table with so much method and
in so decided a manner that it was
plain to be seen she meant business.
We'll" she replied, CT will en-
deavor to make you comprehend just
how [ feel towards John Bramwell.
l like him about as we'll as could
any man who knows that he is hand
some and presumes upon it. Ifthere
is anything on earth that I detest it
is a man who is SO handsome that
almost every girl is in love with him.
/ never could love a man who was
admired by all for his good looks.
Therefore, I wish you to understand
that feel towards John Bramwell
as l would towards any person in
whom l have no permanent interest.
His stock in trade, 1 take it, is his
good looks, and I should as soon
think Of eating my goldfnch for its
singing rs marrying a man for his
beauty. 1t is scarcely possible that I
will ever marry a handsome man,
but. should I have the opportunity
l might marry man of talent"
Mrs. Marley held up both her
hands in sort of mock dismay.
"To hear you talk in such way!"
she exclaimed. "You who have no
beauty, you who are not over talented,
you who never had but one admirer,
and that one John Bramwell, and
YOU cast him off! Oh! It's too hard
to endure all this" and she arose
from her seat and left the room,
sobbing like a child.
Mary did not offer to follow her
mother, but she sat still and looked
straight down at the carpet, while o
frown settled upon her face. She
was thinking of all that passed be-
tween John Bramwell and herself
that day. Bramwell had come to the
house for the purpose of Offering
himself to Mary Marley; but with
the intuitiveness of woman she per-
ceived his object and defeated his
purpose, and John Bramwell saw it
and understood it as we'll as Mary
Marley did herself.
John Bramwell was handsome
man, but he was also an indolent
man. He did not appear to have
any particular aim in life, except it
was, perhaps, to dress with exquisite
taste and feel fattered when q lady
looked upon him.
Mary Marley was a very different
girl from most young ladies. She
had fine literary taste, was good
linguist, pusessed of excellent judg-
msnt, and was most inveterate foe
to fashionable follies. Mary Marley
was not handsome. Her face was
decidedly plain but was full of in
telligence and animation. She was
quiet in her manners and very unas-
suming in all her acts. In disposi-
ton she was very unlike John Bram-
well, and he with that peculiar con-
tradiction which generally character
ICES love, gave his heart to one en-
tirely the opposite of himself.
But John Bramwell certainly had
some qualities that escaped Mary
Marley's observation. He was gen.
erous, Notwithstanding he was vain,
and when his courage was put to
test, he could display true heroism.
The feeling evinced by Mary Mar
ley, after all, was not an unnatural
one. Every true-hearted woman