The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-05-17
WON AT LAST.

Aplain woman and pink cotton handkerchief
are not the most promising materials for pic
ture. But Mary .Cromford, though plain, had
graceful figure, and the pink handkerchief
which she was hemming formed pretty con-
trast to her white dress as she sat on the
edge of little chasm in Swiss valley. She
was healthy, sweet, graceful English girl, and
she and her bit of pink cotton formed no un-
worthy center to the scene of hill and dale.
Fraulein Muller, her former governess, sat
beside her. The stiff, tight dress, the hair
primly laid over the ears, the broad hat tied
with big bow under the chin, bespoke her
nationality.
Mary's position was difficult one. Adopted
when she was a child by distant relative,
rich bachelor she had been recognized as his
daughter, and though the fine old house where
they dwelt, with it's park and surrounding land,
were entailed on male heir, it was known that
that heir had offended the old man, and no one
was surprised when, on his sudden death, the
only will. dated many years back, was found to
leave Mary Cromford the whole of her benefac-
tors personal property, which by every means,
he had taken care to increase at the expense of
the estate. No one was surprised except the
heir, Mr.. Manton, handsome, stern, proud
man of over forty years, whose grave dignity
sat well upon him, and whose very agony was
dgnifed as he stated his strong sense of injus-
tice. He was poor man and he found him
self suddenly master of q handsome estate re-
curing instant outlay and handsome income
to keep it from absolute deterioration. If his
uncle had felt no regard or consideration for
him, at least be might have respected the land
itself. The lawyers shook their heads 1t
might not seem equitable There was no
help for it. No help for it? Mr.. Manton
thought otherwise. Having made Mary's ac-
quaintance in the necessary course of business,
lie one day demanded a private interview, and
with the utmost candor told her that she alone
could remedy the evil and save the estate by
marrying him that he had a high esteem for
her qualities, that his affections were entirely at
her disposal, and that he would make her a
good husband. Mary doubted none of these
propositions Mr.. Manton's somewhat naif
candor had its attractions for her, and, like all
noble women, she was infinitely attracted by
the idea of a self-sacriice for the sake of JUS
ticc. But this self-sacrifce was trifle too hard,
for was there not Tom Derby whom she had
loved for years, and who loved her well?
She thought he loved her, but there was the
pinch, for her uncle, with an old mans wisdom,
had impressed upon her, with the continual
droppings which wear away the stone, that men
seek money, that it was known size would have
money, and that therefore it beloved her to
look to it, lest those who sought her hand
should be rather seeking her purse. And when
| 7 ON Derby had come too often, or fingered
too long, he had thrown out hints that Derby
was poor, that he expected, that he hoped, and
so on, till the poison had eaten into her soul
| And vet her nature was so frank, SO antagonis-
tic to suspicion; but she was blindfolded by
that blind guide, the worldly wisdom of old
age Therefore, when she stood alone, whe1
Mr.. Manson candidly asked her to sacrifice her
self for him, his very fra. kness and GOODNESS
tempted her to yield, for, she said was it moi
better to take cold esteem, honestly offered
than love which might be on by =? No
she could not frame the word, even to herself
When she ought to have given an answer, hel
whole inner being rose up against the false