The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-08-30
and looked at it calmly.

forward from behind the curtain of a
window in which she had been sitting
ever since he entered the room.
''What is the matter? Why do you
want to kill yourself9:
''Annis," said the merchant sadly,
''ever since your mother died [ have
lived only for you. All cared to get
wealth for was for you. But of hate
l have been unfortunate l stand to-
day on the verge of bankruptcy.
wv ell, lam sure that is bad enough
without your killing YOURSELF said
Annis. do you imagine, oh, foolish
papa that all the riches OF the world
could make up to me the loss OF you?'
The merchant started. and looked
down as if ashamed. Then he opened
his arms wide and his daughter flew
into them,
Promise me this moment. papa,
she said that you will never. never
think OF such wicked thing again y
MY darling" answered the mer-
chant. with emotion, Il never Will
Now YOU must make me promise. l
can stem the tide, think a month
longer-possibly six weeks | should
not care. for myself, how soon the
crash came, if / could see you provi-
ded for. Will YOU not, in that time,
choose yourself q husband from all
those who are 50 anxious to marry
you!'
Annis made face. Then, seeing
how anxious her father looked, she
said:
IN honestly try, papa. But who
ever | choose must know the truth
about your affairs before | will marry
him.
"Certainly. said her father: ''but
am sure it will make no difference.
You are too sweet and beautiful to
be loved for anything but yourself. :"
Upon the following evening, when
Annis received company, she made
a careful toilet.
She was black eyed blonde, and
she wore apale green tissue OF silk
Topped with water lilies, and sea gras-
ses in her yellow floating hair.
She looked siren; but no siren
was ever so Indifferent to the homage
lavished at her feet.
One after another they came-the
tall the short, the fair the dark. She
looked black; but not a heartbeat
uuickened even when the handsomest
man in the room bowed low before
her. and murmnred flattering words
in honey tones.
All would not do. She felt posi-
tive aversion to some OF them, and
having got into foolish habit OF
having everything she wanted. because
of her fathers Indulgence, she could
not reconcile herself to the idea OF
marrying a man for whom she did not
care half as much us she did for her
pet canary.
When the month was nearly up,
during which the merchant. while he
waited anxiously, said nothing, Annis
spoke.
Papa" she said you are worth q
dozen of them. l had rather live in
poverty than with afiluence with one
of them
You don't know what poverty is, >
said her father gloomily.
But | have curiosity to know.
said the daughter, bravely. BE &
good papa. now, and don't tease me
/ am sure you can save enough out OF
the wreck to furnish two rooms, anc
cook has been giving me lessons
Won't it be fun =
The ruined merchant sighed. but
he was not altogether displeased.
The girl had such Il sweet and coax
ing voice-she looked at him so loving
". and he was in the habit OF givin:
her whatever she Wanted-SO the enc
of it was that he let her do as she
: liked in this.
Godfrey Prime saved nothing from
the wreck. He was an honorable
man, and gave up everything to hi
5. creditors. even his daughters man,
II costly ornaments--with her consen
too.
But even then all was not paid
II and humble as was the home to which
the pair betook themselves, the sad
dest thought that entered there wa
that dollar remained unpaid agalns
the name of Prime.
1T must be paid somehow, sail
Annis. .'Oh, if there was only some
thing great, anything grand, that
= could do 1t is shame there is not
after all you have laid out on me. papa
Why. l am the worst investment 20
have made, do believe. Help me t
= think if there is not some way in whlc
| can earn money to make you eve
s. with the world again. | could not b
an artist, for though you paid m
Id drawing master such fabulous sums,
I'd am sure if were to sketch you some
ii thing. you would be able to distir
y guish that it had four legs and head
and that would be all. | never coul
Il, make any difference. on paper .betwee
n horses head and dogs. | don
to think | should ever succeed as an az
a tress. and though have a tolerabl
voice. should be so frightened if
Of should try to sing in public. that
could not utter note.
lie ..Ah. my child said the father
a eff you had only married one OF thos
I'd rich admirers of yours =
10 sWhat is the use of saying thai
papa. Not one of them has been nea
d us since your failure. l always SUI
pected their devotion was not to b
is trusted. But if one of them did car