The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-04-18
A WOman's Choice.

afternoon.
She was in quandary; she had two
lovers, and she wondered which it was
best to choose. John Rainstord was
young and had life full of promise
and great possibilities before him. But
he was poor. Kate Wartield knew that
he loved her, as strong man can love,
but could she, used to luxuries of life,
give up that which seemed necessary to
her comfort and marry poor manl
Philip Leith was old and rich and he,
in this letter which she had Just been
reading, made her the offer of his heart
-supposing such an organ to be in cx-
istence-and hand. He could give her
the things she longcd for, the glitter and
show she coveted.
She heard some one whistling down
the road, and, looking in that direction,
saw John coming. Something seemed
to tell her that she must decide he-
tween her lovers now, and in swift
way she looked the case over. On one
side, wealth and fashion, and all that
the heart could wish for in the gratiiica-
ton Of its selfish, worldly enjoyments;
on the other hand, a humble life, and
struggles to climb to that position where
wealth could place her at once.
But then2 Did she-could she-loye
Philip Leith, a man old enough to be
her father2 Would his wealth make up
for what her life would have been if
love was in it. AS she asked herself
that question she felt a twinge which
told her that, after ALL she carried for
John Rainsford as she had never cared
for any other man, and for a moment she
wondered if life with him would be
preferable to life with Philip Leith and
all his wealth.
But the glitter Of gold blinded her,
and shut her eyes to the purer vision
which passed before her for a moment,
and in that resolute crushing down of
the better impulses of her nature, John
Rainstord's answer to his wooing was
made before he asked it.
He came up the orchard path and sat
down beside her. He had learned, in
the summer gone by, to love this woman
as he thought he could never love
another. She was all that was pure and
womanlv in woman to him.
81 have had letter from the city,"
she said; 81 am going back next week"
$50 soonl" he said, slowly, and looked
thoughtfully off to the blue hills. She
knew we'll enough what he was thinking
about.
"Yes, l have fingered here too long
already. This summer has been very
pleasant one to me; one of the pleasant
est of my life, l think"
"Can you guess WHIT it has been to
me2" he asked, suddenly. 81 have learned
lesson in it that never tried to learn
before; l have learned to love-to love
you"
His words were full Of passion,
strength and tenderness. Beneath his
gaze, she felt how unworthy she was of
such love as he gave her.
81 am sorry!" she said, slowly.
He started, growing pale.
"Whya" he asked.
because this letter is from the man
am going to marry"
He answered not wsrd, but his eyes
were on her face in strange, half doubt
ing gaze. Could it be true that the wo-
man he had thought to be SO true and
womanly, and who had let him 60 on low
ing her, knowing all the while to what
he was drifting. was the promised wife
of another2 How he had been deceived
in his estimate of her! | think tie
shock which John Rainsford's faith in
woman's trust received was at that mo-
ment full as strong ms that which her
answer gave the love he held for her. To
him she was the ideal woman, the type
of w4nanhood, and, proving herself UNI
true, he doubted all, because he had been
so cruelty deceived in her.
She saw the lines of pain about his
mouth.
81 am sorry" she began.
But he stopped her.
"Don'tr' be said; "leavc the matter as
it is. tits better So No word of yours
is needed to soften the blow. | shall
get over it in time, l think. without
them"
"If had known" she said, but
again he interrupted her.
81 am going now. hope you will
be happy, and never regret what you
have done, but some day, think, you
will see what pitiful amusement it is to
win mans love, just for the mere sake
of winning it. Good-bye"
And John Rainsford was gone.
Eight years passed, bringing strange
changes with them. Kate Warfcld, in
the years gone by since that summer
afternoon, when she made her choice
between the man who loved her and the
man who bought her, had become a wife
and widow. In all those years she had
not succeeded in forgetting John Rains
ford. She had tried to do 30; her hus-