Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-12-10
Cousin Julie concealed her chagrin.
During the short walk to the house

call Montrose q
It was too late. For that very hour
there came an indignant answer to her
heartless lettering denouncing her con-
duct in unmeasured terms.
To think that our plain Mary. with
not bit Of style about her should have
won the handsome millionaire ; a man
among a thousand toe, she said angri
". and wept with vexatlon.
The halcyon days OF conrtship passed
quickly. Harold's loye intensified as
the familiarity of their every day life al
the villa more fully developed Mary's
lovely disposition.
he found, too, that beneath all un'
denionstrative manner, lay exquisite
sym pa;hy. considerable intellect and
sound sense.
Al bright days must come TO IN end
Harold ran the yacht back to Newport
at last, but Uncle Sam was the gamer
for ysldminous correspondence was
kept up and in this way they consoled
one another in absence.
Ever, thing ran smoothly with the
lovers, and the wedding day MAS def
nitely settled upon.
One evening when Cousin Henry re
turned from the city he exclaimed, IN
great excitement:
Harold Strong has lost everything.
A real smash up. Foolish speculstions
the cause
Julie looked exultant.
Now dvn't be an IDIOT she said. Ii
you have caught one millionaire so easl-
ly you may possibly catch another
Try, at least and there was a touch
of sarcasm in her voice and wicked
CLEAN in her eyes as she left the rOom'
| The night, in the solitude Of her room
Mary communed with her own heart.
She hsdno wish TO act impulsiyely ; she
desired to follow the dictates of = true
pure wOmanhood.
What would her future bes
She was called to decide the very
next day, and tears splashed from 1tr
eyes upon the paper as she read the ioI'
lowing letter:
When heard that had lost every
thing, | said. Have Msry's love still
in my keepings If l have, | defy tate
let il do It's worst Then 1 remember
ed that owed duty 10 you.
L love you. dear Mary, beyond he
power of words TO express yet rather
than cause you future unhappiness.
will releae you from your engagement
Il is much wiser to look at things
souarely and dis ispa,sionately now, than
10 endure lifelong regrets.
II ou feel that poverty s too grea'
an,evil to face, even with my love FOR
shield aud protection, say 20 frankly
and | will Immediately answer, even i
it breaks my heart, Mary you are free
But if you love me we'll enough 10 brave
1t in my company, l will say joliully
even 70 until death do US pat, Write
for suspense 10 torture TO
HAROLD STRONG.
The man remained the same, bu
those millions were gone. What tes
for loving woman
How would Nary stand itT Wha
Was her answer?
With the wsrldly-wise Julie and hei
ambitiou. aunt beside her-taklng coun
-el of her own aione-she wrote
the following:-
DEAR HAROLD DO not think 81
meanly OF me as 10 suppose that be
cause YOU arc unfortunate. | can de
sert you IN your trouble. You wer'
willing ,hatI-a posr girl-shsuld share
your wealth. Ought l not 10 be q
willing TO share your pov"rIy? CONF
o me at once, Harold. Yox need sym
patty. and who so willing TO give 1t
and thu: assure you of the stability O
her love, as your own
MARY
OF course Harold went direct to tn
villa. HIS step was elastic. his dar
eve, gllstened, he was handsomfr thai
ever. and did not look in the least Tx
ruined man.
There were no reproaches in stor
for him Tor having doubted her disintel
sickness. No; Mary loyed him to
! dearly to express anything but the ten
derest sympathy.
II was her wish 10 be married in slm
! pie st,le, III keeping with their altere
circumstances, and so, in her sunt's pal
lor. attired in q plain travelling costume
the dear girl gave herself to Harold ''c
- richer or for poorer
Then then siartod for their new HON
in Boston. Harold had assured h'
that it Was . cosy little handbook an
that she would Ssd Tor ssiI' sss!ts.iI % aTs''l poe
But what was her Az con.iGsa on: Sasi' If, ~
the carriage stopped in a iashlonao'
slreet and she WAS ushered into an cit
CANT mansion,
Mary removed her wrappings at hi
= husbands request, and looked aroun
in a bewilderea way.
n ~ hen will We 60 to our own home
IS che inquired.
The young husband clasped her lone
IT ly 10 his heart.
e This IS our home, my darling. n
losses are no. as greatas FIRST sul
= posed. In fact, am richer than eve
for those speculations have proved
/. me that there is at least one distinteres
y ed woman on this planet, and that or