River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-09-29

to Rockport. Won Held they found
already at the hotel in the village. He
had been there month or more.
Fairweather muttered Thought
he'd be on hand in time. Don't count
on seeing me come with Dora Then
Fairweatner ordered the most extrava-
CANT of bonbonnieres sent up from New
York to Miss Warren. The fact was
he recognized dangerous rival, and sc
spent thousands of dollars at once in
buying horses, bringing his yacht tc
Rockport, bearing the expense of al
sorts of festivities, and hunting uF
costly fruits and flowers: then he
scowled constantly upon Won Held
and generally played the desperate
lover.
Both men were leaning over Dora's
piano one evening, when Mr.. Warren
CHANGED TO pass through the parlor
Won Held, with a hurried Excuse me,
overlook his steps and FairweatheI
could hear these words 'May / speak
to you privately. Mr.. Warren, upon an
important matters Then the two
passed out upon the piazza together.
Fairweather felt that he understood
the purpose of that interview, and be
exclaimed to Dora: 'If I'd known that
foreign adventurer had followed you
home, I'd have come back six months
sooner"
Miss Warran rose, turned toward
Fairweather, swept him once up and
down slowly with her eyes, and walked
deliberately out of the room.
The sutton felt such pang of love
for her in that repose, that scorn, that
general superiority to his own nature,
that in moment he had lashed him
self into jealous fury, and he.strode
toward where Warren and Won Held
were sitting ON the piazza.
Coming upon them unawares from
one of the draperied windows, he heard
this from the count:
81 with to ask your sanction for the
addresses | have already paid her"
ALREADY paid herr" repeated Mr..
Warren. 81 am astonished.
Fairweather sprang forward, forget
ting everything but his anger.
"Mr. Warren" he vociferated, 81
protest against this. This man is poor,
doesn't own fifteen thousand dollars in
the world. He wants your daughter
for her money, | warn you, and / ac-
cuse him of base motives"
Won Held started up as if he had
been dealt blow; then, meeting with
the livid face and angry eyes of his
accuser. he laid his hand quietly on the
back of chair, and 50 stood at ease
almost smiling.
"He's fortune-hunter, Fairweather
went on. "He spoke ola trip to Amer
lea Just as soon as / spoke of your
daughters wealth. And, moreover,
he's"-F airweather staggered up very
close to Won Held-'he's a-he's a."
The word coward" was forming itself
on his lips, but the quiet eyes that met
him, the unchanged color, the steady
mouth, checked that word, and left a
silence, during which the count re-
sumed his seat, while Fairweather
quivering with unmastered rage.
"Much obliged for your impertinent
interference, young man." Warren an
swered at last, rather dryly, "but my
daughter isn't in the question at all
WHAT exclaimed Fairweather.
s'No; it's all about my"
"Allow me- interrupted Won Held.
~ am asking the sanction of Mr.. War
rem upon my engagement with his
niece, Miss Barbara Chase"
Fairweather's shame was swallowed
up in establishment
The German went on II have found
in this young girl all my io cal. all that
| have so often declared held peculiar
charms for me-freshness of heart, sim
plicity OF taste and the richness of ma
ture and imagination that finds an ex-
cellence in pure childish enjoyments.
Accomplishments, beauty, wit, | can
admire, but | tire of them soon; they
are nothing new. Every city in Europe
gives you plenty clever and handsome
women, but your niece, Mr.. Warren,
has qualities that far prefer.
"Yes-oh, yes, take her, sir, by all
means" st&mmered Warren. "But she
hasn't a dollar in Che world"
II would be sorry if she had"
"See here" said Fairweather, STAN
mering, too. "I've often heard you
talk this way before, but"
''But you didn't believe me? see
/ see. There's vicious effect from
this American prosperity. This gr At
and successful struggle for wealth lenoe
an undue weight to mere wealth. Not
that you don't use it well, not that you
don't appreciate the refinementit buys;
but your minds will run back an meas
ure everything by the outlay entailed.
| think you forget the value of such
things as can't be valued. Pardon me
if | say that | find you apt, with just
pride in your own honesty and in
dustry, to judge harshly Of certain
classes in Europe. If we have aristo-
cratic pride and prejudice, you have
republican pride and prejudice. If we
can't realize there are taste and refine
ment in America, you can't realize
there are genuine impulses, honesty
and singleness of purpose among us.
I've learned lately that the villain OF an
American romance is commonly Il Flu
ropean nobleman." Won Held laughed
outright, and Fairweather felt more at
ease, and ventured:
Count, | hope you bear me no
grudge; /"
"You insulted me because you knew
no better, SIR" was the subtle answer
that Fairweather construed as settle
ment of all dispute.
Mr.. Warren had hurried indoors to
tell his daughter the news. Imme-
diately she appeared in the drawing
room, overlooking with polite congratu-
lations.
"You see," said Won Held, Il fell in
love with my little Barbara that Fourth
of July, when she was so child-ike and
unaffected and inexperienced, and en-
joyed those absurd firecrackers So
heartily"
Within a week Dora had scornfully
rejected Fairweather, and Won Held
and Bah were married and off for
Berlin.
On their wedding night, Mrs. War
rem found her daughter in tears.
"To think" cried the indignant
mother, 'that he should marry that
plain little thing She couldn't touch
feather to you. 1t was all an acct
dent anyway-all those horrid fire.
crackers"
Il suppose it's an accident to meet
an honest man now and then. And
and loves an accident" responded
Dora, bitterly. Then the tears came
again.
Mrs. Warren stole softly away. She
said to her husband. 81 think Dora
liked that count"
'sSho did she ?" answered the kindly