The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-09-22
[Chicagc Tribune.l
Why She Would Not Desert Hir

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''Do you mean it, father?"
Vivian Mahaffy looked steadily into his IA
theirs face as he spoke these words-looked
fairly and fully into the face of the keen-eyed
old man whose petted idol he had been since
the days of his babyhcod-those dreary, desc
late days, when the black pail of his young
wifes death had fallen over the life of him
who was now looking at his only child so
sternly.
Aristides Mahaffy's sen-his bright-eyed boy
had said that he was about to marry Ethel
berta O'Rouke, a girl whom the old man knew
only as fashionable belle, and in moment
of passionate anger he had told the boy that If
his determination was persisted in disinheri-
lance should follow. 1t was this threat that
had caused Vivian to utter the words with
which this story begins.
eyes, mean it," replied the father. "Mar-
ry this girl, if you choose, but If you do, not
penny of mine shall you have''--and leaving
the bitterly cruel words floating around the
room he stalked sav.sgely from the apartment.
Two hours have passed. So have seven or
eight horse cars, but the one for which Vivian
is waiting finally comes along, and soon lands
him at the door of Pericles O'Rouke's house.
EthelDerta is Sitting in her boudoir, sewing
some foamy lace into the neck of velvet dress
as the young man entered.
Il have bad news for you, darling Vivian
says IN sad tones, while don t-blutf-or-you-
will-be-called look comes over his face.
BERTHE nestled her little dimpled hands con-
hdingly in his. "Tell it to me at once, sweet
she said-'only with yeu alive and well, moth
ing could be so very dreadful"
Vivian looked at her with wonderful, grave
tenderness in his blue eye.
He was sizing her up.
"My father and 1 have quarrelled, and he
has disinherited me. L have--and here his
voice quivered slightly-"been given the g. b.
on your account. l am beggar, Berthe"
Her soft, dusky eyes grew wilder and more
| serious.
eyes," continued Vivian, 81 am poor. But
l wouldn't care if it wasn't for you, darling. 1t
means that must give you up, for I cannot
| ask you to share life with me on thousand q
| year."
She looked at him with rich, crimson flush
surging into her cheeks. If it had been full
| Vivian would have gone under, but flush
| could never scare him.
Vivian" she said passionately, edo you
think Will lei you give me up? I love you
TOO well for tlat. A beggar or prince, you are
| the same to me-my king, my lover"
| And he folded her to his heart with great,
| almost speechless tenderness and joy.
my de ling, my precious" he whispered.
| Three months later on golden December
afte. noon, with blue sky as in June, there
was wedding at the O'Rouke mansion. AS
| Vivian and Ethelberta were entering the car
riage that was to bear them to the depot she
| looked at him with weirdly precious smile.
"And so you would not desert me, darling
| he said, "even when you knew that was
| poor2"
"No my precious one," was the reply. 81
| learned long ago that a sucker once off the
hook will never bite again, ard your father
and put up the job SO as to land you little
| quicker"