Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-02-23
HE LEARNED TOO LATE HIS FOLLY.

HE LEARNED TOO LATE HIS FOLLY
The summer was like no other summe,
the world had ever known. Never was
June so sweet; never were mornings 50 rosy
and 1ad.ent, never We're twilights so ten
! der.
A young and beautiful girl stood look
ing ut the sunset, as the last farewell glow
bathed the blue waves with golden radi,
ance. To look at her face no one would
ever dream that her position in life was not
among the proudest; but glance at the
simple dress would dispel the illusion
Fiossy Thayer had been brought up by hel
grandfather in quiet, secluded countr,
nelShborhood. The old gentleman was
wealthy Flossy the darling of his heart
and great pains were lavished upon her edu
cation. The grandfathers health was mo-
| good, and they travelled great deal, Otter
spending the winter in the south. They
| had been there when the crash came: MI
| Ihayer lost his money. He was the most
honorable man alive; he returned home
| paid his liabilities IT, the last farthinc
sold the beautiful country seat where Flos-
| sy had spent her childhood; established
himself in an old farm house, by the sea,
with hardly enough money to live upon.
SO for four years Mr.. Thayer and his
granddaughter had lived quietly enough il
their retreat. So far as the old gentleman
knew, Flossy had been very happy, but il
| truth she was always waiting for some won.
derful change, which was to free her from
the humdrum life in which her youth wae
passing. But it WAS nevertheless tue thai
no palace ever sheltered maiden more
royalty fair than she. And so thought some
one else as be drew near her with quick
Light footsteps. Tall and straight, with
dark, laughing eyes and mouth Swallowed
by soft mustache, Mark Norton was JUS
| ntSed TO WIN the fancy Of young, inexpe-
Senced girl.
| 90 you nave been waiting Tor me? Hap
| ~ man that l am to have won the love of
one so fair and sweet"
glow of crimson tinged the girls face
| as the eyes uplifted to meet her lovers told
| plainly what was in her heart. While the
young people eonvcrsed, Mark took Flos-
sy's hand in his and told her something
which made the tear drops quickly start.
DO not grieve, dear Flossy; shall only
be gone short time, and you know that if
1T were not necessary nothing could take me
from you. You are not afraid that absence
could alter my love? Flossy, you do not
doubt me?" She was young and unused to
the world. and it is no wonder that she
trusted Mark Norton, who, to her, was the
Hoblest and grandest of r1en. They parted.
a'ark Norton, following his physicians adj
nee, had come to the quiet country town by
the sea to regain his health, which had long
been delicate. In one of his rambles he
had met Flossy, and being shy and shrink
ing, it had been the work of long time TO
establish himself upon friendly terms with
the girl, whose beauty surpassed anything
he had ever seer. 1t was not long before,
with thrill Of vanity, Mark could see the
hold he had gained in her innocent heart.
One day in answer to his whispered Ques-
ton, Flossy acknowledged that her heart
was his, and he placed a golden band of
betrothal ::pon her slender finger.
For a while after his departure letters
from her lover came regular to Flossy; but
after while the letters came less FREQUENT
ly, al! then when three months had passed
the iooked-for letter came 1t read, oh,
how coldly! and contained his farewell: Il
am gong abroad. I shall probably be alb
Eat several years. Our Immediate mar
rage ts now, of course, an impossibility.
could not ask you nor do feel it right to
hold you through an indefinite time to yop~
isedce; therefore free YOU"
Once, twice she read the letter through.
lien, with white face and tearlese
eyes, held it to the match with steady hand
nor let 1t fall till the flame crept SO close
that it blackened the tender flesh, and the
letter lay singedsand charred under herfeet.
That day she went into her grandfathers
room and laid her head on his.
Don't talk to me grandpapa," she said
and don't ask m. any questions; but we'll
keep house alone-you and land we'll
forget that we ever intended to let any,
body else in"
The scoundrel! If you had been rich.
my child, this sorrow would not have come
upon you. But, mark my words, some
time you will have your revenge"
-Four years have swiftly passed. Seated
in room in one of the popular hotels
in New York were two young men.
Suddenly one Of them, looking out Of the
window, exclaimed: "Look, Aubrey! See
if you know who that lady is, what love-
ly woman! Dou you know herr"
II should think that I did, and think
myself honored that do. She is the belle
Of New York. and the most beautiful girl it
has ever known"
A smile curled Mark Norton's lips as he
turned from the window. "You speak
warmly, Aubrey, he said.
"You would not blame me for speaking
"Her history is o romantic one. IF Won
like. will tell it to you:
aHer nameis Miss Flossy rhayer. When
l trst knew her she was not wealthy, though
in my eyes even than her beauty surpassed
any that l had ever seen. It was not long
after you went on your travels that an uncle
OF mine, who had purchased place by the
sea, invited me to spend the summer with
him. 1t was very quiet, out Of the-way
village, and soon became acquainted with
Flossy. Not long after that the old grand
father died, and my kind aunt took the
sorrowing girl into her house. My uncle
had the papers in his possession of some
mining shares that the old gentleman hao
long deemed worthless, and which sudden.
ly rose, first to par, and then SO widely
above it as to enable Flossy to regain hel
footing in the world. As before, all that
the grandfather had had crumbled into
powder, now all that he had left was con-
eerted into gold. Miss Thayer came into
possession of the large property, which in
five years from the moment the tide in his
affairs had turned her fortune was regained
and doubled"
AS Mark Norton listened, varied ex-
pressions fitted over his face. He knew
that the maiden whose heart he had won
and cast aside for his own amusement, and
this beautiful heiress must be one and the
same. Might it not be that, if he exerted
his art of fascinating to the utmost, he
could soon regain the love he had once
held?
Aubrey" he said. 81 should like to
Met this Miss Thayer. Gould you not
manage. to present me to her?"
That night the two friends entered the
diawing-room in which brilliant party
was assembled. A little later Mark Norton
stood before. Flossy. She had never looked
more beautiful than she did then in her
creamy costume OF satin and feecy lace,
Topped with diamond stars
Miss Thayer, allow me to present to you
Mr.. Norton"