The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-12-06
SELMA DICKERseN's FOLLY.


the scenes of tha past were called mp in
review, she covered her eyes with her
hands and sighed audibly. She was
thinking. Of her folly twenty years ago
when Farmer Jones came wooing. As
the memory Of HE generous face re,
minded her of what might have been, it
heart cried out for companionship and
comfort.
Listen! She is talking softly to herself.
"What fool was! To think of my be-
ing fiattered into the hope that ,'the
marry me! And yet." her eyes flashing,
II am as good. yes. better than he!
Jerry Jones knew to be honest in his
love for me. I knew he wanted me for q
wife and companion rather than q slave
and household drudge. knew he would
be kind, ccnsiderate and loyal, while the
squire might prove exaoting, dictatorial,
and even untrue. Oh, it was that board.
ing school education, or rather lack of
education, that was to blame! Ny head
vas filed with false notions of life. I
had never been shown the value of
real worth. My ambition for
wealth and the position which
il brings Was fostered, while my aspira.
tons toward the good and real were
crushed and kept down by my associa-
tons and surroundings. My mother was
poor, but vain and proud. She lived
upon the surface, striving to grasp the
baubles and glitter of life. All my young
DAYS, which should have been 80 full of
innocence, were made up in lessons in
worldly vanity. From my earliest recol-
lection my mothers aim was to gain for
me an alliance with some wealthy fam
ily. zee it all now. I was not 80 much
to blame after all, and yet how could
have been 80 blind and foolish?"
After Q silence of some minutes, with
her hand pressrd to her heart, as if to
still it, wild beating, she murmured. I'm
the white house over there, silence
roigns, for Theresa Jones is dead. Did
abe love him as have loved him all
these years? HsA she been to him
what might have been had it not been
for nv pri lie? Was his heart filed?
Does he bend over her dead form and
| kiss her white lips % in deep sorrow IS
| he would If I we're in her place? The
| world calls me hard and cynical, says I
| am intellectual and cold; that all I care
| for 10 to place the ballot in the hands of
my own sex that we may rule the world!
| How little am understood If the world
knew that all these years have loved,
hid hopelessly; that my heart yearned
howard every little child from whom 1
lave turned almoet harshly to hide my
uue self; if it was known that my close
study Of social life, - represented in
natrimony, has been prompted by the
earnest desire to help other women to
svoid the rocks upon which my ship of
happiness was wrecked; il people knew
that beneath my cold exterioe-"
Approaching footsteps reused Miss
Dickerson from her soliloQuy. Farmer
Jooes vas startled to see the tears which
9elma tried to hide. Extending his
hand, he said with emotion:
II am sorry to find you in trouble too.
Has any thing happened?"
mo, mo-" abe answered, II was only
Milking"
''Does thinking have this effect upon
vou?"
The emphasis upon his words showed
10 plainly that he, too, had the opinion
Z other people - 10 the Ainty nature Of
Giss Dickerson's heart. He continued.
p have come 10 AK favor. You know
Dosssa il dead. / have no near friend to
~ and look after things, or even TO be
IA 20 my motherless girls. I thought
GEhaps"-
1iaing abruptly. Miss Dicksrson said.
4 Will come in An hour" and hurried
- Ne house. leaving her friend CRATE
y ~ pssplexsd.
h Farmer Jones' homo 0iss Dieker-
= - truly IN angel in disguise. By
uoos the little girls lsaxned 10 love
=. A. tine wore on, their father BE-
- silent asd Thoughtful, even absent
1n1od. n Ne early days d his grief
~ boon fsnnk md epGa h his man
= 1Dwns1 os1na. A ckan0 w. eon-
ovus Hin which svsa tks children
~. and oonnaatsd upea - dear
90 Diskerson." Peot 0slnal She
- ~ crisis Was appiooehi1g. the
~ vAoo - Dust l6avo tAis lonely
- - ehilaEon whon - I'D cared
= too1eely. Ghs soaA 10 lsngsr
- - lnlGo life Which she vs. COM
- . -. llisjudssd BY Ill the
= ~ bittes1sss Indeed 10 be
1fnsd ~ Hin. And ~ shs bad
$3.50 aifGone1ioa thAS in hse LIE
uEy lnoo1inaas che had beoa able
- uany vonsn fsst - theasht
- - - soDps toward ~ ffss
- - hnupfnos d true ve0Anhood;
- ~ tsso iastRunsntal b quail
w. 10y young nothsn 10 tram
$500 pros,sely; that even yoang
go = ~ fog edviee, and that
go - oommandod IL rospoet
- Unank& - hnr onQD. peno8tco1