The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-12
HER FACE OR HER FORTUNE.

HER FACE OR HER FORTUNE.
Now and then girl becomes an ac-
tual belle. Ella Lowe was actually a
belle She was very handsome and the
only child of Il millionaire She dress
ed perfectly, and had every possible ac-
complishment.
| When she entered room she some
how threw all the other girls into sha-
dow. A crowd gathered about her
chair, and recognized beauties pouted
in Indignation at their neglect.
| Whether she would have been SO much
admired had she not been an heiress, il
| would have been hard to say; but she
| had had, ON an average, twenty offers of
marriage since she ''came out. and had
not yet accepted any one as her chosen
| husband, though she was three-and-
| twenty. Perhaps the pleasure she took
in her bellehood was too great
At last. however, almost on her TWEEN
| ty-fourth birthday, she met Mr.. Evan
| Plantaganct, young exquisite of the
aesthetic type and urged on by his moth
er and all his many sisters, engaged
herself to. him with her fathers con
sent.
When she did this. one young heart
ached sorcly that of her faraway cousin
RoderickBlair, a physician new-fledged,
who lived with his mother in pretty
country town in Devonshire. He paled
and MOped. and his mother knew well
what troubled him.
why did you never speak to Ella"
she said. How do You know she could
not have liked you?'
she was too rich mother" said Rod
eric!l oloomily. Il could not seem tC
be a fortune-hunter. would not owe
50 much To 4 wife
Not if she loved you?' asked the
mother.
But the son would have no more talk
about the matter The girl never could
have been his. He himself did not UNI
derstand why he should feel more I'M
happy than before Perhaps il was be
cause, rs his mother said. he did moi
know but that she might have LIKED
him.
And Mr. Evan Plantaganct exhibited
his prize in public and his mother ant
sisters boosted OF his engagement to the
daughter of Mr.. Lowe. the Well-knowI
millionaire
Suddenly there came crash; a start
ing piece of news petrificd the fashion
able world. 1t was uttered by every
tongue, and published in every news
paper.
The millionaire Lowe had embarked |
in speculation, and his millions were |
gone.
The great house was closed. MIR. |
Lowe and his daughter went to live or |
an upper floor, in a plain street. and the |
mother of Evan Plantaganet declared |
herself shocked ri the old man 5 decep- |
ton, In fact. the young man himself |
WAS Mortified at the situation OF his pros |
Il p! Il /
Ell out sundry reproaches, was offered |
his freedom, which he took ut once.
Ella was free, and poor. ROderck |
Blair, in his country home, heard the |
news. A few hours afterwards he was at |
Mr.. loves door
He found Ella as bright as ever; in |
fact she had long since grown weary OF |
Plantaganet and his affections. She |
wore pretty dress and smiled and |
chatted gaily. The humble rooms were |
pleasant and well-arranged. Never |
had Roderick passed pleasanter even
inc He returned home full of hope |
and happiness.
But though he felt himself honored by |
the privilege of visiting in that humble |
abode, most of Elias admirers, and all
her fashionable lady friends, but three,
gradually dropped her. She was no
longer belle.
When she accepted an invitation she
found herself treated like other girls
The lesson was salutary. 1t her vanity
was hurt. her good SENSE was improv-
ed.
One pleasant winter day she accepted
the hand of Roderick Blair. 1t might
be long engagement, for both were
poor, but they trusted each other.
Meanwhile Mrs. Blair was delighted.
She came down often and brought all
the village news. Amongst other things
a description of the splendid new house
a rich man, whose name she did not
know, was building on the very next
piece of land to that on which her own
brown cottage stood.
1t was a marvel of perfection, thor
oughly well appointed in every way and
it was now being furnished from roof to
basement in the most elegant manner.
The furnishing did not come at first, of
course. Indeed, it took six months to
arrive at that point And a stained
glass window in the hall, and conser-
yatory thoroughly stocked, brought the
Did lady down on special visit.
Mr. Lowe was always interested In her .
account of the place.
Il should like TO see it, he said Il
will come up with Ella next Monday,
md, no doubt, L may get permission to
20 through it with you
Delightful said Mrs Blair. Il
adore handsome houses.
Ella smiled; and the result was that
he following Monday, MI. Lowe, hearty
ind happy as in his palmiest days. OF
ered his arm to Mrs. Blair, and leaving
he young people to follow, escorted her
rom her own quiet home to the elegant
lew mansion,
Theman who was-earefully pollsnlng
he stone porch opened the door Tor MN
Ind all four entered.
Certainly handsomer andyet more
lome-like house, could not have been I
ound in all England
Mrs. Blair was in raptures.
Roderick, looking down at Ella, said:
..My dear, wish could give you
uch a home;'' and she answered: |