St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-19
A MERE NOBODY.

''You seem quite too interested in that
girl, Carlos; and she is such plain and
common sort of person, too,' Mrs. Filmer
said, querulousy
Il am sorry, mother, that you have so lit
tie liking for Ruth,'' he remarked. ''But
you will learn to be fond of her yet, 1 trust :;
she Is to be my wife. regret your disap-
pointment, and am grieved by disapproval
! certainly did not apprehend. But, all the
same, mother, shall marry Ruth. Perhaps
you will have become more reconciled when
shall return from business"
Il shall never become reconciled,'' the
mother repeated mentally as she watched
him down the street.
That pltiless resolution she some time later
recalled with pangs of the sharpest remorse.
The son from whom she had in anger that
morning parted came not home again that
night. But instead came awful tidings of
casualty and DEATH there had been an I'M
accountable explosion, and great inCom-
plete building had tumbled into its deep and
blazing foundations. Beneath the falling
walls and burning timbers was buried score
OF dead and dying and somewhere among
them Carlos Elmer was entombed.
Young Filmer was returning from his
Office, and was near the building when the
explosion occurred an official message
explained. she plunged int the deepest of
the danger to rescue a struggling workman,
and that instant the walls fell. His death
must have been in instantaneous, for no breath
ing creature could have survived thirty sec
onds in the place where he has perished.n &.
The message cropped from her weak, cold
fingers, and she crouched, sobbing, in a cor
ner of her elegant sofa; and just then pale
and pretty girl came into the room and went
timidly to her side.
Dear Mrs. Filmer," she began, with d.
vinest sympathy in her sorrowful young
eyes, 81 loved MIN too; and for the sake of
him whom we both loved, shall we not each
comfort the otherl May l not be to you a
daughter indeed! / too, am alone in the
world since he whom We both loved is gone
have never valued my wealth before,n she
continued coaxingiy, quite unconscious that
she was disclosing something that had never
been surmised by her lover, and certainly
not by the ambitious woman to whom her
presumed poverty had been so Objectionable
but l am grateful now for riches; l am
grateful because can give the mother of my
darling the most honored place in my home.
Dear Mrs. Filmer entreat me not to leave
you.
Mrs. Filmer made no response. She
vaguely wondered how she could have blum
dered so unaccountably, or how such an en-
viable possession of riches could have been
so strangely concealed or undervalued by
any sane and intelligent young lady.
And while she still remained silent, the
door opened and upon the threshold APP
peared stalwart young man, his garments
disordered, a bandage about his handsome
forehead, and bandaged arm hanging use
lessly across his breast.
He whom they had mourn ed had returned
to them again. With a wan and anxious
smile upon his jaded countenance, he moved
weakly across the room and clasped his one
uninjured arm about the two who loved him
''You have been needlessly alarmed" he
said, with an attempt at the careless and
CHEEKY. 81 have come back to you rather
bruised and battered, but am safe never
theless as you will Observer
And while Ruth clung to him with happy
tears and shy carresses, Mrs Filmer regard
ed them with dignified approval that was
rather puzzling to the young man. He had
yet to learn that the mere nobody had been
transformed to person of consequence in
the sight of his naughty mother.
''She is superior girl of good family, and
she is surprisingly rich" the mother said af-
terward. "But l shall never understand
why she allowed us all to believe her penny
less.n
II never had any liking for display, ''sweet
Ruth once said to her husband; ''and alb
hor the sycophancy and incincerity that sur
round the rich. enjoy best an indepeud-
ent quietude in a neighborhood where no
one was aware of my wealth.
''You certainly have the satisfaction of
knowing that you were loved for your own
sweet SELF" her husband answered with a
happy laugh.