The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-11-05
GOLDEN FETTERS.


Cath crime Warfeld walked slowly down the
orchard path, thinking. The wind from the
valley came up the hill. bringing TO her
sweet scents OF late blossoming clover from
the meadow by the river. Now and then an
apple dropped from the branches of the
gnarled old trees about her, and fell into the
crisp, brown grass, burned by the september
heat until all its freshness had departed as IL
frost had touched il, and n bluebird sang
piaintively overhead, as IL Borrowing for
summers going. But II was not of these
things she thought.
"If l only knew what to do" she said to
herself, as she went slowly down the lane.
cit is so hard to choose between the man /
love. who Is poor, and the man do not love,
Who is rich. hut the choice must be made,
and must make IL now. IL could only see
into the future a little-if l could know
which life would give me most happinessy''
All her life she had been used TO luxury.
Her father supported his family in a style
out OF all proportion to his income, and
nothing had been laid by. Therefore, when
she married. the man of her choice must
have wealth 1T she cared 10 20 on in fashion
abe life.
s.John Marsh is rch," she said, thinking
Of the man her father wanted her to marry,
but the thought did not bring a pleased look
into her ace. 1t brought her vision of an
cid, gray-headed man for whom she could
have nothing but respect, and perhaps but
little OF that; so little, in fact, that IL might
not last long after she became the old man 8
wife. HE is rich, and can give me all that
wealth can buy. Robert Moore has nothing
but his brain and his hands, and great love
fer me. Who knows? That love might be
more TO me than wealth and position. Love!
1t tempts melt makes me wavering and
weak. IL Robert Moore could only have John
Narsh's money, how soon, how easily my
CHOICE could be made. Things are never as
they ought to be In this world"
The handsome face took on a vexed look.
She felt angry with Fate Why couldn't she
have the man she loved, and the money Of
che man she did not love?
She heard IA blithe whistle down the lane
and the sound of ii brought br ghter glow
to her face than the exercise OF walking had
given it. 1t made her heart beat trihe
faster.
..why, oh, why, must / give up this great
happinessi" she cried. thinking of what her
lie would lose when Robert Moore was shut
out OF it. That question. asked of herself,
showed her the truth. She knew that she had
deliberately made up her mind to turn her
back on love and sell herself for gold, though
she had hardly admitted IL as yet. Perhaps
she had known all along what her final de.
-cision would be; but like most OF us, she had
liked TO keep unpleasant truths as far i'm the
background as possible.
.'Good morning" called out n pleasant
voice, and n young man sprang over the or
chard wall and joined her.
She made room for the visitor in the
broad path, but she was silent for some
tame. The sight OF Robert Moores bright
face made her weaker than ever. 1t set
her heart TO clamoring for that which she
had resolved to deny il. aud it seemed TO her
tina. a word would have betrayed her.
''Perhaps ! am intrudng," he said pres
emily. III wouldn't have come If thought /
was disturbing you"
~ am glad you did come she said. at last
81 wanted TO say something 10 you that
might better be said now than by and by.
Perhaps i ough to have said il long ago."
He looked at her questioningly. He saw
that her face was grave. Her eyes had "A
panied look in them. The words had caused
her a great effort. But she had decided to
put an end TO everything between them, at
once and forever. There was no use in
daIlying with the matter. The sooner she
told him the truth the better it would be for
both OF them.
''Sit down." she said, when they came to
little knoll at the end of the lane 1--WE
can have our talk out here without any
ones disturbing u.s.
He sat down, looking up at her in per-
picked way. He had never seen her in this
mood before.
She broke branch of golden-rod from
the bush that leaned over the old wall, and
tore the yellow blossoms slowly apart. She
knew what she wanted to say, but hardly
how TO say II.
81 think shall go back to the city In a
day or two," she said at last. She did
not look at him once, but kept her
eyes on the purple hills and thought,
with a swift, keen pain, of what life might
hold for her if this man could 70 through it
at her side. Now that she had decided to-
speak the cruel words of doom, the happi-
ness she was rejecting seemed dearer
sweetcr-more worth having than ever be-
fore.
II knew you would be going soon," he
said. .sBut'-and his face lighted up with
pleasant anticipation-'T shall see you be-
fore long. | shall spend the winter in the
city. / have often thought of taking this
step. but since have known you have de-
@ded TO go, for ii will keep me near you, and
here will he an incentive to work that
have never felt before Do you think
Would stay here contentedly after you are
She did not answer; It seemed to her that
she could not. He would be near her. she
would see him often, perhaps. There was a
dangerous pleasure i'm the thought. But 1t
must not be. He must be made TO under
stand that henceforth their ways lay apart.
''There is something have wanted TO tell
you i'm words that ] think you understand
plainly enough already" he said. 81 may
as well tell it nowhere is no use in waiting
DO you guess what 1t is have TO say
His oice was low and full of an eager
tenderness that thrilled her like music. She
knew what he had to tell, and she was not
womanly enough TO prevent his telling IL.
though she knew what her answer would be.
IL would be pleasant TO hear him say. ~
love you" She was cruel enough TO let him
sdy 1t.
al lovo you. ] ask you TO be my wife by
and by. Our stations i'm life are different.
and the preiudccs of society might lead
come TO say l was presuming, but to my
mind no.honest man presumes too much who
doves woman and asks her TO share his lot
~ she loves him. Love makes all equal.
Birth or love have nothing TO do with It..
Since love you, and, as believe, you love
me- put all false delicacy, all Difference 10
the opinions of others, entirely out of the
question, and ask you TO be my wife. Not
now not till l have proved 10 you that !
mean TO do something for your sake, that
shall give me a rank among men that shall
be counted better than the possession of
weaith. I can work hard when feel the
incentive OF love urging me on. / can
wait TIL you are willing TO come to me, II
only you bid me do so
She listened with averted face. What =
tumult his words made In her heart They
made her weak again. After all, was wealth
and position worth as much as this man $
lover IN she gave IL up for them, would she
never regret her choiceY She could
not deny that she had encouraged him
Co believe that she loved him. She
did love him. She had known that long ago;
hfd known too, that 1t was her duty TO put
an end 20 the intimacy between them while
N was possible TO do IL. and save this mans
heart the cruclcst pain it had ever felt. But
ebc had found 10 pleasanter to drift with the
Hde and dream than 10 be n true woman.
Though she loved him she had thought more