Daily Republican., 1885-10-09
"A W0kAA'S LOVE-"

can't imagine, Rstelle, how you 1
came TO be so decidedly plain beauty 4
Is rather characteristic Of our family"
here Marc Darcy glanced with a sAtis- '
ded air At his handsome face reflected
in an opposite mirror, while = slight Z
fush arose to the dark, almost swarthy (
cheek of n young girl seated Wis Avis G
10 hin, and the delicately-shaped hands {
trembied slightly ~ they sought to
continue the work they we're occupied q,
with. |,
I believe you favor your father ?" +,
continued the gentleman. II
Yes. am like my father. He was
not handsome, but so noble, 80 good.
WAS so proud of him. never thought /
about his looks. I am sorry, more for
your sake than mine, that am not
beautiful Your wife should be, but
Marc" with q quick. impulsive
movement the young girl kDelt down
beside her betrothed and laid her lips
care@singly to his hand, adding:
=" You will not love me the less You,
who are no handsome, who could have
chosen from 80 many, yet asked me TO
be your wife. Yen are all the world to
me, Marc. No one could love you more
than l."
With rather an uneasy laugh Marc |
Darcy, placing his arm about his com |
psnion, replied
Tears, Estelle / Why what has
come over you? Itjust happened to
strike me that 1t was rather strange you
were not ~ beautiful rs the rest Of the
women of our family but then you
have some redeemiDg points. Pretty
ley es and good Ueeth-no small Item
toward good locks, l can assure you, my
Idear"
A pleased look crossed Estelle's face
at the last words of her intended, and
Itwiuing both her arms about his neck,
she said
"And you don't mind It no much II 1
lam plain You will always love me-"
"Of course SHALL" came the reply.
as Marc kissed her lightly on the fore
head, adding, half lAughiBgly
Perhaps, Estelle, | shall put your
Hove to the test, some day. VIII 1t fall
me l wonder ?"
Raising her head from its resting
place upon Mares shoulder, Estelle's
eyes sought his.
There was q strange iatensity In their
dark depths a. she answered. slowly, As
? if weighing each word.
81 do not think you quite under.
) alta d me, or my love for you, Marc. IL
is as the breath Of my life yet II ever 1
} came TO believe that 1t WAS for your
. Happiness for me to give you up,
would do 30 Mt any cost TO myself"
Before Marc could reply Estelle had
lpassed quickly from the room.
With q shrug OF his shoulders, he Sc
lected cigarette from handsomely
, | en- broidered care, thinking;
!. "What q strange girl E.telle Is. She
q Is ripht. l don't believe l do under
/, stand her; poor little thing; how
earnest she is. ! should not have
E Ispoken about her plainness; but there
o lis is; there ia no denying IL. However,
!. As she Is TO be my wife, l suppose
shall have TO make the best OF 1t III
J lbuy her the handsomest bracelet l can
5, fnc for Ceace Offering.
l. Marc Darcy WAS an only son. Hand
some as an Adonis, with n fascinatiuf
r manner, which. when he chose To sxer
Il cise 1t, few could resist. Mrs. Darcy
had been left q widow with consider
able property, but her sons ex travagan
Z drains upon her purse bad greatly re
H. duced her income.
ls Marc was not by any means bat
i fellow, timply selfishly indulgen
J. toward himself. Estelle Merton wa
20 the daughter of cousin of Mrs
Darcy's. On the death of her father
, which occurred about eighteen month
taken up her abode az Sunryside, tn
home OF Mrs Darcy. Aunt Margaret
Y as Estelle always called her. was he
% only relative, and had made the orpha
- girl very welcome, being kind hearte'
Y. woman, although somewhat narrow
'23 minded, with but one engrossing idea
her son.
nj Estelie had been an inmate OF Mr.,
"a. Darcy's hone only few weeks Defor
the thought came 70 the widow. no,
-, lnics IL would lie If Marc and Estell
\. ishould fall iu love with each othe
I Mares deb's were pressing heavily upo
: her Estelle coul Id 80 easily pay theI
IN off out OF her large fortune for she wa
an heirees. AS Estelle's husband Marc
:. future would be provided for. and whe
-, her time came she would die feelin & 81
II. had done well by her boy.
I'd Estelie was q passionate sdmirer
beauty, and, almost ere she was COZ
= scious Of 1t, she loved Marc with b,
~ whole soul, and Marc, a. his mother
- stigatious, had careleesly drifted I'M
oco the situation OF Rstelle's lover.
ks OF too noble a nature TO 400 aught b'
SIS the GOOD In others, Estello ev'
OF. dream cd that 1t might be her mono.
land not herself, that had Induced Ma
.jt to choose her for his wife. Some fo
Atweeks after the opening OF our stoI
red found Mrs. Darcy and Eetelle seated
roe breakfast, Marc had run mp to town 4
~ III q day or two. AS Estoie returned
: letter she had just been reading to
-. nvelope, Mrs Darcy rem Srked :" Fro
- lyour friend, is 10 not, dear? Does 81
l say when we may expect her
u Yes, she writes We may look Tor h
Tomorrow by the 10 train. Oh, Aun
think how sad 1t Is for her, lefs alone
= youug; only seventeen aud obliged
I earn her own living. AIN so isd y
lare willing l sbou id ask her here fol
few weeks. She In so bright and pref,
cannot imagine 1ne1 being sorro~f
I've will try and make 1t very please
flor her, won't we Aunt
"Of course, my dear, answered M
darcy. Il always wish 10 make
en- quests happy aud comfortable, n
thus the subject WAS dismissed
n the time.
TIL, The following week Marc arrived o
afternoon at home. Ia his carel'
manner he had omitted to send word
his return, consequently Mrs. D.r
ny land Es.elle were out, returning ca.
inI Learning this from one OF she n
md wants, Marc made his way to tho W
. y, Idrawipa room, the cosie1t room In
n house. Opening tho door, he SO
ira SSH xed upon the threshold. A you
~ Isirl was reclining, fast asleep, on
a. bear skin rug before the glowing Il
= tOue iimpled arm, bare to the eloo
WA thrown csseleAsly shave her hos
while one tiny hand ressed under