Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-09-10
IucHt MARvIN's DEFEAT.
ny DWIGHT WELDON.


-, hear that, Mr.. Arlington?"
s snsaker was Blanche Marvin, a
, sp brunette, and her elegant dress
o !u.ocratic bearing generally accorded
1ncely with her surroundings.
~ aI side stood man whose hand
'e aornest face won her. admiring
arsry time she looked at it.
TODD in an untenanted room in a
a broken down tenement house, the
s,;ne retiectively out at the wilder
s1 roofs and chimneys before them,
IMAM listening intently to the soft,
!. me notes of a song, which echoed from
lllvay without,
lara harmony impressed the man at
Ia aroused himself from his reverie
atad at his beautiful companion in
w wcrd was exchanged until the last
e tbe song was completed. Whoever
roer was, her voice was one of mar
scope and sweetness, and mutual
t;ation showed in the rapt faces of
10 listeners.
|,rire Arlington's usually calm fea-
WORE an expression of curiosity and
n as he started to leave the room.
lis is another SURPRISE" he said. I'VE
Fel TO find the tenements here a model
for the poor, instead of which they
nile of struggling, ill-kept barracks.
when we pause to reflect over the
1 and poverty around us, voice as
Is as that of cantatrice startles us.
Miss Marvin, I must know the pos
+ of that voice"
Arlington's companion frowned
liz. The voice belonged to a woman,
he was naturally jealous.
si,les. she did not like Arlington's deep
st in the beggarly tenants of the house;
Incted his attention from herself, an
lion she was exerting all her siren
,iles to secure.
Tas strange combination of circum-
es that had brought these two togeth-
ID TO the block of dilapidated tene-
! known as Rossiter Row.
o months previous Maurice Arlington
poor and struggling artist in New
City, living on the bare pittance his
.ion afforded him, and the beautiful
che Marvin was secretary to q parsi-
Gus old money lender named James
Tier.
hes Rossiter died. In his will he be-
(hed to his nephew, whom he had
seen, his entire fortune. It was o
ise to Maurice Arlington, and q source
eat Disappointment to numerous dis
relatives Of the dead n User.
Arlington had come into his for
lie had found Miss Marvin in charge
g little Office where his uncle had
cted his business, and had learned
or years she had kept his accounts as
icient and reliable employee.
was the sole support of an invalid
r, and he was interested in her from
st.
i shall retain your position, if you
!" he had told her. "The numerous
ent leases demand some clerical. SUI
ion, and you seem to thoroughly I'M
nd them"
now he was visiting his property,
as amazed at the misery and wretch
5 of the habitations from which his
had made his immense fortune.
reilly he resolved to better the condi-
+ his tenantry, and it was of this he
linking when the incident which opens
ory occurred.
5 Marvin had accompanied him in
isit to the tenements, and they had
I'd the gaHet floor of the house in
tour of inspection, when, from some
near by, there issued the song al
to.
as plaintive, tender love melody,
ven Blanche Marvin, her mind filled
scheming thoughts concerning her
~ employer, was momentarily en-
followed Arlington to the hall, and
to the open door Of an apartment
y.
re she paused, for Arlington had
and stood surveying homely but
ING picture within the room.
apartment was meanly furnished,
showed evidences of extreme poverty.
Id two inmates, an old man half re-
6 on a couch, and beautiful girl just
ing into womanhood.
IN her the attention of Arlington was
ed. Her perfect face and full, ex-
we eyes looked down tenderly upon
whose aged features were
md emaciated and careworn.
held in her hand the manuscript
OF the song she had been singing.
Their she nor her companion noticed
lent watchers at the threshold.
III it do, cara mia?" the old man was
b, my father, it is beautiful"
Old man sighed despairingly.
our lovely voice makes it SO, then"
o, no. 1t is the very soul of express
the melody and words"
hen why does not the stage- manager
me q hearing? All. Inez! the years
seting, the dream of my life is broken.
NJ never live to see the one labor OF
zlstence bringing joy to those who
lusic."
nche Marvin's dusky lips trembled
suppressed passion as she noticed by
tons face that he was deeply af-
y US go" she said, almost harshly.
hout another word Arlington left the
and descended to the ground floor.
ne weeks that ensued Blanche Marvin
the incident of the beautiful singer
events of the days as they passed by.
attended to the routine of her bust
asks as methodically as ever, but hel
was ever fixed on the man she had
"a TO love, Maurice Arlington.
hoped to allure him by her beauty
,elleyed she would yet be his wife
y !, day she sought to become more
'ie to and more esteemed by him.
scarcely noticed her. His mind
u OF naturally melancholy cast, and
eSoted most Of his time to art, to
!; ana to making plans to better the
''o q of his tenantry.
4ld not know also that he very often
u hosslter's Row. She supposed he
oleotten the song and the singer Of
" OF their mutual visit to the tene.
Dicfnro ~ Al. ~ o1c