The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-11-05
THE TEST OF LOVE.

Il AIS M IN ~
.Oh, l think falling in love is mere
matter of convenience, matter that
can be perfectly well controlled as the
parties concerned desire"
Mabel's clear blue eyes clOuded over
as she earnestly listened to her cousin
A"nes's words, and said with tremOr
i'm her voice:
Then there is no such thing as fall
ing in love at all? DO you truly believe
l can love any one choose. that need
not love one do not chooseP"
Agnes Hoyd's clear, sensible eyes
looked tendcrly and firmly into those of
her sweet little cousin.
Nov, Mabel Stearns. you have crack
ell the ice of your reserve and am 60
ing to break it. know perfectly well
that Frank Gauss is in love with you;
know you are in love with him; know,
too. that you both know this, or should
not have spoken. Of course. do not
approve of the match at all. do not
think you in your reason approve of it,
and want you to assert that reason
and lay the whole matter aside. l do
truly believe just what have said
that there is no sense in falling in love.
am &c years old and have not fallen
in love. have not chosen to-"
agnes lloyd. stop! will not hear
you talk so! You started by asking me
to tell you the whole story, and will
finish by doing il. l do love Frank
Gauss-Oh, l love him with all my
heart and soulr'
"IIe hasn't cent in the world, and
if man is ever going to have anything
he ought to nave made fair beginning
at his age. Let him go, and marry
some richer man, and be a happier wO-
man."
agnes. l am ashamed of you-or
should be if did not feel sure you are
30 much better than you admit. Come,
it is time to dress for Mrs. Towns din
ner. What do you wear?'
Mabel showed a determination in thus
ending the conversation that surprised
Agnes. Rising from the coy iireside
where they had been sitting, she went
to. the wardrobe and took out a hand
some silk, saying as she laid il on the
bed:
Never! | shall never fall in love
until have deliberately made up my
mind. | am going to wear my garnet;
l suppose you wear blue. Who are to
be therep"
"Only small party, two gentlemen
from New York and lady from Boston.
with a lion or two, l suppose. l think
Mrs. Towns lions are cubs; however.
they serve the purpose"
An hour later, a gay party of ten
were seated i'm the handsomely appoint
ed dining-room. at a table atfording
every delicacy. presided over by Mr..
and Mrs. Town.
Agnes looked regal and was appear
ing her very best. talking i'm most in
terested manner to Mr.. Young. her
neighbOr, one of the strange gentlemen
from New York. Mr.. LandOn, the other
stranger. sitting on her right, gradually
fell into the conversation, rs Mabel
seemed strangely fascinated by GER
tain MIR. Gauss, who sat next her Oh the
other side. AS Frank escorted them to
their carriage she whispered. gayly:
'.It's all right. Rememberr'
The next morning characteristic
note, received from Mrs. Town, ran
thus:
MY DEAR GIRLS: Such a conquest as
you made last evening 1t takes my breath
away to think of it. l really feel ought
the worst. Both of my charming guests
captivated i'm one eyenirgl suppose you
know Mr.. LandOn is nothing more than Il
millionaire, and Paul Young nothing less
than poor young lawyer, with nothing be-
hind him and all the world before him.
A few weeks after Mrs. Towns dinner
the girls attended gay party in an ex-
cursion up the river; dinner ut subur-
ban hotel. Mr.. Landon was persistent
enough in his attentions to keep MIR.
Young at distance most of the time
up to the hour of dinner, after which he
proposed a walk to some pretty rocks,
and would not be put off by Agncs's
plea that she was too tired. ''Miss
lloyd" said Landon, impulsivcly. 'lct-
tiers received yesterday oblige me to
start for New York tomorrow, and from
there sail for Europe in August on a
prolonged business trip. beg you will
not let me leave without word of hope
that may come back for you before
sail. Dear Miss Agnes, say anything
that will give me hope"
"Mr. LandOr stop! never meant
it should come to this, indeed | didn't!
l have flrted with you until l am
ashamed of myself. have tried my
very best to live up TO my favorite
theory and love the man whom fortune
told me might marry, but cannot,
oh, cannot! Don't tempt me furlher!
Agnes entirely lost her self-cOntrol,
and her bailled lover looked in despair,
offered his arm. and silently escorted
her back TO the house.
When at last she and her friend were
safely i'm their room she threw herself
on the floor at Mabel's feet and poured
forth the whole story, closing with:
.My miserable theory has been the
ruin of me! What shall do?"
Mabel was little puzzled at the de-
spairing wall, and said:
"My dear, don't. don't feel SO badly!
This is not SO serious; this is not the
matter of lifetime"
.'Oh, but it is, it is! l was so obsti-
nate in my idea. ] snubbed Paul
Young because wanted to marry
money; have told him to 90. never
can forgive myself! What shall do?"
But what could be done? No practi-
cal plan presented itself. Paul had re-
turned to New York with his friend.
Mrs. Town had gone to the seashore.
Agnes and Mabel were arranging for
an "outing" i'm the mountains. An
"ouling" both needed. Agnes seemed
to have lost all serenity and elasticity.
Mabel, too. had not seemed quite the
same since that dreadful evening.
At the close of busy day of prepare.
ton, they were seated on the porch
when the postman handed Agnes two
letters.
"Only some invitation and a drop