Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1888-03-14
A oooUErrE's CONQUEST.

Tnlllp DaICy CAME Dhck from Europe,
where he had been studying, and
hung out his modest little lawyers
shingle. He had very little money in
the world, but it was not long before
rich clients began to flock in and he
made handsome income.
Before he went away Philip had
been very fond OF little Mary Gordon,
and we all thought he would marry
her when he returned. Perhaps he
might have If he had not fallen under
the spell of the most adroit coquette in
town, Isabel Marwood, who soon won
him away from the old object of his
alteration.
For once this naughty beauty, who
had trampled on so many hearts, lost
her own and Tell desperately in love
with the man she had only tried to
flirt with at first.
AT last Philip Darcy made up his
mind that he would call en- Isabel and
ask her to be his wife. He had set.
tied in his mind that he loved Mary
Gordon only as a sister.
He found his divinity on the night
In question playing with pug dog in
the drawing-room-a horrid little cur
he always disliked.
She gave him one look and was
frightened. With ali her wit and ar
tifice she sought to put off the fatcful
moment, but she could not. With the
wild impetuosity of his nature when
deeply iu earnest and excited, conf
dent, too, that the blessed consumma-
ton was at hand, he caught her in
his ardent embrace, gave her one i'm
FASHIONED kiss, and then asked her to
be his wite-to bless him beyond all
blessing that man had ever known.
He was going ON with a picture of his
love, when she broke from him and
turned and faced him.
Never mind the words she spoke.
She rejected hinl-she scorned him
she wondered at his daring and at his
lselt-conceit. But he did not stop to
hear her through, The iron had en-
tered his soul; and in those first few
moments he had seen what manner oil
woman he had loved. He rushed out
into the night-it was night every.
where TO him-rushed forth as utterly
mad as ever man was. Where should
he go-what should he do to subdue
the fire that consumed him2
In other years Philip Darcy had
been beset by one evil habit-the love
Of strong drink. But he had conquered
it nobly-heroically conquered il; and
since the day on which he entered the
office OF the aged jurist who had been
his first legal tutor he had not touched
the, to him, fatal cup.
Blindly, recklessly, caring for moth
ing his life chaos, he plunged on,
and, without thought, without pre-
meditation, he turned into gorgeous.
ly furnished and brilliantly lighted
saloon, where merry, jovisl crew
were holding high wassail Towards
morning two OF his companions helped
him home. Towards noon, on the
following day, he awoke and sat up.
II was considerable time before he
could remember; but memory served
him alter time, and il all came back
to him. What was life to him nowf
The blow had been terrible.
There is no need that we should ex-
pose the sadness, the sorrow, the
dread calamity and the downward,
downward course of the next twelve
monthsl For one whole year Philip
Darcy drank fearfully. The tears and
prayers of his friends had no effect to
restrain him; no shame, no suffering,
no degradation startled him from the
road to utter ruin.
Late one evening, as Philip was
wandering the streets, not very badly
off, friend took his arm and carried
him home.
As they entered the small reception
room they heard voices in the draw
ing room beyond. One was that OF
the hostess, the other Isabel Mar
woods.
Darcy knew it in an instant, and,
having heard his own name spoken
by the lady of the house, he grasped
the arm OF his friend'an held him
still.
And in moment more he heard
Isabel Marwood speak these words
they were burned into his brain and
he could not forget them:
ayes, rejected him. And wasn't
il good thing that did soY Heavensl
what life Tor vile to live! Yet
pity him. / do certainly pity him."
Philip threw his friends arm from
him and rushed from the house, and
daylight found him walking, not the
streets, but a quiet, secluded cross
road away out in the country.
She -she-pitied him She bad been
fortunate in rejecting himl "Heavensl
what life for wife TO live!"
AS he kept repeating the words over
and over to himself q great horror of
his present life arose within him. He
resolved to be strong again, and sought
the shelter OF his friend Archie Cor.
don's house.
And thus 1t came to pass that Mary
Gordon became Philip Darcy's nurse,
for he was very ill-almost at deaths
door-as result of the course he had
pursued; and but for the tender,
watchful, tireless care of Mary he
might never have arisen from his
couch of suffering.
And now, as the couch of suffering
became a couch of blessing, he knew
which was the true love and which
the false. Before he had becomeI
strong enough 10 leave the house the
playmate of his childhood, the friend
and companion of his youth, his deep.
ly and truly beloved Mary, had prom
ised that if he lived and needed her
she would never leave him more,
Anathar thing hunnano1 xuhi 10