Wichita eagle., 1888-09-23

stephen, 10 SluceTety nope anu prd.
that nothing may occur TO mar your pros
poets, for l should certainly consider rupt
ure at this stage calamity of the most la
mentable kind. Dear old fellow, here yol
are full five and thirty
''Not quite"
''Well, you lack not more than tire
months and two days But seriously, Steve
l am more anxious than you think. / wan
you to have home and TO be settled down il
1t; and, moreover, l want you to secure tn
priceless woman whose love you have won
What man you might be with an aim il
life above yourself
So spoke Dadnun Carter to his frient
Stephen Langdon.
Dadmun had been married almost fifteer
years and had a happy lamily beneath hi
roof tree, while Stephen had wandered alone
though not without such friends as the fres
hearted, careless posseSSor of wealth mus
ever find
Several reasons had thus far held Stepher
aloof from matrimony. First, he was by ma
| ture difiident and cowardly in female society
second, the class of women with whom it haC
been his fortune to be thrown in contact haC
not been of character to command his re
spect; and, third, he knew that many fail
and scheming damsels had aimed to capture
him only that they might enjoy his wealth
for, be it known, he was wealthy Though
he had for years lived at the top of his bent
he had not spent his income.
The massive principal lay intact, just as his
! father had left it.
But at length Stephen Langdon had found
woman whom he not only loved, but who,
he believed, loved him in return
Laura Dempsey was her name; an orphan,
q years of age, heathful, cheerful, happy,
beautiful and good.
Since the death of her father, who had
been one of Stephens warmest friends, she had
been engaged as teacher of music and draw
ing in one of the select schools; and the true
feminine graces and virtues were all her
own
To be sure, Stephen was the elder by thir-
teen years, but still he believed she really
loved him, as he loved her
He felt that he could take her to his heart
and hold her there, safe and true-beloved
always-while life should last.
Only" be sometimes asked himself, twill
she love me the same! When my hair be-
comes cry, will she love me as nowl And
Is it Steve she loves, or his bank account.
Does she think most OF resting her head upon
this faithful bosom, or in whcediing this
hand of mine to sign her checks2"
Poor mani Had he loved Laura Dempsey
less he might not have suffered, but his very
hestrt-his life-was bound up in her, and it
would have made him utterly miserable to
know that she could speak his name without
warm and generous emotion.
'Ay, Stephen, what man you might be,
with an aim in life above yourself, said Dad
mum. And where will you find"-
Hush! know all you would say. Bless
her dear heart She is an angel, and would
bring very demon to the foot of the cross
| believe; but | don't want her to try. l
have made up my mind, OLD fellow | know
she will be my wife when | say, for have
meanly drawn that admission from her
without committing myself. My only won
der ls-and that initiates something against
her care and judgment-how she came to set
her heart upon a man SO much her senior,
and, above all else, man whose life has
been SO lightly and loosely spent as has
mine"
stephen, you do not pretend that You are
ignorant in that direction. All, don't play
the hypocrite."
"Hypocrite! What do you mean!'
'Why, Steve, | mean this: You knowwhy
and how the heart of that girl, with all its
wealth Of faith love and devotion, was drawn
to you. Don't shake your head. Listen. If
ever human being worshiped any earthly
thing, Laura Dempsey worshiped her
father"
"Ay," cried Langdon, with enthusiasm,
''she had reason. Dear old Dempsey loved
that man as though he had been my own
brother
'Ah, Stephen, you have answered your
own proposition. Don't you suppose, don't
you know that Tom Dempsey loved you in
return, and didn't Laura know all about it.
Do You not know how the father pictured
you to his daughter9 And then, Stephen,
when you came to open your purse to that
man as You did-so kindly and so quietly
lifting him and his loved ones from absolute
suffering into comfort and peace; do you not
know how the daughters tender, generous
heart must have gone out to you in graft
tude. And, Stephen, you stultify yourself
when you pretend to wonder what girl can
find to admire and esteem in your manli-
ness"
Say no more, Dadmun If you knew
how l loved that girl 1 think you would
tremble for me. But shall not let more
time slip-ah, whom have we herea That
Stark woman, upon my life"
Matilda Stark
"Yes. She has come to get my subscrip-
ton in behalf Of her Cosmopolitan, Inter |
Universally Embracing Allevia- |
tion society"
Then III take myself off can't endure /
that woman"
Dadnun Carter left by one door, and Miss .
Matilda Stark. q lady who had refused to
grow old through many years, entered by
another
Miss Stark had gained Mr.. Langdon's sub /
scription to her new enterprise, and then she .
in a very adroit and seemingly f.
sympathetic manner, to introduce the name
If Laura Dempsey.
NJver mind all she said
\ bewilderins torrent of whiu1per;ng,
nincing, winking and blinking preceded her
main subject. Finally she discharged the
1roadside at point blank range.
She had arrived al the important climax
~ carefully regulated sradations
"Ah, me! this is a strange world, Mr.
stephen But think you ought to know i'll
.on't ike 70 tattle-I viii not tattle. But it
5 my duty to tell you this, l heard Laura
Dempsey say-she said in my hearing, and
ioubt not it was meant for my ears. heard
Ter say these words Said she, In speaking
Il you, when some one had laushinsly joked
Ter about becoming the wife of Stephen
Ansdon-said she, ii direct Response to ths
allIng Of your nane'I don't care for him
rhy should I, But do care for bis money!
hose were her words, sir, just as she spoke
hem But thought to myself-I guessed
= ~
natter much to Stephen LAngdon- And
1,,,t- i,,;. 80