St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-22
and so it would be foolish to postpone

and so 1t would be foolish to postpone
our union for mere forms sake"
Those to whom she spoke could with
difficulty keep from smiling, for every
one in the town of Perth, where these
events occurred, knew Howard Peyton
to be penDilesS fortune hunter, but as
most OF them considered the widow to
be lacking in true womanly spirit, none
cared to open the eyes she kept so reso-
lutely closed to the truth. and so the
wedding preparations went on, as re-
port said, on perfectly magnificent
scale.
One evening Frank Moore left Mr..
irvlng's with buoyant and happy
how she had always loved him,
and he knew that he had always loved
her. ''Oh, what silly goose l was to
have listened for one moment to man
like Howard PeytOn" she said.
Il knew from the first that it was not
real feeling" Frank said, confidently,
land | am too happy now to find fault
with anything that is past"
A different scene was at that moment
enacting in Mrs. Gordon Hastings prl-
vate parlor at the Perth hotel.
The gay widow no longer looked gay,
for before her stood Howard PeytOn,
with an open letter in his hand and dis
may depicted on every feature of his
cOuntenance.
"Deny this villainous, this infamous
charge of acting lie, madam" he ex-
claimed, in a harsh and most unlOVer-
like tone. Give me instant proof to
the contrary, or / shall 90 mad!"
All Mrs. Gordon Hastings color that
could go had left her face. and she evil
IDENTIFY stood silent and COMPOUNDED.
Wont you answer me?" screamed
Peyton. "Will you permit this rascal
to lie without check? Or is it true that
you have only all annuity, left by YOUR
husband, to cease as soon as soon as
you contract second marriage?'
AT last she said, in high, unnatural
key:
well, what if it is true? Do you
need a fortune-yOu who are, as you
have often assured me you were, indie
pendent in your own right?
He uttered an exclamation of anger,
disgust and chagrin, and, fiinging down
the letter, stamped his heel on it.
She was much calmer than he.
Waiting till he moved away, she
picked it up, read its contents and then
burst into a loud and uncomfortable fit
of laughter.
LISTEN" she cried; "talk of de-
ceiverS!"
Mr.. Howard Peyton-Sir: Fearing
that my mention of Mrs. Gordon Hast
ingS' circumstances had some effect on
your subsequent course toward that
lady, and knowing how important it is
to have clear, unclOuded understand
ing with which to begin welded life, |
will now explain that when | said l
heard of her as 1.-The rich widow" it was
from her own lips. My uncle is her
lawyer, and she mentioned to him, when
receiving the small income that, accord
ing to her husbands will, ceased at her
second marriage, that she caused her
self 10 be known as 1.-The rich widow"
because she liked to gain the attentions
and excite the cupidity Of fools. Now,
in regard to yourself, as it was at your
entreaty that | repeated your estimate
of your worth to the lady, you will per-
haps save me the trouble of explaining
your mpecuniOusneSS to her by doing
so yourself.
80 it was for the sake of my money,
f0rsOOth. that you Tilted pretty Alice
Irving" she cried. Il always admired
that girls pluck in hiding any feeling
she might have had on the subject.
Now that her grandfather has made her
his heiress, as have just learned'-
MI Peyt0nS face grew scarlet.
81 always esteemed the young lady"
he exclaimed vehemently. ut was
your wiles that entangled me. . l will
see herr
"Dor' cried the widow exultingly,
land she will tell you that she is en-
gagged to Frank Moore, as | have just
heard. Ha ha, hal"
And she had the best of it really, for
she left Perth the next morning. while
poor Peyton had to remain and meet his
direful bills and witness Alice and
Franks happiness.