Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-01-10

swered shortly. she certainly has grcG
deal of patience under trying circun
J, stances, and there Is some Iorce of chai
| acter IL that
Strong's eyes fell, and he gave me
parting clasp Of the hand. He had to r.
join the railway kings at their next stol
ping place. 1t was hard To tear himsel
away, but 1t could not be helped.
His visit could not have been very sal
sfuctory to Varina, for from that time
saw change IN her. Her face began t
have weary, san look, and she plodde'
on with her school work, withdrawing
herself almost entirely from society. Sh
| still received letters from New York, bu
they were less frequent than formerly.
When Strong paid his next visit to Cot
tonvillc, TIE following year, he was
millionaire. This tins, he remained severa
days, and was at BIS best. Everybody re
marked that prosperity had not spoiled
him He was devoted to Varinn, but til,
poor girl seemed to bc In dazed state
She saw something in her lover that M
one else saw, u GOODNESS that she alOnt
| could detect.
| After his departure we all began won
| dering when the marriage would take
| place. ! had said nothing TO Strong about
| it, and he had not mentioned " TO me
only once nnu ne SHlu HnyLnlUE tnut re
| motely referred 10 it.
''You people call we rich man." he
| snd, land | suppose am, hut you do not
know how complicated my business is,
| am liable any night tn go home million
or two richer or wresched paupcr For
Gods sake let speculation aloner'
thought OF Strong's words often dur
Ing the next year. From time TO time we
heard al his success. Everything that he
touched seemed TO turn to gold. Even IN
New York men spoke of him as the young
Napoleon.
II was an awful crash aud il carried
some Of the proudest firms In the great
city down with il.
In our little village we could hardly re-
alise il. Surely Strong had been prudent
enough TO save something out OF the
wreck
Our hope proved TO be without founda-
tion. Not only had Strong's entire fortune
been swept away, but he would have TO
begin the world again owing fully a mil
lion dollars.
The brave fellow bore up for n few DAYS
His conduct was SO manly thnt there was
some talk Of setting him upon his feet
agein, and Il was predicted that he would
retrieve his losses and make another for
tune.
But the strain was too much. Finally
he staggered TO his bed aud when he arose
from IT, long weeks afterwards, bis attack
Of brain fever had done it's worst
''lic N IA mental wreck said Banker
Jones, who had just returned from New
York.
is there no ho1e9''
his senses He may improve physically,
but hts mind is gone forever"
ave must do something for him."
said.
Something has beer done" replied
Jones with very moist eyes. s'Varina" -
what hus she dpnef'
'"l,hat noble woman, sir, went on to
New York with her uncle. They took
poor Strong and placed him in private
asylum, where he will receive every care
and attention. iou know that Narina
has given up her school and il living with
her uncle, who is going to make her his
heiress. Well, those two are going to
foot the bills aud see to it that Strong is
taken care Of ms long as he lives
II was years afterward when [ saw
Strong for the first time since his misfor-
tune.
Business had called me to New York,
and on the second day after my arrival
visited the asylum, short distance from
the city.
AT first thought that Strong had com.
pletely recovered, he was looking so well,
but his talk tndeceived me-
And how is Cottonvile9" he asked
SLOW Old place, too slow, no progress,
nothing to keep man OF ability there
Why don't you come here2 have some
big schemes ON foot, and possibly Iii let
you In. "
was glad to see that he recognized me,
and humored his rambling talk for an
hour.
- saw Varina before left, " I said.
"Narina oh, little Varina Vincent.
Do yon know | once thought of marrying
her but saw that it wouldn't do. Good
girl, but no force of character, you know.
Why, they cali me the young Napoleon OF
finance Now how would such a wife
have suited meg We'll, | managed it so
as not 10 hurt her feelings. let the en-
gagement run along, and ut last she Of
tered To release me. accused her of not
having faith in me, and got in high
dndgeon and accepted my freedom. Good,
wasn't its"
IL was too much for me. rose to 90
Strong accompanied me TO the door, and
ehatted about his imaginary speoulations
stay he cried, rs | was leaving.
He handed me little flower from the
profusion that decked his table
give that 10 Varlna" he said.
| took II aRd rushed Off, unable to
speak
or course | pressed that flower, and
took the utmost care OF it until reached
Cotonville.
When gave II to Varina, and told her
who sent IL, the poor thing cried over It
until thought her heart would break
Women are 20 peculiar. Wallace p, Reed
in Atlanta Constitution.