Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-09-12
ROBERTS CHOICE.

ROBERTS CHOICE.
Robert Ellis sat alone in the room he
was pleased 10 call his study. 1t was.
however. used more for smoking than
any o,hor '''';'-.> -. he being one of the
Nisc .ucn who leave shop behind
when business for the day is over.
Now his neglected cigar burned dan
gcruu>ly near his fingers. H. was not
thinking of his client Interests but his
own. All of mind ANA sight were con-
ccntr.:tcd unon two Photographs lying
hcfn.t 80, al studying the form. face
:.au oppression produced, in cndeav-
ornr To rea,! character. SO much
was this tie case that he failed to hear
the rustic of his sisters dress Is she
entered. crossed the floor, stood be-
hind him and looked nj the cause OF
a >traction.
For few moments they remained
thus. Then Jeanctte-not Ellis any
LONGER. as she had welded few
months previously - jeanette Mason
asked in Lalf-bantering. half-earneSt
voice:
(Which, Robert, which,"
You kerc. Jcan?" he questioned in
establishment Il thought | was alone
and tie devil take that cigar. 1t has
burned me nearly to the bone" and
he threw ii spitefully away.
And mind. Rob, "le of these does
not burn you more d. .'ly-burn your
heart 10 ashes"
DO you speak finn experience,
Jran?"
VERY far from it. With me mar
riage has been no f. ilurc-has becn
the fruition and glori ication of love.
But which .: :'.--c .,lc You dreaming
{: il..liug 4 wife. Rob?"
What have You to say to this one?"
and taking from the table one of the
pictures he handed to her for close in
spectiOn.
1t was that of girl, below rather
than above twenty years, blue eyed,
goldnn-ha::al, with skin as the lily and
lips us the rose; slight of form. with
dainty hands, whose unstaincd white
ness and smoothness forbid the idea of
labor.
That, JEAN" continued her brother,
lis Miss Annie Belford. young, fin
ished' with a slight sheer upon the
word) at a fashionable ladies' acad-
envy; rich, and acknowledged to be
beautiful. / met her last summer at
the seaside, caught her as she was be-
ing swept away by the undertow, and SO
became easily acquainted aud won her
everlasting gratitude"
What of her character, Rob?"
The very problem was studying.
l know size rides fairly well. can play
and sing and dance gracefully for al
unlimited number of hours"
'.Well?"
There vas something in his open,
manly face, in his accent, that told Of
more t.iaa Il casual interest.
alarmed! sis sister, for with the quick in
tuition ii women she felt the cir
would ':Dt he the wife she desired fol
her br:.; cr.
'1h.. -; en-" he answered, reading
the ,ic,i'iun in the bright hazel eyes
and flushing a triile Indignantly. ''is
plain Mrs. Jones"
plain enough, certainly, if Judged
by the words standard of female love-
illness. but of the kind to grow beauti.
full with love and time. Did you also
cave her life life. Robp"
NO; the circumstances were &c
versed. She saved mine"
And won your everlasting graft
tude?"
Scarcely. You remember l was
hunting in the mountains a few weeks
since. No. l was not about to hav.
my bones picked scrupulously clean BY
wildcats. but lost my way. slipping up
on messy rock. hung suspended ovel
dangerous precipice and would hav,
soon gone crashing to the bottom had
not this young lady-hum, she mus
be about my own age - heard my
shouts. came to the rescue and by
sheer strength of arm drawn me up t
safety"
"a mountain" with little coufusct
pause at her inability to Command thu
word she desired. whatever the tern
for feminine Hercules may be-"
Not so. She was city production
who CHANGED to be visiting some dis
tant relatives snd sketching. Look a
the photo. Jean and give me YOU
opinion.
The picture was of girl who had
reached the age of twenty-five, tall
rather Juno in figure than Psyche
with eyes and hair of the darkes
brown. nose and mouth too large fol
symmetry. complexion wanting lii,
wilderness and rose tin:ing, hands NO
n OF the dainty order and evidently ne
used to toll.
"A strong and good face. Rob- wa.
the comment OF the sister. Who j!
she Robp"
1.-The one child of ruineI mer
chant, with an invalid mother to sup
port"
'.And does her life work we'll ant
brayely,. you may be assured. Th'
other isp"
"A petted child of luxury and"
OF fashion and friyolity. Oh, broth
or. Hark! my husband Il calling ant
Unjust go. Some other time We viii
talk farther on the subject"
Very well."'
The answer was fair enough. bu
Robert Ellis inwarlly determined tina
time should never come. He had tax
en- the pictures from their secret rest
ing place not to decide between them
simply to mako one act as the foil o.
the other, to render the beauty of An
ME Bedford more supreme by the con
tyast with the one less favored, ant
the words Of his sister grated upol
his ear and heart.
Women are always sayagely jeaiou
of any one better !uoking than them
sc.ves," he grumbled as he put tn,
photographs away and dressed to g
ont.
His sister intercepted him and asked
VIII. her he was going.
Nowhere In particular: simply TO
a stroll and-well-I may drop int
the club" was answered positively
though his decision had already beer
made. and he walked as rapidly a
possible to the home of Annie Belford
A luxurious home it was, and h
found that the young lady radiant il
dress and smiles, and the reception b
received was flattering in the extreme
Again and again he was thanked i'm
-pressively for saving her life iron
those horrid waves" With DEF
fingers the keys of The piano wer
touched: with the sweetest possibl
voice she sang for and at him; in ever
way she endeavoured to charm; wit
bushes tempted and with eyes magne
tised and sent the young lawyer hom
with his blood at fever heat of love
A note addressed in a firm and re
markably beautiful hand awaiting tn
opening upon the table in his stud
when he returned. 1t had no partic