The morning call., 1891-03-26
A GRAND INCENTIVE.
BY FRED F. FOSTER:

"blue," for no other reason than that he
was destitute of any particular object in
life.
Wealth was his in abundance; fame he
regarded as purely visionary; no woman
| had he ever met who caused his pulse to
! quicken.
His reverie was disturbed by the appear
| ance of gentleman somewhat his junior
! who threw himself into chair and asked:
d" Have you seen her, Nane?
Have / seen her?" was the smiling re-
| ply. Your question is quite indefinite, it
seems to me-"
'She was at Mrs. Barry's soiree last even
| ing" the caller continued, where her
| beauty as completely eclipSed the beauty of
all other ladies present as the monday sun
| would eclipse the brightest star"
The relative position OF the heavenly
bodies has something 10 do with their OBJ
scuration, you must bear in mine"
81 am confident that position has nothing
! to do with her brilliancy. By the way, you
| know Mrs. Paradise of Beacon street,"
yes"
"To-morrow evening she will give a re-
| ception, to which l am invited and am at
| liberty to invite any friend | should like
! to have you accompany Inc there, where she
! Of whom | have spoken viii be.
Thank you, but 1 do not know that
care TO attend the reception"
Il will call for you at your boarding place
now" arising as he spoke and consulting
his watch, 'as am going to Worcester on
| the % train and 1t Is nearly j. Good al
ternoon," and he left the office.
| Alone, Vane seriously pondered the sub
| ject thus brought before HIM Tor cousidera-
| ton. He had no taste for receptions and
! their like, aud he thus unused aloud:
"f any woman can thus arouse the inter-
| est of Frank Sheldon, there must be some
| thing remarkable about her.
il INIT .abs To
| be cordially welcomed by the hostess, who
| said:
81 consider 1t great compliment that
| you should come, Mr.. Vane, though | pre-
sumo Mr.. Sheldon was obliged to get you
here BY main force"
Not quite so bad as that" Vane re-
| spOnded, and, having spoken to certain OF
his acquaintance, sat down.
| Presently he felt his arm touched, and,
| looking up, saw Sheldon standing near him
with lady at his side.
Miss Allng," Sheldon observed" per-
nit me TO make you acquainted with my
friend, Mr.. Nane."
The lady thus introduced to Yane was
apparently not far from - years of age, of
the medium height, had a shapely figure, a
blonde complexion, light blue eyes, a wealth
of golden hair; IN brief, was radianuy
beautiful
Sheldon left them, and she seated herself
in chair which Vane extended to her.
two, in which, for a while, she did most of
the talking, i'll a silyery tone, In an easy and
brilliant manner.
Learning that he had been IN extensive
traveller in foreign lands. she drew him
OUT most skil!fully, and hung eDtrauced
UPON bis every word.
Il fear shall weary your" he finally re-
marked.
ut Is like seeing with my own eyes what
you have sern" she replied, "and | thank
than words tlll far what
have told ME. l have always had desire
to visit these same scenes, but AIN afraid
never can"
At this point their tete-a-tete was inter-
rupted by Mrs. Paradise, who asked Miss
Alling to play upon the piano. Seating her
self at the instrument she ran her fingers
over the keys, showing the peTfectnsSs and
delicacy of her touch.
There followed values, fantasias, sonatas,
symphonies in rapid succession, all of them
rendered artistically.
She stopped. and Vane, especially fond of
| vocal music, who had drawn uear the piano,
| asked her II she sang
| She nodded her head, and, in an exquisite
voice, began what was evidently original
with her-the story of her SORROWS; re-
| QUEEN for the beloved dead; IL prayer for
assistance from ON high. Into it she poured
| her very soul and when she concluded every
| eye in the room save her own was moist.
Nane thanked her heartily for her singing
| and she smiled upon him i'll way that sent
| the warm blood 10 his face.
He had no opportunity for another word
| in private with her that evening, but wher-
| ever she was in the room his eyes we're
| fastened upon her.
| Sheldon was right" lie eo,nmuned with
| himself; and from that moment he had an
| 'obiect in life"
The following afternoon he was sitting in
| his Office, humming the BrindIsi from
| "Lucretia B0rgia," when he muttered:
| think | will call uDOu her this even
ing"
| The "her" was Mrs Wilmarth, noted
| society woman, who had frequently in
yited him to call upon her, but whose nvi-
| tatlOnS he had never accepted. Miss Allng
| was visiting her.
Eight o'clock that evening found him in
| Mrs. Wimarth's parlor, where he was cor
daily received by that lady ana Miss ALL
| ing.
During the evening Miss Alling expressed
| her views with reference to men and things
| in calm, clear incisive, yet womanly way;
! and they proved that she thought the grand
| aim of every human being ought to be the
| ameliOratiOn of mankind.
'W uld you have us all act as mission
| arlesY" Nane inquired Oanteringly.
=" In one sense. yes, was the reply. "The
| province OF missionary is to reform, and |
| believe that one can do this in no other way
| so successfully as by setting an example of
| honest industry, Particularly will desirable
results accrue If he who sets the example of
an earnest worker be so circumstanced as
| to be really independent 0f labOring for
living"
You'd better close your dsquisition and
| giveu some music" Mrs. Wilmarth broke
| III, and, while Miss Alllng was seating her
self at the piano, said to Vane: LET her
once get started on her hObby-the vital i'm
pOrtance OF industry-and it is difficult for
| her to stop"
When he left Mrs. Wimarth's he prom
| ised to call again, soon; but, before he could
do so with propriety, he learned that Mrs
Wilmarth and Miss Alling had gone from
| the city, the former on an extended trip in
| the far West the latter to her home in
Maize.
In what particular part of the Pine Tree
| State Miss Alling resided he did not know.
nor was he able to find ont by the most dex-
| trou. inquiry, as none of his acquaintance
| who had met her had learned.
He went to work with an iDdefatigability
| of which he had not deemed himself pos
sessed, and rose rapidly to an eminence in
| his profession.
Two years glided away. during which he
had become SO interested in his work as to
have partially forgotten its primal incen-
| tive, concerning whom he had heard no hing
| since the evening when they were together
iu the home of Mrs. Wilmarth, who had died
| in Colorado.
Then he went to pass brief vacation
with one of his college mates in Maine, and
| during the second day of his tarry in his
| friends home was introduced TO a lady, who
came to give this friends sister a lesson OIL
the piano, to whom he needed no introduce
tion-Miss Florence AllDg.
The mutual prise of both was indicated
| by the expression of their cOuntenances, and
thatitwas peasurable surprise was equally
apparent.
An intimacy sprang mp between them
which ended i'll declaration of his love for
her and an earnest petition that she become
his wife.
"From the time of our first meeting at
Mr.. Paradise's reception. u. she replied, max
ing no attempt to remove her hand from
his own, Il conceived q regard for you
which amazeS me when l fully realized its
strength. 1t influenced me to inquire about
you of Mrs. Wimarth, my classmate at
Kents Hill," she continued. from whom |
learned that you were lawyer, rich but
ambitioniess.
This same regard and a sincere regret