Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-06-24
LOVE Or MONEY?

Arthur Ferris was tall, blond, hand
some and twenty-eight. He was also the
possessor of a long head, inherited from
the maternal side Of the house. He was
likewise dutiful son.
It was the two latter circumstances that
had on more than one occasion saved him
from making a triumphant ass of him
self. Just fancy II it had not been for
his long head it is more than likely that
he would have fallen desperately in love
with that bewitching goyerness of the
Hastings, with whom he had spent several
weeks in the mountains one summer five
years ago But he had given himself time
to think and had fed between two days,
much to his later satisfaction.
Then there was that dear little Miss
Dixon, whom he had met at the seaside
1t had been glorious evening-that last.
They were sitting on the veranda, where
they might see and yet be unseen. The
soft dreamy strains of Strauss waltz
hoated out from the ballroom. There was
the pale, silver light of the moon, the muir
muring ripple Of the waves on the beach
and all that sort OF thing, which you have
read about so many times that you have
learned to skip il in the novels,
Well Elsie was going awayAtoo, too
soon. They had talked in signs and muir
murs for half an hour; Arthur's left hand
clasped Elsie's dimpled right one, his right
arm was about her waist; both hearts beat
vigorously, as hearts will on such coca
sions and Arthur had Just opened his
mouth to tell Elsie what she had been
waiting for for two weeks, when there was
step close at hand, a rustic Of skirts and
the cooling voice Of the maternal Ferris said:
81 beg your pardon, but will you please
excuse Arthur few momentsi There are
those miserable business affairs that must
be attended to in time for the late mail"
And thus was he saved a second time
for Elsie had not a cent, and neither had
heat least, not many of them. There
were several other occasions when his own
long head, or his mammals had helped
him out-for Arthur was somewhat sus-
ceptible. But il is not Of these have 70
tell.
His time had come. The in every way
desirable young person had presented her
salt. True, she was not so young as she
had been; but then that was mere trifle
She was Just his own age, Of as good a
family as his own and an heiress of con.
siderable degree. She was not--well, not
exactly handsome, and was rather inclined
to what is politely called plumpness; but
Arthur's mamma and Arthur's long head
gave their approval-and Arthur did not
care who she might be, so long as she pos
sessed the above qualifications, particular
ly the one involving very neat fortune in
her own right.
Besides, Arthur was getting a bit des-
perate. In fact, he had so far exceeded
his own salary and the maternal allow
ance (Which, by the way, was as large as
Mrs. Ferris could Afford, that nothing
short Of a miracle or a matrimonial alli-
ance such as he had been 50 long seeking
could save him from getting into very deep
water.
And thus it came to pass that this win
ter found him engaged to Miss Bernice
Field, much to the satisfaction of his
mother. who was visiting in New York,
and TO whom he had, like the dutifu1 son
be was, sent the gratifying news at once.
He was disappointed, however, on one
point. He had pleaded artfully for an
early wedding, but Miss Field had set her
foot down with much hrmness and said
he must go through long probationary
period-+all of which Arthur failed to I'm
derstand lie had always been noted for
his persuasive powers, and had fattered
himself that Bernice, with her gentle,
clinging, budlike ways, would succumb
at once.
Now be il known that Miss .Bernice Field
had not arrived at years Of discretion for
nothing. Neither bad she, not unprepos-
sessing young person, with nearly half
million in her own right, passed through
the experiences OF ten seasons without
gathering untSherself much knowledge Of
the ways and wiles of wicked men. She
had had, "a might have been expected, of
fers to a high number, but thus far the
gentlemen concerned had failed-by rea-
son OF their unanimous desire TO touch her
purse-to touch, ia The first place, the all
important key To H., which was hidden
away in her plump bosom. And Miss Ber-
nice Field was worldly wise in her day and
generation.
She was certainly in love with Ferris
there could he no doubt Of that. 1t is quite
as certain that she was very seriously In
love with him; but with the wisdom born
of experience, she did not let him know
one-haif of what she felt for him
II any one had told Ferris that he was
Just now in a very shaky position he would
have scoffed. His chum, Ed Cross, who
was spending the winter at the house dur.
ing Mrs. Ferris absence, had once sug.
gested that there's many slip" but
Arthur merely SHE'D a shoe at him apd
whistled sereDely.
II was in this frame Of mind that one
evening in February he ran lightly up the
steps of the Field mansion to call on her
whom Cross unfeelingly referred TO as his
little lady love" It was warm and the
front door stood ajar. The little footman
was not in bis accustomed place, so Ferris,
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