St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-04
HOW HE TOOK 1T.

Arthur Ferris was tall, blond, hand
some and twenty-eight. He was the
possessor of long head, Inherited from
the maternal side of the house. lie was
likewise a dutiful son.
Well, Elsie was going away-too, too
soon. They had talked in signs an
murmurs for half an hour; Arthur
left hand clasped Elsie'S dimpled
right one. his right arm was about
her waist; both hearts beat vlgor-
ously, as hearts will on such occasions,
and Arthur had just opened his mouth
to tell Elsie what she had been waiting
for for two weeks when there was a step
close at hand a rustic of skirts and the
cooling voice of the maternal Ferris said:
~ beg your pardon, but will you
please excuse Arthur few moments?
There are those miserable business
affairs that must be attended to in time
! for the late mail"
And thus was he saved-for Elsie had
| not cent, and neither had heat least,
not many OF them.
! There were several other occasions
when his own long head, or his NAM
mas, had helped him Out-for Art hur
! was somewhat susceptible.
His time mad come. The in-every-wa
! desirable young person had presented
! herself 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 family as his own, and an heireSS
| of considerable degree.
She was noJ-well, not exactly hand
! some, and was rather inclined to what
! is politely called plumpnesS, but Ar
thurs mamma and Arthur's long head
gave their approval and Arthur did
not care who she might be. so long as
| she possessed the above qualifications,
particularly the one involving a very
neat fortune in her own right.
Besides, Arthur was getting 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 moth
! ing short of a miracle or matrimonial
alliance, such as he had long been seek
ing, could save him from getting into
very deep water.
And thus it came to pass that this
winter found him engaged to Miss
Bernice Field, much to the satisfaction
of his mother, vino was visiting in New
York, and to whom he had, like the
dutiful son he was, sent the gratifying
news at once.
Now, be il known, that Miss Bernice
Field had not arrived at years of diScre-
ton for nothing. Neither had she, a
not unprepossessng young person. with
nearly a half-million in her own right,
passed through the experience of ten
seasons without gathering unto herself
much knowledge of the ways and WileS
of a wicked man.
She was certainly in love with Ferris
there could be no doubt Of that. 1t is
quite as certain that she was very seri-
Ously in love with him, but with the
wisdom born of experience, she did not
let him know Oae-half of what she felt
for him.
One evening in February he ran
lightly up the steps of the Field man
sion to call on her whom Cross unfeel-
inglv referred to as his little lady
! love" 1t was warm, and the front door
stood ajar.
The little footman was not in his &C
customed place, so Ferris, with the all
of one who knew just where he was
going, stepped inside. From the open
door of Papa Fields study came the
, sound of voices in earnest discussion,
and one of them spoke his own name.
"Of course, my dear, you are your
own mistress, and | can only advise
YOU. 1t seems to me, however, thai
YOU have done very foolish thing tC
engage yourself to this young Ferris
True, he seems an exemplary young
fellow, and he comes of an excellent
family, but it is well known that he has
only a small allowance from the estate
, i'm addition to $1,000 salary. How de
YOU know it is you and not your money
that he wants? 1t is brutal question
know, but it is one you have probably
asked of yourself half-dozen times
concerning other young men.
Arthur, out in the hall, standing II
! much the same attitude child assum e.
, | when speaking its first 'piece" il
school, WINGED but waited for the an
sWer. 1t came in serious, thoughtful
. tones, which indicated plainly that Mis-
!, | Bernice also had considered this YER
| matter.
!: .'N-no: am sure you misjudge him
: papa. Of course l understand how HI
! is situated financially, and all that
But am sure he is honest and honOra
Il bic, and that he cares for me yer!
r much. There are thousand ways b,
o which can learn much that you can
not and"
u Yes, yes; l understand; but sup
: pose you should put him to the test
DO you tnlnk ne WOulu COulo tHLouSH-
ah--er-unscathed, as it were? Sup
t dose you should tell him that had los
:. all your fortune and mine in unfortu
/, nate speculation that we were beggar
s and had not dollar we could call on
d own? Are you afraid to try him."
Il 81 don't like to tell falsehood, papa
i but it would be only white lie,' an
G perhaps for the best. Yes, I'll try hir
e tomorrow night"
e THAT'S MY dutiful girl. Now. ru
u along and let me work"
e There was the sound of a kiss, an
n the perspiring young man in the ha
t, fastened to get out of the house.
The next evening, with his usus