The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1893-10-12
ANEM0TI0NAL AUT0MAT0N
Written by Ingersoll Lockwood, Author Of
"Baron Trump" "Giant Boab, Etc.

smile 50 sad. Oh so sad. that It set a
grip Of ice upon my heart. Adrian.
know all. Mr.. Olncy has told aunt
everything. everything. | came t.
bring you these little poems which you
Inscribed to me in your college days.
1t seems hardly right that | should
keep them now. And here also is my
written dcclination to become your
wife. It turns you! property back int,
the channel where it belongs. God
blcs, you. shall always pay for
your happiness. You've been good.
very good to me. Don't think / har-
Dor IL single unkind thought. G,ol-
night. and again Cd bless Sou, bless
vOu both
CHAPTER III.
Vera. Vera" gasped. fol. the tears
We're strangling me. Vera. wait. |
want to say something to you. bat she
smiled sadly. shook her head, and
closed the door after her.
| was alone. alone with my sorrow.
alone with my happiness. for was
now not only absolutely free but by
Ncra's noble sacrifice my fortune was
intact The bonds laid by the dead
upon the living Were broken. Nothing
now stood between beautiful Beth and
me. tolItj HottltI I'c lily " 1lt dllti VIC
whole world would envy me my posses
but it was not the pity that hold. K in
ship with love. 1t was the pity that
one human heart feels for another's
pang. True. Vera loved me tcndcrly.
with Il childlikc faith and devotion.
But wherein lay my crime that | did
not return it: For once the poets are
right: love is both ii child and blind,
and in my CROPPING after happiness
had laid hold Of Il hand whose warm
tO.ch had thrilled me to tn" soul. |
piticd Vera ~ she would have pi'ici
me il we could have changed places. |
could not pl adj in eX1enuatiOn where |
had done no wrong. | would not afro
my love for Beth 10y apollo ling for it.
i;,t in this moment of bliss came Il
voice. like ii EARRING discord to trouble
Il sweet melody. 1t was Olncy'~. had
been careful to conceal from Beth the
fact that numbered among my fsiri DIS
such Il triilcr. such Il love" OF frivolous:
things. such Il condcmner Of all that is
real and earnest in life. And now it
app AIRED that Beth her elf had been
following the same cours, with me.
She had withheld from IN" the knowl-
edge OF her acquaintance with such a
n ,tOrious iiirt and male coqucttc as
handsome Jack Olncy.
But what Il fool was to wonder at
this: Must not Il young woman. must
net IL beautiful girl like Beth. scatter
her smiles right and left upon the idle.
scnsalcSs crowd that presses about her:
She may not frown on this one and nod
in friendly fashion to that: she must
divide herself up. 1t is the mode of
H., IL
was soon 10 drive this frivolous throng
away and scatter it right and left. and
rescue my beautiful Beth from its
! senselcss adulation. so | resolved to
ignore completely the fact that Jack
Olncy had informcl my aunt Of my de-
votion to Miss Brewie, and in my con-
vcr,ation, with him not even cDnde-
scend to mention her name. In fact.
determined to keep ont Of Olney'> way
Us much as possible. and. therefore. the
next day, after the morning lecture at
the law school. | passed into the
! library to work up some authorities for
4 case in the Moot Court. While -
occupied, Olncy suddenly made hi, APP
pcarancc and sitting down beside me
! took IL letter out Of his pocket and be-
gan reading It. pausing now and then
| TO utter Il hump or to give Il contcmptu-
GUS chucklc. Suddenly he tcs ed the
letter down on the table and burst out:
Well, that girl will be the death Of
me-
! pretended not to hear him. |
/ lidn even look up. but could feel the
( cold PRECIPITATION hcading on my fore
! head. Ny breath came with more and
moe difficulty. | was literally vhok-
/ ing myself t. death.
( One day" continued olncy. its
Jack do this. the next Jack do that. o.
Jack go there. She seems TO think
that >ue's the only girl in New York.
If hadn't Strengthened up | should
have pitched headlnng to the floor in a
faintiug lit. and although | could feel
that my face was on fire at the thought
Of the possibility that by that girl
he might mean Miss Brewie. | resolved
to know the worst.
What girl is hotheriny YOU now.
Jack: asked. making a desperate eff
| fort to keep my voice steady aad reach
ing up after Il book in order that he
might not catch a glimpse of my burn
ing cheeks.
why. that stunning brunette. Beth
Brewie." he biurted out. II ncnalantly
AS he busted himself rearranging hi,
, boutonniere.
Beth Brew;e:" ! repeated. in a tore
hardly above whisper. for my tongue
s,note against my teeth like bit o
leather.
Yes. old fel. that's what | said ," he
replied with a laugh. but you act as il
| | were kidding you. There's her let
ter: read ii yourself and then tell mt
| if shes not 4 queer lot.
Should |. or should not: Would j
he manly. would il he honorable II lca,
what Be.h had. written 10 this man.
.As YET she had not promised in st
many words 10 be my wife. True. II,
arms had encircled her. our lips ha,
met. Was that not enough: Low,
needs MT 10 speak by the card. 10 pu
its thoughts into words like huck>terS
bargains. And Yet have not q RICH
10 know what Beth has written 70 tni
young popinJayc Has not Beth her>cl
told HE tnat II love ana suspicion one,
. s.