The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-05-20
ONLY A MISUNDERSTA ANDING.

he was slightly JealouS-IealouS o
fate.
Ia a gloomy moment he would
chide himself for his presumption il
essaying to win the hand OF one who
was sought by SO many, any one o
whom could claim, and Justly, too
he must admit, that he was equally
as desirable from standpoint a:
was Clayton; but Clayton knew tha
many of them looked upon Rutf
Milburn as an incumbrance which
they must rerforCe assume in ordel
to gain tie tprtune which she poss.
essed.
1t was not often Frank Clayton
suffered himself to give way to des
pondency it was only when mem,
ories of the past would crowd upon
him-how he had expended all his
savings in attending college; college
having been completed he launched
forth as an attorney at law, with
barely sufficient means to pay for a
plain board sign, directing people
to the second floor, rear, where he
sat in barren, carpetless room and
wondered what he would do if for.
tune withheld her smiles a week
longer. But he had a marvellous
store of energy and tact, both oI
which were drawn upon heavily, and
soon bore fruit.
A client tame-Mr. Milburn
Clayton had always thought that
Mr.. Milburn came more through a
desire to encourage than to avail
himself of the legal talent stored ir
the second floor, rear, and it piqued
him not little, but there was a
bright spot in the memory that
always cheered him-he won the
the case; it was appealed and he Won
a second time, although sore of the
best legal talent in the country had
been pitted against him.
Thus came his first client, anc
Mr.. Milburn, being tie wealthies
resident of Creston, his influence
soon brought more clients until now
at thirty, Clayton was enjoying {
most lucrative practice.
Depite the fact thai no door ii
Creston was closed upon him-tha
all seemed to enjoy and seek hi
company, he could not forget tha
but few short years before he hae
been in the uttermost depths of pov
erty. Could it be that caste wa
really a thing unknown in America
that people were :incere in tha
which they so often proclaimed
merit, not money, deserves th
crown2
They-Clayton and Ruth Milburl
had met early in the former
career in Creston. As the lega
clouds thickened, Clayton had oftel
visited the Milburn residence to con
fer with his client, and it was ther
he met Ruth.
Just how it happene@ must foreve
remain hidden in that eternal mys
terry we have named affinity,
chance dart from Cupid's bow offer
ing a much more plausible explana
! ton than all the favorable s'tuat on
one could imagine. Clayton's pro
fessional calls, as the Creston peopl
thought them. continued long atte
the legal tangle had been unraveleC
and once upon time they wer
little less than startled to behol
Clayton and Ruth out driving.
Ruth Milburn was ar heiress, bu
this, TO Clayton, was the least of he
charms. In his eyes she possesse
all that was lovable in woman. Az
parently no one thought less of he
wealth than did Ruth, and many a
envious sister reluctantly admltte
: that, while she filled her station wit
becoming dignity and grace, he
wealth would not turn her head.
Naturally, Ruth had many sultor
and Clayton, as he walked to an
from his boarding house, woul
often see her upon the tenn
ground or under the broad shad
d trees in the company Of some OF tn
many gallants. But there was on
Fred Mayo, whom he saw MOI
often than all the rest; he it was VIII
caused Clayton 10 waver, and W
as he recalled the many times the
had together enjoyed Ruth's con
pany he could not discover an IL
m stance of her preference for Mayo; @
y the contrary, she had appeared tf
opposite: but constant droppln
/ must wear even the rock, an
Mayo's attentions were most col
stant, Tor he was gentleman
10 10 leisure, his only occupation, Claytc
1T had long since determined, belr
that OF ingratiating himself to Ruth
- favor.
The days passed by; Clayton hs
been absorbed in an important cas-
The decision had been withheld fl
few days, but at last it CAME
j. had won. In the JOY of his succe
. he laughed at all the pretty mi
lgivings which had swarmed his pat