The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1894-06-15
FAVORITES OF FATE.


with an indescribable grace in every
movement, and a face All who
could describe the beauty of it?
Low-browed and red-lipped, with
skin like creamy satin, and crown of
the warmest amber hair.
And Leon Clinton had yielded to
the spell of all this imperial loveliness,
and through it had failed in faith to
his plighted troth with dainty, blue
eyed Ruth Granger-Ruth, with her
childljke manner and sweet, shy grace.
God knows he had not meant to be
false to honor, but Vashti Changers
beauty might have turned wiser heads
than his, with the spell of its siren
loveliness.
Then. after all, he had not wooed
and won Ruth's promise to please
himself, half as much as because 1t
was the wish of his uncle and guardl-
an. Gray Clinton, who had been the
lifelong friend of Ruth's father.
But Gray Clinton had not only been
the lifelong friend of Ruth's father
but in his early manhood, the lover OF
her fair, young mother, and though'
with pleasure of her child dwelling II
the home where, in his youth, he hat
pictured:her reignng queen
Dying, he had made it condition
in his will that to inherit his wealth
Leon should marry the daughter o.
Arson Granger.
f But that was all before Vashti'
: coming-Vashti,w who claimed a daugll
ter's rights, where fair, sweet Rutl
r had reigned alone before.
|, 1t had all come so suddenIy-sud
denly even to Anson Granger himself
o though he realized it might happe
e any day, when Vashti learned TIL
truth.
ir Long years before, Anson Grange
'r had met, when abroad, girl, beaut
full as a poets dream. though III
III learned and uncultured, and wit
C. boyish haste had made her his wifi
in the first moon of their meeting.
~ His disenchantment was quic
eS enough, for besides being unlearne'
her bitter, unreasoning jealous
Nv amounted at times to madness, ar
" life with her became torture.
Five months after their marriat
~ u they parted by mutual consent; ar
~ he promised her sum of money to
paid monthly.
~, 1t did not last long, however, f
six months later a letter told him
m. was free.
ms Estelle lay in her quiet grave, but
n. baby daughter, whom she had nam
ri Vashti, was left behind.
os 1t was Estelle's sister who wro
of him.
"What will l do with the lit
be- one?" she wrote.
ais Take care Of it, and will contin
f to send the money monthly" was
reply.
,wn One year after that he married ia
rts. sweet Glare Howard, who dying
ger years after, left him with Ruth,
dainty, golden-haired child of five.
is One day a girl stood before hi
ge. Beautiful as a dream and proudly
car perious.
81 am your daughter, Vashti Gr'
at GER" she said. II found out the trl
sen ' of my birth and have come. home
What could he say9 She v
4 to strangely winning, as well as bea,
he full, and his heart went out to b
h standing there claiming her rights
She was his child, SO he told
able story to Ruth, who welcomed
,eap beautiful stranger, with tender wo
ern- and sisterly caresses.
Of And Vashti was not SO much
blame, for love will go where it is Sc
j, is and AA
ush- Well, from the moment Leon c
COM tons eyes had looked into hers, a
'nes' sion Of love had swept over her,
that was part of her life forever.
ospel Her father, watching Ruth,
noticed her fair, sweet face grow d
palcr, and wlstful shadows gather
her sweet blue eyes, but had he |
as kccn-cycd as he believed him
he would have known that R
had grown paler and her
more wistful, not after the
Ing Of vashti, but after Leigh Fa