St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-26

"Sure. my darlings love you as no
man Ill *
aEvesrr- loved me beforel How I'M
kind OF you to be so commonplace! And
yeti love you. toon The white arms
were about his neck, and Winthrop was
happy again. Then it was that he
thought of the other girl.
Inside OF the neEt sixty seconds Win
throp was engaged agAiii.
% He was villain. Of course; and Set
what was there to be done? If' he
married one the other would be sur
prised to say the least.
he couldn't marry both, though he
heartily wished he might do SO. To
take Eleanor would mean to give up
much-nO club, no supper; very little,
indeed, but Browning and the improve
ment OF ones mental condition -
Marian, then? Loving, tender. clinging,
rather Duchess girl, dressed in
simple white most of the time, and
looking up to him as her owner rather
than her husband. Likely at any time
to kiss him before people, and unwill-
Ing TO have him out of her sight for two
hours at time. !eu
This was the problem poor Winthrop
had been at work on for so long and
which so persistently refused to be
solved. He could not marry both !; he
could not marry either. His poor old
mother would have turned him out of
the house if she had known what he
had done; SO no hope from that quarter
could be thought of.
Winthrop sat up suddenly and opened
his eyes very wide The little actress
of the photograph had stepped out of
her frame and was sitting on the edge
OF her mantel in her airy costume,
swinging her small limbs to and fro,
and twiddling her thumbs in her lap.
mo. you aren't asleep she said.
reassuringly, laughing softly and lock-
ing her feet together. 81 got rather
tired of standing there - that's all.
linen, too, know what you have been
thinking about, and believe can help
you. So Pm here"
$50 it seems" returned Winthrop as
politely as his establishment would per
nit him.
1T seems to me, in the first place, that
you are unpardonably stupid to get
yourself into such box; but, of course,
we can't help that now. And to make
IL worse, now that you have your senses
ABOUT you once more, you aren't par
tlcular about marrying either of them"
Winthrop WINGED a tritie, and the lit
tie woman laughed merrily.
"Oh, L mean to be perfectly frank
with you, and you must no. let the truth
hurt you. Now, from my point of view,
Eleanor is out of the question. She
would keep you under her thumb so
continually that il she ever did let YOU
out you wouldn't have the independence
TO hop DER it without first asking herl
She would love you. but she would xii.
you dead! Marian is sweet glrl-oh,
yes. Eve seen her at the theater, when
you little thought l saw anything else
but you-and she would love you to
death. Besides, she hasn't any money.
and Martin Winthrop without money
-" She drew her pretty face down.
closed one eye very solemniy and
whstied softly. Winthrop laughed
shortly.
so you see," she continued cheer
fully, she won't do! The sum of it all
is. you would be unhappy with either
of them"
Quite true. my dear girl" returned
Winthrop; but Pve been all over that
alone. Where does your help come imp
Very soon. Who am I?'
You? Why. you are a charming
little dancer i'll big chorus"
And where do L work?'
xvi 18th the Forty Thieves company"
And my name? Come. don't be i'll
ane"
Your name. l believe, is Edith
Smith. Born, do not know where.
One of the best, hearted girls in the
world; fond of a fellow if you really
like him, but mighty short with those
you don't. You've been one of the best
friends l ever had, you know. Edy, and
you've"
HELPED you out of many a financial
hole. as it were?"
"Exactly-tor which have been ever
grateful"
And a, did you ever do anything for
Nothing, be 1t said to my shame
unless an occasional supper or flowers
count. But you know, my dear girl,
you never let me give you anything.
Eli? The little sick boy 1 sent to the
hospital?' Oh, yes. L believe so. That
was when | was flush once.'
And the little boy was my brother.
You mustn't forget that even a ballet
girl is human, and we don't forget
Sights or kindnesses. Besides all this,
you know [ am hard worker and save
my money. You never worked in all
your life. and you spend it as fast as
you get 1t. We are exact opposites, you
see. and you know what they say those
kind of people ought to do, don't you?''
"Marry?" said Winthrop doubtfully.
"MarrY!' said the actress firmly.
to you, am l not? But Pm doing it
more for your good than anything else.
You know | can get along without help;
but you-well, you need someone to
look after you. You will get wife
who is strOng''-she thumped her chest
as she spoke-"and who knows how to
save money, She'll make you work,
too, and you will make man of your
self in the end"
And could you do this" he asked
incredulously, knowing me as l am
knowing what villain l amp"
"You are not villain, Martin; you
are weak, and am strong"
''But why are you willing to sacrifice
everything for me?" asked Winthrop
suddenly"
do you remember one night last
year." said she, dreamily, clasplug her
hands about her knee and paying no
attention to his query, when you were
taking me home, and a tough came
along and spoke to me? You struck
him only once, but he fell ten feet from
you, and he carries the scar your ring
made 10 this day. Ever since that night,
Martin, l have tried to be better
woman. because [ love YOU"
Love me' lie cfleu, SprinSlnS to his
feet, and holding out his hands to the
tiny creature, who could have danced
upon one of his palms.
Yes" she said. noddlng her yellow
head gravely. II do. You need not say
you care for me as much as that, for
1 Pm afraid that would be something of
plagiarism on Yourself. Wait until we
are OH the train before you begin TO tell
me the nice things | know you are very
capable of saying. What do you think
of this plan?"
"Iknow you are an angel to think 1t
out, and tell me of it: and if you will
have me, Edith, swear 10 be the best
husband in the world TO YOU"
All" she said, laughing and shrug-
ging her shoulders. perhaps. How
ever, l know quite we'll what l am do
ing Martin, and i will take the risk.
Instead of taking you for better or
worse. it will be taking YOU for worse, to
ma ya Won hettar NnyV tho tbinr foi.