The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-28
PLAYING FOR LOVE.

which shows how my brother Herbert
nearly won the privilege of providing for
the keep of Miss 5AIary Ashton, our cousin,
for the term of her unnatural life. She,
however, now ornaments another's home
and Herbert's heart is dead. My brother
had heart in those days. though he was
old enough to know better. 1t was kind
of hobby with him.
Herbert had long loved Miss Ashton
literally from afar, she being sublimely
long and be more than common squat
However, this defect he shared with Cupid
himself, who is always represented as di-
minutive and pudgy, and Mary, really
think, was not averso to my brothers. suit,
for she frequently dropped smiles on the
top of his tall hat, much to its wearer's
content. She also said she would not hear
word said against him. This was gen
orally when there was nothing more to
say. Even a bishop could find something
funny to say of a short man. Neverthe-
less Herbert was happy under the smiles
of his beloved.
But, alasl there came a day when the
smiles were directed elsewhere and Her
bert found that Mary could never be more
than sister to him. 1t was astonishing
to hear him recite this declaration of hers
as a choice specimen of feminine feeling
and originality. Young as 1 was, 1 knew
that remark, having taken to myself sew
eral such voluntary relations whose exist
enceeI had Immediately forgotten. But
Herbert derived gloomy consolation from
this promise of sisterly affection and even
quoted the length of his neither garments
as ample justification for Mary's decision.
He was certainly petite, and magnanimity
was strong within him.
The wrecker of my brothers hopes was
none other than Eric Frodsham, whom
you may recognize as the author of certain
chaotic pieces of literary composition. We
had known Frodsham as a distant &C
quaintance for some time and had watched
the tortuous trouble of his literary career.
In the beginning, when the world was
young, Frodsham wrote plain, clear nov
els, which were lasting joy to his sta
toner, to whom the selling of paper was
a high mission in life. These works, for
the most part, blushed unseen on Frod-
sham's table till their author succeeded
them with weary work, the title of
which, GA Secret Vow,' was the only in
telligible part of the volume. Probably for
this reason the book was an instantaneous
success and FrOdsham was a celebrity.
He was interviewed, and we all recognized
in his conversation the good things we had
said to him in times past. Mary then fell
! in love with him and joined our family as
| a sister to Herbert We appreciated her
! kindness.
| My brother at this time was eminently
|
imprisoned in the corrugations of his
! brow.
One day he came to me in state of vir
tuous wrath, waving a daily paper round
his head. He was speechless with indigna-
ton, so I relieved him of his journal and
discovered the cause of his excitement.
! Some clever person had read GA Secret
! Vow and in a letter to The Herald had
| pointed out that that work was an I'M
! published anonymously some years pre-
viously under the title of ''On His Oath. 3"
Frodsham had evidently been guilty of lit
erary theft.
1.-THE scoundrel,'' said my brother at
length. "He's stolen somebody else s
brains and my love. He's nothing more
than thief. I'll expose him to Mary
''Where is Frodsham?'' I asked.
''On his way to New York. But I
tered to such villain, can 1? I'll tell her
at once, in case she hasn't heard the
news
''Better not, - remarked. eff she loves
Frodsham, she won't thank you. Let
things take their course. -
But Herbert didn't. He told Miss Ash
ton there and then, and that young lady
listened to the tale. She expressed herself
as being greatly shaken and unable to
about the deceit of man, which impressed
Herbert. Finally she told my brother he
might call and see her, and he returned to
me beaming. Incidentally he referred to
Frodsham as a "poor DEVIL Herbert was
magnanimity itself.
Mary smiled sweetly but sadly, as an
angel whose wing had been broken by a
brick. Her grief was picturesque, and
people pitied her, Herbert especially, who
lured her to take an interest in the world
by going to theaters with him. had for
gotten to mention that my brother was
well to do, though short.
For broken hearted girl Mary was fair
" jolly, and 1 commented upon the fact.
Herbert explained that he was taking her
out of herself. This meant taking her
into places of amusement.
One fatal day-fatal to my brothers
love story in its second and enlarged edi-
toni bought The Herald to read the
daily installment of indignant correspond
ence on the subject Of the now famous
plagiarism. And this is what read:
"Sir, I have on my return to New York
Just received various copies Of your widely
read journal, which have been awaiting
me- am much astonished to become ac
Quainted for the first time with the storm
which has blown up in my absence apro
. pos of my work, A Secret Vow Permit
me to make a tardy apology to the public
+ through the medium of your extensively
circulated columns by stating that in elab
: Grating the story On His OATH which
appeared some years ago, into my success
full book I should have acknowledged my
Indebtedness to the former novel and havt
avowed myself, as L do now, your obedien1
servant, its author, Eric Frodsham'
: Poor Herbertl He is still singleton
don Sun.
Horrors of Modern War.
. As the principal squadron circled arount
US, the range varied from 2, 800 meter