The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-26
IO'ES 'h'OooTTEeR AMBITION.
nv WALTER REEVEs.

When jim Nargrave left Savannah he
was a handsome bright-eyed boy of 49,
just approaching manhood Nature had
been lavish to him i'm the matter of per-
sonal appearance. and he was going to
New York to enter the Office of the great
cotton brokerage firm of Jones G. Co.
Surely everything seemed smooth and
bright along his pathway
Friends were at the dock to bid him
godspeed One among them bowed her
head and wept bitter tears. Youth grows
apace in the south, and before Jim was
IS he had loved, and told his love, to
pretty Margaret Newcome, who was one
year his Junior. She had loved him in
return and promised to wait for him faith
fully until the great north had yielded up
the fortune he was determined to wiring
from it. They had walked, and taken
long drives together, while he with his
bright, boyish fancy, had pictured TO her
the magnificent home he would build in
New York. But her heartstrings curled
about her birthplace, and she hoped and
prayed that he might win fame and for
tune in the north only to share it with
her in the old Savannah home.
All this was five years ago. Jim Mar
grave had now fulfilled his promises in
in his business, and what had seemed
wild visions of partnership years ago,
were now assuming tangible shape. But
what of Margaret? Alas! when ambition
seizes upon man, it often drives his
better nature out. So poor Margaret, pa
tiently waiting in Savannah, found his
letters growing colder and shorter as the
days went by. But she told herself that
business claimed his every moment, ana
that he was working for her, so her
faith and her love never wavered.
AS the years, went by she fulfilled the
promise Of her girlhood and became
beautiful woman. Many were the aspir-
ants for her hand, but she told them
quietly that 1t was useless; that her heart
was given to another, and at last the
happy moment was approaching when she
could see him again and look up into
his dear face as he clasped her In his
arms.
And jim? WELL Jim was wondering how
he could break with her. Not because
he loved the other woman, but because
the other woman was a stepping stone to
his ambition. Emily Jones was the only
daughter of his employer, and Jim had
laid siege to her heart in his usual head
long fashion; and while poor Margaret
was watching and waiting, Jim was GET
ting nearer and nearer to the goal of his
ambition.
Just before Christmas time a message
came from Jin's old mother in Savannah,
telling him that she was failing, ana
wished to see her boy before she died.
Jim obeyed the summons and sailed for
Savannah, But when ne left New York
high road of honor; for Emily Jones was
his promised wife.
Margaret knew nothing of the cloud
hanging over her, and on his arrival met
him with outstretched arms and Iove-liJ
eyes. The GOODNESS of mis- greeting sent
a chill to her heart. But believing him in
capable of wrong, she attributed his con-
straint to anxiety on his mothers ac-
count, and he for the first time in years
felt the shame of his action toward her.
He wavered for a moment in his purpose,
but ambition whispered in his ear. What
is q Woman's heart that Ii should stand
between you and fortune!
Conscience, they say, makes towards
of us all, and so he put off from day to
day the unpleasant duty of telling Mar
garet of his changed feelings; and he
her, but her woman's heart told her some
thing was wrong and she, being the nobler
of the two, forced him to tell her Like
all weak natures, when driven to the
wall, he was brutal in his frankness, and
the girls gentle heart was sorely wound
ed. But she gave him his freedom, and
in her sweet womanly way promised al
guish behind the mask of indifference 80
we'll that he, poor shallow fool, was dis
pleased, forsooth, that she took it so
calmly.
New Years morning dawned bright and
fair and Jim Margrave, finding time lag
ging heavily on his hands, determined to
go out to Bonaventure and visit the fam
lily vault where many brave men and
beautiful women of his name had been
laid to rest. Old memories woke within
his breast as he walked down the dim
aisles, with their graceful festoons OF
hanging moss. He tried to call up visions
| of the wealth and power that awaited