Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-09-10
WHAT COUNTS"

SylVla, ne answered, this Is simply
nonsense! refuse to take you seriously. Z"
But, dear, we cannot marry, can we?'
What could we do on 500 year?'
well, :" she answered, with sudden
merry look in her blue eyes, 1--WE might
love on that, you know"
"Precisely-love in cottage, etc. ~
Even in quite nice little housed"
You can't possibly propose
Certainly not. don't. That's exactly
the question. We cannot love one another
in nice little house on 800 a year. There
fore l must marry some one else and live
in palace without love on a million !''
Temple Lewis opened his eyes in amaze.
ment. "Ah," he said after a considerable
pause, "you are all alike, you women.
Money, money-you'd sell your souls for
money!"
II tried to sell it for lovep' she said,
again with little laugh--a sad little
laugh this time-but Temple did not know
in the least what she meant. Women are
always illogical when discussing any seri-
GUS matter. He therefore strobe with
manly strides up and down the room and
frowned and bit his lip. Then at last he
came to standstill and said with really
noble calm, You mean to marry this mil
lionaireP"
The sight of his beautiful, strong face
pale with suppressed indignation--just in
dignation-made the tears creep into her
eyes. what do you suggest, them" she
said.
"Suggest!'' he repeated, with genuine
look of dismay. "What should suggest"
1nn1 I'm telo
tears went back whence they had come.
Sylvia was engaged to the millionaire,
and Temple Lewis was miserable. "He is
co." he reiterated over and over again to
himself and set his teeth. "Who would
have thought that Sylyia'-
Meanwhile Sylvia looked wistfully at
her lover when she met him, so that he
who was old caught the look one day and
knew that the little girl he was to marry
would sacrifice all his millions for that
jackanapes even now if What was that
if? A month passed, and he watched this
evil spirit watched, peered into their souls,
broke his own heart to see the clearer
through the cleft into theirs. Sylvia loved
the jackanapes, the jackanapes loved
Sylvia, and money was the eff, +" not with
Sylvia even, only with the jackanapes.
One morning the millionaire came to Syl.
via, and he said:
"My little girl, have been dreaming,
as old men are wont to dream, q very
pretty golden dream. Well, that's over.
While was asleep dreaming the little girl
that loved was suffering, suffering and
suffering, just that my dream might be
golden. That sort of nonsense wouldn't
do, would it? Now, listen. Jackanapes
has got a post"
"Jackanapes?''
II beg your pardon-Mr. Temple Lewis
"a very good post-a thousand a year to
start with. And now you can marry and
be happy"
"Marry and be happy What do you
"Just that little girl That is how I
love you. Goodby 1t was the prettiest
dream in the world, my dream!" He
stopped down and kissed both her hands,
and she leaned suddenly forward and
looked into his eyes. "You gave him that
post" she said, but he only smiled sadly
and went away.
Temple Lewis found her next day sit
ting in the great, big drawing room alone,
her hands idle in her lap and wondrous
look in her blue eyes, He felt suddenly
shy and could hardly stammer out his sat-
with her, with himself, with the
world in general.
ooh, Sylvia" he said, "you are not 60
ing to marry that man after all, and now
now have such splendid post''
"You will be wanting wife, suppose
in such position.
"Why, yes, Sylvia. l should think So
They expect one to be married, you know"
He sat by her side and took her hand in
his. There followed a little silence. Then
he continued: "Sylyia, now we will be
married at once, won't wep You do really
love meP You did all the time, didn't
your Now that you have sent him away
"Temple!' she said, looking oddly up
at him, ~ did love you, but don t now.
don't love you atall love him.
Loved you'll Why, no. never loved you.
What am saying? Wedid not know what
the word meant. Oh it was mean sort
Of substitute, ours. But now know whath
poor thing this love is which you, who are
young, offer to us. Temple, had read In
books, in SO many, so many books, about
love, and always said to myself: There
Is no such thing. These are poets fancies.
No one in the world loves like that And
heard people say, She loves him; he is
in love with her., and l thought, I sup
pose they love as Temple and love, and
began to see what an honor you were
on me. for all the young men
and every one else seemed to think a poor
girl was privileged whom young men con-
descended to notice."
"Sylvia, what are you sayingp"
ooh, you loved me in your own way no
doubt, but not SO much as you loved your
stubs, your luxuries, your very smart
clothes, your shooting. was low down
in the list of your pleasures. Something
must be forsworn, and was the one you
found easiest to do without" She looked
up at him with no malice IN her look and
laughed, then added, "Spme one else
to do without me too"
"Some one elseS DO you mean that that
scoundrel threw your
"Hush! His motive was different, you
see, and I have asked him to come back,
Temple, the books lid not lie The poets
fancies were not only fancies. All, when
some Of you are as old as he you may have
learned to be as great hearted, and perhaps
# you try very hard as delightful" she
added demurely.
II don't understand anything you say.
have come to ask you to be my wife.
Will you, Sylvan"
He stood before her, young, angry, mas
terful and condescending.
mo, cannot. have promised.
"To marry the millionairep'
"To marry King Cophetua, whom I
ove Yes, Temple You mustn't tell
my one. But love him shamefully. -
Westminster Budget.
Naturally Skeptical.