The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-10
HER TRIUMPH


ons year before Cora Testers fathsr had
died. having his children orphaned and al.
most friendless. He had been accounted a
wealthy man. His honse on the boulevard
had been marvel Of almost barbario mag.
nificenoe. But after his death the knowl-
edge came to his children that the only
heritage their father left them was that Of
bitter poverty. Their only relative, an IN
Gle, because Of former enmity with his
brother refused to aid them.
So, with childish pride, taking the small
portion remaining to them, they went into
the world alone. But slowly their slender
purse grew lighter and lighter and would
have totally collapsed were it not that Max
Marsden came forward with kindly offers
of assistance He was only struggling,
unsuccessful journalist. but he was an old
friend Of the family, and they looked up to
him and trusted him accordingly.
Many the little comfort which found its
way from his hands to this upper story
room. Cora got work painting porcelain
for city house. Often after Offering to
deliver it she would cry out in surprise at
the ample pay her friend brought back.
They had q customer who was willing
to pay good price for suitable work, "
Max would answer grayely.
That night they went to the opera, and
on the way homo Cora exclaimed:
II did not know how dearly I loved
Verdi. i shall never hear a bar of his mn
sic without recalling my first opera, Max
without remembering you"
You will not forget meP / am glad of
that. am going to test your promise
sooner than you think, dear am going
away tonight"
Going away"
The young voice was sharp with quick,
constrained pain new to it.
Yes l have obtained on trial the DO
sition l went to New York to procure I
sail for England on Tuesday And now
here is piece of good news to counteract
the othor. went to sec your uncle today
and had q long talk with him. He is not
such a grim, hard man as they say. He is
very lonely, old and childish. He promises
all luxury, all kindness, If you will both
go to him and be as his own children.
Seeing him asI do with unprejudiced eyes,
think he regrets his past heartless con-
duct"
"Dut Max"-
My child, know all you would say,
but Cedric is not strong enough to work,
and l cannot go away leaving you SO lone
" and helpless. Besides it is not wholly
dependence. In his hands is some money
OF his fathers on which you have morally
claim. Believe me, it is for the best.
He went into the house and shook hands
with Cedric Then he stopped to Cora and
reverently touched her forehead with beard
ed lips A moment more, and the great
shabby figure had burst out of the room
and was striding rapidly away under the
blue, star studded sky.
She stood and watched him out of sight
with eyes growing strangely dim. Once he
paused and looked backward. She was
still standing there, q slim, dark figure
against that patch of light.
ooh, my love, God bless your ho whis-
percd TREMENDOUSLY.
Five years later. The curtain at the |
Grand Opera House in Paris rose on as |
fine an audience us had ever assembled |
within its walls In one of the boxes on |
the grand tier sat three gentlemen. One, |
a tall, bronZcd, soldiorly man, noticing |
many glasses being lcyelcd at an opposite |
box, lifted his lorgnettc and looked across |
the stage.
A lady with a little cotorie of admirers
had just entered. She wore some soft,
silken dress, all aquamarinc and silver.
There were water lilies IN the golden hair |
and cmeralds on the white neck. A child
lSh face for all its pride and that peculiar
roisc Of the head; "a face with luminous
blue eyes, snowy, stately throat and ,
checks just dashed with roses.
''Who is shCf" Max Marsden questioned
MA foir' cried q yvacious little
Frcnchmun. "You do not know? She is
u colnpatriot Of y0urs-la belle Ameri-
caine. Her name is LCstcr-Mlle. Lester"
"Ah" And then, after a pause "Who
Is that gentleman leaning over her chair"
"Ah, that is Savagncau, answered a
member of the American legation, "thc
Comic dc Sayugneau. He is heir to half
a dozen princcly estates and is madrmoi-
sOllc's devoted slave. But she will have
none of him. She is Il beauty and in heir
oss, and half Paris is mad about her, hut
ono might as well adore statue. No
mari lc is colder than she. "
Max Marsden, the celebrated journalist,
the literary lion Of the day, locked with
keen eyes across to that dainty vision with
water lilies in her hair.
During the last act sho arose and gath
arcd her rich wrap around her.
Half an hour later Max Marsden stood
in her hotel.
when Mile. Lester arrives, say that an
Did friend Graves a moments audience"
MadcmolsClic, trailing her shvcny silks
md laccs along the corridor paused in
lmazCmcnt ut the message Then sh.
lowed wcariy and passed on to the gran,l
salon.
Maxi she cried. MAXI
Her face was transligurcd She held out
10Th hands in her old, frank, fearless way.
He caught them tightly in his own. All
us soul was in his eyes as he looked on
he lovely lifted face. Just ono glance,
md over brow and check and white threat
famed rich color.
Cora, still holding her little hands in
lis own and speaking hoarsely, tonight
lAs recalled the other uight-when | left
on for your own sake-bccauso l dared
lot stay. Perhaps the music has made Inc
nad, for l am daring, OH my love to
ring you now tho tribute l could not
lfcr five years ago.
For one moment she was silent. Then
he lifted those truthful eyes of hers.
Max, | think that night my soul
woke, for since then" -ah, me, the wom-
My ShyuCss that CrimsonGd her Cheeks!-
for since then / have been waitipe!p-