The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-04


wise forethought, everything in which
/ had interest as a man of integrity,
as a citizen and enc upon whom high
trusts had been conferred, forbade
supposition so foreign to my nature, so
antagonistic to my conceptions of NOR
al duty. The emoluments of my Off
cial business were ample; the confid-
ence of the community, which i knew
that 1 deserved by strict integrity. was
a sufficient guarantee of faithfulness,
and these were supplemented by my
faith and hope as a Christian
A bachelor until the age of thirty
five, knew not the gentle passion un-
til met Esther Venner at an evening
party. Her sweet face attracted me as
she swept past, leaning on the arm of
her brother. think l must have halt
ell somewhat in the conversation which
I was carrying on with the hostess,
who quietly remarked:
You seem attracted by the beautiful
face of the lady who just walked past
u.s."
II have seldom seen one so fair" I
replied. Indeed, until this moment /
have never had a revelation of true
female loveiness. Every line of that
face is one of beauty, and the express
sion of her eyes gives evidence of pur-
ity, thoughts gentle and tastes refined"
"Hey-day!" softly exclaimed my hos
tess; for a confirmed bachelor you
have suddenly become suspiciously po-
etical. l have long angled for you in
the interest of a protege, but have been
almost driven out of my wits by the
difficulties of the task, for YOU have
always seemed hardened and af-
fiicted with a most unaccountable
strabismus whenever ] attempted to
point out her charms to you. Alas!
for my poor Gertie Graham; in the
face of tie present revelation | pre-
sumo that / must give you up"
but, madam, have / not always eX-
pressed admiration of her figure?"
Yes, o man of figures! j suppose in
the enumeration Of her personal adorn-
ments, you have brought the deductions
of finance to your aid, somewhat in
this manner: Item, one forehead, 1;
two eyes, 3; one nose, 4; one mouth, .;
two ears, Z; eight added to nine, IL
about her age, l think And so have
ended your calculations. Now, it
seems that faces as well as figures can
be studied by you"
True, my dear madam, / will for
give the atrocity of your pun if you will
introduce me TO this beautiful stranger.
But first tell me why l have never
before seen her in society,""
The reason is very simple; because
this is her first appearance in society"
But where has she hidden herself all
these years? For. J think, she cannot
be less than twenty"
Nearer thirty, my friend, but for
the past twelve years she has resided
abroad"
Abroad; anc She returns unmar-
ried!" l exclaimed for [ did not con-
ceive it possible that one so lovely
should not have been captured by q
titled somebody Cr some rich nobody
Yes, unmarried. In a few words
you shall hear her history. At the age
of seventeen Esther Venney was sent
to Berlin to complete her musical edu-
cation. With her want an old aunt to
act as her protector. Two years af-
terward her father failed in business,
and the family became greatly re-
duced in circumstances. The blow was
the more severe in that the aunt's for
tune was swept away in the general
wreck. Preparations We're then made
for their return to America. But what
was she to meet on her return? And
could her musical requirements be
made available to help the family in
their distressed condition? Still, there
seemed no help for it. Something must
be done, and that quickly, for Miss
Venner is a girl of strong will and
most determined character. Their
trunks were packed. tickets were pur-
chased and preparations were made
for departure the succeeding day, when
one OF the professors informed her that
II she desired a position in Vienna he
was commissioned to offer it to her
that of music and English teacher to
two of the young princesses of the
reigning family. The salary would be
ample, the professor said, and the du-
ties not arduous, for the princesses
were known to be very amiable Here
seemed a solution of Ether's difficult
ties, and ii came at a time when she
was disposed to brave everything to
help the sorrow-stricken ones at home.
Would she accept it? Would she not ?
For she is a true American woman,
and all the world knows, or ought to
know, what true American woman
hood is. Esther went to Vienna, and
the aunt Seturned to America. Years
went by; she would not incur the eX-
psnse of a return home, even for a
visit, for she thought her family need
ed all that she could send them, She
was repeatedly offered marriage, but
her answer was always the same-she
would marry none but an American,
and only man whom she could love.
She always supposed that her remit
tances were consumed i'm the family
expenditures; but they were not Every
dollar that she sent home was placed
In bank to her account, until the total
footed up several thousand dollars. A
few months ago Mr.. Venner by advice
of one of the Wall street financiers
whom he had befriended when poor.
purchased certain mining stocks which
were selling at "a low figure Soon af-
terward a discovery was made of i'm
mense riches in the mine whereof Mr..
Venner held stock in his daughters =
name, and the price suddenly jumped
up to an enormous figure. Being a
prudent man, and having been caught
In one nip of fate, he did not wait for
another but at once sold out Today
Esther is rich woman, and she shares
her riches with her parents, to whom
she thinks they justly belong. Ny
statement has been a longer one than
] intended, and + trust it has not been
uninteresting to YOU"
"On the contrary madam, so highly
have I been interested that | again
beg of you the honor of an introduc-
tion to Miss Venner,"
"Then come with me, o man, to your
destiny" So saying, she conducted me
was sitting, and l was duly presented.
BY a graceful movement Miss Ven