Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-09-22

to him, as she lit pheresli cigarette,
the day friend presented him: "Ahi
You are the man who are so much in
love with me? How do you do 2" Civ
ing him a hearty hand-shake like a
man. The sailor, true-hearted fellow
that he was, loved her the more as he
grew to understand and pity her. For
he was right; Olga was fantastic, i'll
brought up, but neither f1irt nor
snob. Feeling, perhaps, the vanity of her
life of pleasure, she judged, and that
severely, her fox-hunting adorers and
her cotillion partners. All desired her,
none esteemed her-not one had made
her an offer of marriage. So she pulled
them up short if they ventured to
speak too closely to her ear in the
whirl of the waltz, or pressed too
long the hand she held out to them en-
camarade.
Julien, sensitive and discerning, dis
covered the secret high-heartedness of
the Thoroughbred" as Olga was
called. He loved her too for her
beauty, of course; and his head would
swim when, at pause in the dance,
the authenticated goddess, with the
black eyes and the tea-rose skin, would
lean on his arm and intoxicate him
with all her starry gaze and violet
breath.
He would marry her-snatch her out
of this poisonous air, and take her to
his own sanity mother, show her
true family-save her! He sometimes
fancied Olga understood his purpose;
as she handed him his glass of Russian
tea, he thought he now and then
caught, deep in her eyes, a gentle light
that seemed to answer to his generous
pity.
Eyes, mademoiselle, my leave is uF
next week. 1 leave Pau tomorrow.
and, after few days with my sister
in Touraine, 1 shall go to Brest; in
year / shall be at sea again"
They were standing in the hotel
writing-room, near the open window
with its palpitating night sky.
"Good-by, then, and bon voyage"
said Olga, in her frank, firm voice.
But you must give me a little keep
sake-that lions claw you wear as a
watch charm-a trophy of an African
lion hunt, didn't you tell me? 1t ap-
pealS TO the Herce anu Tree III LIE, you
know"
Julien took off the charm and put ii
into the girls fingers. Suddenly grasp
ing her hand in both of his, ardently:
"I love you-will you be my wife,"
Olga freed herself. keeping the lions
claw; folding her arms. she looked
straight at him, apparently unmoved.
"No-no-and yet you are the first to
love me and to tell me so in that good
way. That's why refuse YOU"
"Olga!!" cried Julien, in a choked
voice.
Listen to me and 1 will explain.
am not worthy of you-you would be
unhappy with me. You remember
your sisters letter that you said you
had lost? Well, picked it up here and
read it. She replied to the confidence
you had made her of your love for me
"a love had long guessed. Her words
showed me the vastdifference between
a true. simple girl and me. And l saw.
too, what real family is-your family.
Be grateful for the mother you have.
M. de Rhe. I have a mother, too, but
I have been forced to judge her. You
have seen only her ridiculous sides,
but know her better. She would re-
fuse you my hand because you are only
of the gentry and in moderate circum-
stances She has decided that either
l am to make brilliant match--or-
she Will find something else. 1 know