The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-22
n Freak Of Fdte.,.


From the London Truth
Dicl; Ferrars was a captain in the
guards, and Maisie Challpner was his
iiancce.
when their engagement was an
nounced TO the world at large 1t Gre
ated the proverbial nine days wonder.
for they were about the last people that
anyone would have expected to come
together. The affair was freely dis
cussed at o'clock tea tables. and in
club smoking rooms, and the universal
verdict was that it would prove an ig-
nominious failure. and be off before
three months had passed. But for
once the wiscacrcs We're wrong. When
six months had passed, the affair was
still "on." and preparations for the
wedding were i'm fun swing. Shoulders
were shrugged and heads were shaken
The tide of gossip and scandal flowed
mcrrily, but somehow IT never touched
Maisie. There was something about
her that forbade any active outside In
tcrferenCc H. her private affairs, and
the most hardened scandal monger
lacked courage to approach her on the
subject Of Dicks d"lnquencies, past
and present.
say present" adyissdly, for though
he contemplated mairimony h. did not
contemplate giving up the amusementS
ana associations that belonged of right
t. his bachelor days. Certainly those
aluusnmcntS and associations were less
In evidence than they had been before
his engagement. bat they remained in
the background all the same-and he
Intended them To remain.
Most mon pull NJ q little when they
marry. and pn atnadicr. at any rate.
for time: but Dicl, did not mean t..
Hn meant to go as he had begun. In
short instead of his proposing to re-
Iiruush the aforesaid amusemcnts and
associations that ~ might marry Mai.
sic. he proposed to marry Maisic that
he might not bc obliged to IelinGuish
the amuenmants ana associations. That
is IT," case i'm 4 nutshell.
For he had come to the end of his
tather at last. The patience Of his long
suffering creditors was exhausted, tn"
Jews would have nothing more to say
- him. his signature was . drug in the
money lending market and ruin, alb
solute and complete. stared him in the
face.
In such a desperate strait there We're
only. one was social extinction, i'm
mediate end for all time: the other
was To- marry money. OF two evils
choose the least ami he chose to marry
money.
His choice tell on Maisie. for reasons
that were sufficiently practical.
He proposed ava was accepted;
after which lie proceeded TO play
tha role of devoted lover to
the hest of his ability, and It
was role for which his handsome face
and delightful manners eminently fit
tcd him.
But Maisie know nothing of all this.
She was not ignorant, although she
was innocent, and doubtless she sus-
peCted that Dick, in common with
other men, had sOwu certain amount
of wild oats in his time. but that he
was still asSiduoUsly engaged in SOW
ing them she did not SUSPECT. Dick
knew she did not suspect. and h
devoutly prayed that her suspicious
might not b" aroused. at all events un-
I'll the marriage was an accomplished
fact.
The oddly assorted pair regarded
their engagement and coming marriage
from totally different staudpoints.
Dicks heart was In no way concerned,
and his view Of the case was that of
a selfish, reckless man of the world
MaiSies was that of q true and loving
woman. Hor heart was i'm every way
concerned, for she had given it to Dick.
lie was all the world to her, and as the
golden summer days sped by, sh@
dreamed the dream that comes to nc