The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-12-22
True to Her Ideal

A BURST of laughter arose from the
IA group of girls.
You don't mean it, do you, Mar
garet? You really don't mean that
you'd be satisfied with love in a cot
tage?"
YES" she answered, persistently,
and with more seriousness than usual.
II don't believe in marrying for money
or position. believe in marrying for
love, and I'd a great deal rather live
in cottage with the one man in the
world that cared for, than to live in q
Partisan hotel with anyone else!"
'Ha, ha! Love in cottage! That
would be altogether too romantic for
mel" laughed one of the girls.
I'D call that romance with the paint
scratched off," said another.
The above bit of conversation took
place one summer afternoon in 1876.
Just two years later Margaret found
herself ensconced in tiny home just
such as she had always said would
make her happy. 1t was the vericst bit
of a place-almost a dolls house in
the center of little village where her
husband, young physician, had just
opened an office. Their wedding pres
ents had almost furnished the house,
and the few hundred dollars that DIR.
Duval had left from his college course.
had completed it. He still owned his
horse and phaeton that he had driven
during his senior year-otherwise he
had nothing.
At first their life was as sweet as
the strains of love song. Practice
came slowly, for the clientele of a
young physician always consists OF in
curables and patients who cannot pay
but then, they had managed to live.
for each had owned several pieces OF
valuable jewelry. These had been
pawned to friends, or sold, one at
Internationally perhaps, yet cheer
fully-for Margaret always said: IF
we can only manage to stay here long
enough, practice will come, and we can
afford to part with these things now.
After all they are of little value" and
then she would Irvine lock of his
hair gently through her fingers. look
into his eyes with the sweet confidence
that only true love can express, and
press a gentle kiss upon his brow.
Such love is priceless, and they were
very happy, for awhile.
But a time came when money was
needed, and there were no patients with
credit to collect from, and there were
no Jewels. The larder was filed with
produce that the farmers brought in
payment for their bills, but there were
other things, such as clothes and house
rent, that required money, and for
weeks the family purse had been
empty. The clouds had been gather
ing for so long that heavy gloom had
crept slowly but successfully into the
little cottage; but one day il suddenly
cleared, for letter came that seemed
like special dispensation of kindness
from Fate. 1t contained commission
for Dr. Girard Duval as physician on
board the steamer -, plying between
Melbourne, Australia, and Hong Kong.
Margaret's eyes were blurred with
tears as she read it, for she said, APP
pealingly: You know, Girard, that
this means our separation"
.'Yes, but only for little while, dear,
and it also means 800 per month be-
side my expenses. | can afford to send
you $50 or Sis of it every month. and
it will be big improvement on starv-
ing along as we have done so long,"
"But the climate is bad, and suppose
it should ruin your health, or, worse
than that-if-" but she could not fin
ish the sentence.
I'm that case. you know, Margaret
you would be provided for; my life in.
surance would take care Of you.'
Within week the furniture had been
sold; Margaret had gone home to spend
few weeks with her family before
making permanent arrangements for
herself during the two years that he1
husband had planned to stay away. Ii
that time. be argued, something wonlc
turn up that would enable him to take
her with him, or to bring them together
again in some way.
OF course the parting was hard, but
Margaret suffered keenest. for while
her self-sacriticing. womanly spirit
could love. with the saw-tooihed whir
of poverty bnzzing in her ear. threat.
ening any moment to cut off her exist
ence. 1t was not so with her husband
Girard had spent his money iavishly
in college. depending on his diploma
to pull him through afterwards. but the
intermediate Stage IF starting be had