Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-11-15
MRS. TR0YER'S
FIRST RECEPTION.
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BY EDGAR TEMPLE FIELD

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BY EDGAR TEMPLE FIELD.
The woman who at 20 marries,
dreamer for love Of his handsome face
seldom believes much In love at 40, IL
she lives that long. Frances Arm
strong was no exception to this rule.
When she married Chester Arm
strong she was of the opiniop that a
straight nose, dreamy eyes and tenor
voice outweighed in desirability ambi.
ton, energy and n bank account, when
partner for life was being considered.
At the end of twenty years of poverty,
disappointment and humiliation she
had acquired the conviction that
5000 q year and a little backbone
would glorify even the most malignant
sQuint.
And. strangely enough, she took 1t
for granted that Margaret would share
her views. Margaret was her daughter
and had inherited her fathers nose and
her mothers decision Of character.
When Armstrong finally closed his
dreamy eyes forever on this world his
widow m0urned him outwardly as de-
Gently. as her limited wardrobe would
permit, and inwardly faced the con-
seriousness that nothing In his life had
become him half SO well as the leay-
ing it.
Poor Armstrong! He never would
have presumed to ask pretty Frances
to share his poverty If she had not so
obviously wanted him to. But, of
course she didn't know that. She had
been a beautiful girl, and in spite Of
her long, soul-wearing struggle with
misfortune was beautiful woman
stlll, which was perhaps the reason
why Judge Troyer Interested himself
in securing for her the small life insur-
ance which Armstrong, by browning
act of carelessness, had jeopardized by
a lapse in payment just at the close Of
bis inefficient life.
The Judge thought 1t was because Of
bis old friendship with her father that
he showed the handsome widow this
and other kindnesses during the year
which followed her husbands death.
What the widow thought no one; knew.
Int she accepted the benefits simply
and gratefully. Judge Troyer's income
was several times five thousand year
and his squint was not aggressive.
When she also accepted the judges
offer of marriage some time later
Frances Armstrong told herself she
was marrying again solely with the
object of giving Margaret the comforts
and advantages her own girlhood had
conspicuously lacked. We are SO much
less scrupulous about being honest
with ourselves than we are with other
people.
Margaret herself accepted the situa-
tion with an Indifferent acquiescence
her mother Mt once resented and adj
mired. Was it possible, she asked her
self, that after eighteen years Of snubs
and shabby gowns and scanty meals
the girl did not really appreciate the
home and position she was giving her?
There was no question about her own
nent OF the mansion of which
nple little marriage ceremony at
hboring chapel made her the mis-
.ow she expanded and glowed in the
iosphere of luxury with which she
nd herself surrounded! After all, it
her native element. Her fore
"s had been colonial planters, and
well fitted to adorn, her new
Every fiber Of her being
With the consciousness that
come into her own at last
eret, watching her curiously,
she received her guests with
;e air of queen holding a.
room. She was very tender
lrgaret. The one real affection
had survived the shocks and
s of her hard life in Frances
he'rt was lavlshed on this
laughter. She would do
Or her in the rich, new life
pening out SO splendidly be-
10th. Margaret should new
he notifications and hard
had been her own portion.
sang as she planned the
daughter were address
to large reception
g judges wife was to re-
y extensive social oblig-
heir first difference oc-
shall send card to
had said.
taI