Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-07-13
"GREATER LOVE-"

ohioW Aio hIoAoy au oHo Ieeb VI all lnSlg-
nificant and penniless girl, others that he
ought to be ashamed of himself to lead a
young girl to bind herself to an old man
for life, knowing it must be for his money
alone.
Every one seemed to think money"
the leading factor in the case, and possibly
DR.. John himself attached rather more
important 20 to it thar he should have done.
For many years Eleanor Dene had been
q poor patient of the doctor and accustom-
ed to look to him as her only friend. When
he first knew her, she was a miserable lit
tie half starved nursery governess. Then,
when her constitution failed to bear the
strain of overwork and undertaking, it
was through his help that she obtained
the management of the "ladies' column
on a provincial paper. Such work is not
Overremunorative, and tire struggle to
"make both ends meet on an altogether
insufficient income had for a long while
past excited the old doctors admiration
and pity. He had tried in many different
sly ways to help her, but her indomitable
pride made this a difficult task.
Now, DR.. John Adams was a clever
man, but he was altogether blind to the
fact that while he respected and sorrowed
for Eleanor from the bottom of his heart,
her quiet, Unconditional soul had been
reused to such a pitch of reyerential love
for him as she would have found 1t impos.
sible to entertain for a younger man.
That she should be SO honored as to be
chosen for the wife of this adored hero
was an idea which bordered on the sacri-
legious. But when the matter was put
to her as he put it such a marriage be-
came not only a dream Of happiness but a
dear and holy duty.
On a certain day DR.. Adams had been
led to consult a specialist On his own be-
half. The verdict he received (Which but
served to confirm what had long been his
own suspicions), terrible though it would
have seemed to most men, was met with
calm f%ortitude.
Though not an old man, he felt that his
book of life had been such a full volume,
SO crammed with incident that he could
not complain If it was not spun out to the
length of the conventional three volume,
whereof the greater part is mere pad.
ding" Thus, when he was told that the
final chapter would be closed after not
more than another two years, he was able
to review the situation with equanimity,
and to set about "making the best Of
those two years.
Now, to '!make the best of DR.. Johns
time meant always the "best'' for other
people, not for himself. If it happened in
this case that the "best" for Eleanor Dene
meant also the "best'' for him he almost
felt there must be something wrong some.
where.
However, mature consideration having
convinced him that what Eleanor Dene
needed was money, rest and care, and past
attempts having shown him that no ordi.
nary means would induce that obstinate
young woman to accept any Of these bene-
fits, he at last resolved on the desperate
expedient of asking her to marry him-his
only qualm in the matter arising from
the fact that 1T was just what he wanted
most in the world.
What surprised people most was the fact
of John Adams known disapproval OF
marriages where there was considerable
disparity of age between the contracting
parti IS, for he had not considered it neces.
sary to inform the world that life for him
had suddenly diminished to a two years
lease.
But he told Eleanor. For a few mo-
ments he could almost fancy he was a
young man again, and dare risk her an.
swer on other grounds than those of graft.
tude and pity. But folly has its limits,
and old John Adams was not the man to
earn a snubbing with his eyes open. $50,
you see, my dear" he said, "it would be a
great charity on your part If you would
come and take care of a poor old man
just for two years."
When the process Of taking care of tho
old man was in full force, he began to
view with less calmness the prospect of it's
short duration and to turn his attention
specially to that branch of his. profession
which dealt with the disease from which
he suffered. 1t seemed to him a fitting
thing to devote these last months to the
search for some yet undiscovered treat
ment which might, If commenced early
enough, rob such cases as his owl of some
of their hopelessness.
When ono Of the precious years had
flown, he began to see dim CLEANS Of that
he sought, and after awhile, experiment.
ing on himself, he grew vaguely conscious
of a half formed hope that perhaps it was
not too late. With renewed vigor he
pressed forward till, as his once allotted
time drew near it's close, he felt that he
had been successful beyond his widest
hopes; that, slough he could never recov.
or, another ten years of life seemed no i'm
possibility, and what a life! The last two
years would have been one dear dream of
peace but for this awful shadow, but ten
years was practically an indefinite time.
Then came the vision Of his patient young
wife, and the loving care she had bestowed
upon him. What argument had he used
to urge her to tie her young life to hisp
What but the assurance of an honorable
man that he could not live longer than
doubtful? All praise to that sweet soul
whose grateful devotion to an old man
had changed that doubt to certainty.
Should he repay her nobleness by DOOM
ing her to waste the best years Of her life
as an old mans nurse-perhaps soon q
querulous old man for whom she would
not be able to feel even the gentle admira-
tion to which he was accustomed? No, he
would keep his word! She had played
her part nobly. He would perform his.
People spoke with surprise of the crush
ing effect the loss of her ''poor old hus.
band" had on Mrs. Adams. "What did a
young oma expect when she married
an old man for his money! She had got
that, and certainly she had nursed and
tended him with great patiencel''-Temple
Magazine.
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