The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-22
An Old Maids Love Story.

Why. my dear little girl. what are
you looking so sa about? And, yes.
there are tears In your eyes. too. Now,
who would ever suspect bright. cheerful
Rosamond Ellsworth Of being capable OF
looking so mournful?''
20, auntie, dear, please do not make
| fun Of me: you don't know how badly I
feel II" and with a great sigh
Rosamond covered her face with both her
hands and sobbed as IL her heart would
break
Aunt Edna was at first terrified. She
had never known her niece to act in
| such a manner. but II was only for a
moment, as soon a faint smile passed
over her countenance, and. crossing to
where her niece was sitting, she drew
her affectionately towards her and said:
'Rosamonld, ma dear, do you think 1
have been blind to what has been going
on since you came here from your happy
little home in Irvington to enter society
and taste Its 'sweetsHand bitters?
You are disappointed in Ralph Foster;
you find he is but a man, after all. My
dear child! What did you expect? You
met this man, and, though you did not
say the words, your eyes looked elo-
quent enough TO speak them for you.
''You are but an unframed country girl
after all, my dear, and Ralph Foster IL
a man Of the world.
You pleased him; you were sort Of q
novelty to him. and in your simple, ear
nest way, TOUGHEST his weakest point his
vanity.
you must not fancy that you are the
only woman whose heart has been made
plaything. to whom life will taste of
nothing but Dead Sea fruit. No. my dear,
woman has been the weaker vessel ever
since creation. and will continue as such
so long as men find such willing cap
tives as you. my dear l know too well
of what l speak. I have not escaped.
when I was your age, Rosamond.
loved deeply. devoutly, man who was
not my equal, so far as money went,
but you know love levels all rank and
We were soon betrothed.
MY parents objected and threatened
to disinherit me II I dared to oppose
them. loved him, and was willing to
forfeit all. Soon IL became noised abroad
that Edna Waverly had opposed the wish
es OF her parents and had been disinher-
tied.
Then came the time for my hero to
prove how much he cared for me. He
wrote me a cold brief letter. in which
he said he was far too proud a man to
we'd in opposition to the wishes of my
family. He hoped / would be happier
with another, was much grieved, and
signed himself Sincerely mine
Such was the man to whom had given
my love, for whom I had set the life
long devotion OF my fond parents aside.
I sent back his letter without q remark
Soon after my parents died and left
me mistress OF their large estates. Then
1 went abroad, seeking to dull the pain
about my heart by change OF scene and
new acquaintance.
One day, while visiting one of the art
galleries of Paris, l met the man I once
adored. He dared to speak TO me and
begged me to take him to my heart
again. now that death had broken down
the barriers.
II sent him cringing from me, saying
that 1 never wished to>look upon his face
again, and I never have.
Such is my love story, Rosamond. I
have but you in this great, lonesome
world. and 1 am going to take good care
that your life win not be ruined by a
man who is unworthy of you. as mine has
been.
7 expect you win wear your heart on
your sleeve, and that the world will
seem dark and dismal to you, but IL will
only last, well, possibly a month, and in
the meantime I shall prove TO you. my
dear, that despite the charm of faces in
this great game OF life, hearts alone
lead.
will you agree to help me, dear? Then
look up and smile, and be your own
sweet self again. You will be happy yet,
my dear, for you are young, and life is
all before you. and you shall profit by
an old maids love story."-Boston Post.