, 1900-11-13

iOclllN, ne administered the coup
de grace to The foOl. He was thrown
aside with about as much regret as an
old hat is consigned to the ash barrel.
His unfalteriUg devotion, his knightly
reverence, his steadfast love all went
FOR naught. and with hat touch OF
nendishness which makes people de-
Light in hurting those who love them.
she added such stings as only a WON
an can invent. He, being a fool, could
not hate her. As sOon as the reality
proved itself he began to worship an
ideal of her which was enshrined in
his heart. People pitied him some
what, but he did not care for either
their sympathy or their jibes.
Suddenly the town was startled-the
stranger and the woman had eloped,
Not that there was any apparent ne
cessity for an elopement, for the peo-
pie thought it a very desirable match.
But society thought 1t lovely, and so
romantic. for there was an uncle of
the stranger, so rumor said, whose
wrath the stranger could not brave
just yet, on penalty of losing a million
or so dollars. For awhile society
talked. and then, firing of 1t, busted
itself with newer themes-the affairs
of C. r. people. And the fool plodded
aIOu-. silently, uncomplainingly. only
there Was Il tired look in his eyes. and
the lines on his face were deeper, ana
he seemed worn and old.
Gradually the truth came out. The
wealthy stranger was simply a soap
drummer who had been laid off" by
his house for a few months. and who
thought it would be a fine joke to
startlc the natives in the far away
town during his enforced idleness. He
knew II crack-brained youth there
who readily joined in the scheme and
secured for him the necessary intro
auctions. Rumors began to fly thick
and fast, that the young woman and
the erstwhile millionaire We're living
in a far off city and and there had
been no marriage ceremony whatevet.
The fool did not get angry with her.
He heard it; oh yes, some of his
friends o o pains that he should
iAAh'' en- "'S"N u b"N AZ -
for her. The old love had given way
to pity; he knew just now she had
been duped and was afterwards power
less to return home. from whence she
would have been cast out, and still
more powerless to compel the man
who had deceived her to make repara-
ton.
nna Ia,r tho food gn a iAttnr Il a or
from d city in the far off West. 1t was
a miserable, tear-stained scrawl from
her. The end had come. She was
alOne-deserted. She vas sick and sad
and penniless. She begged the fool for
II line of forgiveness, for she could
not die without it, and die she would.
for the disgrace, the shame. the self
contempt We're more han she could
stand-she had resolved to end it all.
Her letter was a long one. She did not
make excuses, and had nothing to offer
in Exclamation, but she saw the awful
mistake she had made.
The fools month was up that even
ing. He drew his salary and went to
his lonely lodgings. He did not light
the lamp. but sat down in the dark
ness anu silence 10 'hlhN over 'he zen"
uaJs-'hoSe "heh ne had peeh happy.
ne ''"u' '9Lieinoei "e'' "l'sn' an"
| innocent. and taking so much delight
in the plans they laid for their futur.
me- me 'IOu9dHu anu one way" Il"
Which MS near ten"'A9 t"lHeu "ooV'
e'eIS'"'ns Ill tue 'e"S' connected WIZ"
"el.
lneA ne 'nous"' u "e' "S She Wa
anu an inehaple pi'y am lHto MS
SOUL u" ao'ueu 'here' anu her 'It''
what was 1t y oea p'"in pine coH~
anu d Ioi4Ii!' ""uidlheu n'ouH" vi ca!
III 'he Pot'el h''u: me CIT! ciosN
poohleu Tue hout OIL WE'VE o'IIl IL
sat ar" anu 'housnt' "hi'
soo" vac NE me any way : Nv matte
NOV" '"insS "ehI, ne "ouio ""'e NE
|ioHs u 'atis' ine no"is were Oh
o9 'He Cloeh' anu Tue 'ohp-iiNe t''l!
appio","lhs iloihiis was III 'ne az
E'e" me Ci'oNe' oh Tic neai'" ~
IedSeu us 4oieiS SohS' anu 'he lh!E
about the room II over his feet.
n gray dawn at iast oroke '
me wilderness OF chimneys ana roof
and found him with his head piilOwa