Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-07-21
The Flttest Survives
BY ]. II. CONNOLLY.

BY j.. H. CONNOLLY.
II noticed it when we came in" as
sented Chester, looking about him in
quiringly and shifting, "but it seems
to be going off. There isn't much of
IL now
He spoke with an easy, nonchalant
air, but knew that it was his dress
coat and not the plush which had
given offense to her sensitive olfac-
tories, and it made his very marrow
cold to think of her discovering the
truth. What would she say If she
learned that the man she was en-
gagged TO marry had to wear a hired
coat?
Luckily the appearance of some ri
val beauty claimed her attention.
Then the curtain went up, and by the
time the first act was over she
though of the odor no more.
With the exception of that one UNI
pleasant incident, the evening was so
thoroughly enjoyable that Chester for
the time being forgot his troubles and
was happy in the delusive paradise of
of hope. The music was magnificent,
but he did not pay much attention to
it, further than to vaguely feel its
harmony with his inmost state of be-
ing, which, thanks to Idma's tender
ness, was one of exultant JOY. From
behind her fan she shot looks of love
at him in response to the passionate
whispers he uttered during the or
chestra's most violent endeavors. One
of her hands, beneath the friendly
~concealment of a wrap, from time to
ftxnn 900 ALn a.lAaA .agGR1 ha
bestowed upon it. In short, she was
as loving as she was beautiful.
When they were riding homcward,
she reminded him of her birthday
party to be given q week later, and
babe him be sure and come. 1t would
be, she said, little more than an in
formal family gathering, but could
not be complete to her without him.
From that invitation his hope drew a
most favorable augury, though the
idea upon which it was based was lit
tie warranted. Why, he said to him
self should she hay mentioned it as
more "a family gathering" than any
thing else had she not intended to
~delicately convey an intimation that
her stern father was relaxing his OPP
position to their happiness?
CHAPTER NJ.
Chester SewalTs sessions with him
self as n committee on Ways and
means grew long and anxious. OF
course attendance at Irma's birthday
party was imperatively necessary.
She would never forgive him if he alb
scented himself upon that occasion.
And it was possible, if not exactly
,,nlnl1o 4I,4 - -..,1A L., 4ha t,m,
ing point in his fortunes. Suppose
her sordid father, in the expansion of
feeling naturally to be expected upon
such an anniversary, should say:
"Bless you, my children. Your love
has conquered my pride. Marry and
be happy"
But that difficulty about a dress
Goa presented itself anew. He could
not dare to risk hiring one again and
perhaps go about all evening smelling
as if he had been cleaned with the
stuff they put in lamps. If Trina
should get one sniff of that odor,
identify it with him and guess at the.
reason for it's presence, she might be
capable of r%enouncing him forever.
Yet the more he contemplated his
own as nm alternative the more shah
by it appeared TO him. Would it be a
judicious investment under the cir
cumstances for him to buy a new
one? The slenderness of his resources
compelled him to decide against it.
Why not wear Johns? 1t was new,
an elegant garment. One nights wear
would not harm il. John would GER
tainly not refuse to lend il if he were
at home. and indeed need never know
that it had been borrowed. If it
would fit He took il out of Johns
wardrobe and tried it on. 1t fitted as
II Il had been made for him. Lottie
Belrden said that when he had it on
there was not a better looking wax
figure in the Eden Musee." He
wished, by the way, she would not
make remarks like that. 1t was so
difficult for him to determine some
times whether they were meant TO be
sarcastic or not.
The coat difficulty thus disposed of,
another, which at first threatened to
be yet more serious, presented itself.
He would be expected to make n pres
ent to Irma on the suspicious oc-
%casicn, one worthy of her and of the
position he assumed as her afiianced
husband. Very gladly, indeed, would
he have given to her diamonds as big
as pumpkins or pailfuls of pearls if he
could, but wen n decent bouquet
would have made a serious draft
on his resources, and he feared
that bouquets were hardly up to the
OCCASION anyway. To buy such a piece
of jewelry as he would care to offer
would bankrupt him.
After long cogitation he brought
out of his trunk n little box, envel-
oped and sealed as it was when it
came into his possession. In faded ink
upon the paper Unfolding it were the
words written in n tremulous hand,
For my SON.
His eyes were dimmed for n mo-
ment, as he tenderly folded the paper
and laid it aside. Surely, he thought,
if mother could know she would not
disapprove what he was about to do
in his extremity. She, too, would
have loved Irma had she known her.
The box contained a number of
pieces of jewelry, rings, earrings,
brooches and bracelets, all old fash
Toned and generally of no great value.
Mrs. Sewall had cared little for orna-
ment, and her additions to the ac-
emulation were those of least worth
financially, though the only ones that
had any sacredness of association in
the mind of her son.. Some of the an
tique pieces, that had long been heir
looms in the family. which were much
valuable than Chester imagined, but
they were few. One of these he Sc
lected for his present to Trina. 1t was
a nautilus wrought in gold and
enamel, with a setting of one splendid
ruby, exquisite in design and superb
in execution. He chose it simply be-
cause of its artistic beauty, thinking
nothing more of the big ruby than
IL !. a -I--I-l-