Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-07-31
\ LICE FRAZIER was % years of age

~ when she married Silas Hopkins;
she was ~ when he died, leaving her
sole heir to all his wealth. Strictly
speaking. it would be more correct to
say that he had married her; she had
small volition in the matter.
1t had never occurred to her to re.
gard Mr.. Hopkins as possible sutton
Almost as old as her father, his hair
nearly as gray, he had been the ia
miliar friend of the family ever since
she could remember. AS a. child she
sat on his knee, and he brought her
toys and candy; as young lady he
kept her supplied with flowers and
matinee tickets.
The Fraziers were we'll off enough
to have all the necessaries and many
of the luxuries of life, but they could
not afford superfluities. Mr.. Frazier
was director of the Bull Dog Security
bank, in which also his moderate for
tune was invested; having implicit
confidence in the bank, he had not hes
itated to trust all his eggs therein.
1t was the old story of bank pres
ident and treasurer specializing with
the money of the depositors, and when
the consequent crash came Mr.. Frazier
was overwhelmed, not only because
of his personal loss, but by a crushing
sense of responsibility for the losses
sustained by others. He argued that
as director lie should have detected
and prevented dishonesty before it en-
tailed ruin.
This was why the shock killed him;
not instantly, since he fingered for
days afterwards, but the news
brought on a paralytc stroke from
which he never entirely rallied.
Alice was away, visiting wealthy
relative at a fashionable seaside re-
sort, when the calamity befell. 1t was
Mr.. Hopkins who sent the dispatch an
nounclng her fathers illness; Mr.. Hop
kins who with his coupe met her at
the railway station when she hurried
home.
Alice found her father tormented by
anxiety, which amounted to anguish,
about his wife and daughter. His life
was insured for a trifing sum, so
small that it was impossible they
could live on it even after his death:
meanwhile he was4helpless and bank
rupt.
Then it was that Mr.. Hopkins asked
Alice to be his wife, saying, simply.
that he had loved her for years, but
never thought to tell her so. Now he
ventured to beg that in her time of
need she would give him the right to
provide for her and hers. And, with
out waiting for Alice to answer, he as
sured her father that to do so, would
be the greatest .happiness which he
could ask.
Oh, the look of ineffable relief which
came into the face of the dying man!
He did not ask if his daughter were
willing but, ~bracing himself to- final
effort, took her hand and laid it in that
of his friend. God bless you both"
he murmured, and then, with a smile
on his lips, went out into the Great
Hereafter.
After this it was more than ever Mr..
Hopkins who did everything. Alice
I. felt herself bound hand and foot: al
though the bonds were of softest silk,
they were strong as steel.
How could she tell them about Dick?
Dick, who loved her, and whom she
loved dearly, but who had nothing but
his youth and strength, his manly
beauty and his pay. as ensign in the
United States navy? Dick, for whom
she had promised to wait lifetime, if
need be, and who had sailed away on
three-years' cruise the day, before
Mr.. Hopkins telegram came.
There was naval station near the
watering place where Alice was visit
ing, and the officers of the man-o'-war
in port were coming and going contin-
ually. AS one of the prettiest girls at
the Cape, Alice had been one of the
bellies of the season. She and Richard
Harvie had fallen in love with each
other, after the inconsequent manner
of young things who take no thought
of the future. They had settled it that
they. were to be married when Dick cot
his "step;" meanwhile he was to per-
form prodigies of valor, and it would
be happiness to be engaged.
There were moments when Alice felt
impelled to tell Mr.. Hopkins the story
and throwsherseH upon his magnanim
ity, which she felt sure would not fail:
but refrained for the sake of her
mother. Crushed,and broken-hearted.
Mrs. Frazier had but one joysleft, the
satisf faction: which she took in, her
daughters engagement, to Mr. Hop
kins.st When it came to the point, Alice
telt that she m must suffer anything
rather than deprive her of that.
She wrote to Dick and waited fever
lshly for an answer, her letter being
scarcely more than an incoherent ap-
peal for advice. Weeks passed, bring
ing no>reply, and Alice bethought her,
self bitterly that it had been general
ly understood at the Cape that Miss
Frazier was the only child of .well-to-
do parents. &C.,
She let Mr.. Hopkins and her mother
nix the wedding day, and resigned her.
self to the inevitable. It was on her
maYriag &c morn that the expected let
ter came: I'll, rs. .=,.. E
en- deeply grieved: to hear Of your , loss d.
v and sympathtze with you and your mother.
In Justice to yourself, since you ask nv
counsel. = must advise you to accept your.
wealthy sutton; a poor devil like me can
not expect to count. %
May you have all the happiness you de-
serve. * 81 Il Il (. & s.
Sine rely yours H. Il !. q
b i. = IS, 81 14ARY1E ''I 81
Alice read the note twice, seeing
only the sarcasm, and not the pafnN be-,