The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-30
n Modern Deilah
By MRS. MOSES P. HANDY

est prize in the matrimonial market, a
J man who, old enough TO ne her father,
was yet young enough to be madly in
| love with her. Her mother, struggling
| to make both ends meet with the mar
| row pension Of a United States army
| captains widow, and coVeting wealth and
| luxury for her beautiful daughter, was
| feverishly anxious for the match. She
| found Elvira less ductile than usual
| Among her admirers was one for whom
| the girl showed a more decided fancy
| than her mother liked. This was a young
man, well bred, well born, but as poor
as a church mouse. He was a clerk
| in a lawyers office, with a small salary,
| and he had, moreover, an invalid mother
| partly dependent upon him for support
| Marriage with anyone but an heiress
was for him an impossibility, yet he had
chosen as the special object or his at
tentions the only one of the seasons
debutantes who had not a dollar to her
dot. 1t required all Mrs. Hills talent
to keep young Norris in check and out
| of Mr.. Westons way. Fortunately for
her schemes, the older man took her
into his confidence, and she managed
| him skillfully.
Give the child time" she pleaded, "she
| is only a child in many things, while so
mature in others. This is her first season.
let her have ner fling before she settles
| down. Besides, she is SO unworIdly that
| she does not know how to appreciate the
advantages you offer her" Which was
| lie, and Mrs. Hill knew it. Ellie valued
wealth and coveted it, had Dick Norris
not been a factor in the equation, Mr.
Weston would have found her a willing
bride. AS it was Mrs. Hill was at her
wits end. She had no fears of mar
| rage between the two young people; what
she dreaded was an engagement which,
hopeless though 1t was, would spoil Ell
vira's chances Of a good establishment.
She reviewed the situation and remember
ed the words of another chaperon, spoken
the evening before, when Elvira was
Waiting with Dick. Young Norris is
such a fine fellow, it is a pity he has no
money. He is a model SOM my husband
says he is the stuff of which heroes are
made And Mrs. Hill wondered whether
she might not call his unselfshness to her
aid.
1t seemed almost a special Providence
when, the next day, Elvira was invited
to join the house party on one of the lakes
for the Christmas holidays, a house party
in which neither Dick Norris nor Mr.
Weston was included. Mrs. Hill was
glad, also, that she herself was not among
the chosen chaperons. She had conf
dence in the elect and she felt that she
needed a breathing spell.
You will have lovely time" she told
Elvira, and she unearthed an old costume
made from Indian blankets which she had
worn one winter in the Dakota hills, and
which was too bizarre for the city, but
just the thing for the woods, and set off
the girls beauty to perfection.
1t was another move or the chessboard
of fate that Dick Norris, wishing to do
the polite thing, called one evening to see
Mrs. Hill She received him cordially.
+ s'I have spoiled the dear child, and I
am wretched about her future. The doc
tors say have heart disease. 1 may live
years, but may die any time. My little
income dies with me, and then what will