Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-05-23
Cobb's Love Story.
. oRNWALLIs COBB-Corn Cobb,

~ aSSOciateS-WaS undoubtedly
more ludicrous than elegant name.
katherine never knew why he should
be so burdened, except that CORVALLIS
was an old family name, las though
that were any reason she once re-
marked, Indignantly, Ito mark man
through life"
She remembered wildly when she
had considered it the most ridiculous
name in the world, but somehow to-
day, as she thought of tall, handsome
man she had met on Regent street, IN
the morning, the absurd side did not
appeal to her so strongly.
Before that chance meeting 1t had
been four years since she had seen him
in small town in New Jersey, where,
after leaving Princeton, he had laid his
heart and worldly goods at her feet.
In the interval the Cobb exchequer
had been materially increased through
the death of near relation. Cornwall
lis, tall and ungainly in those days,
smarting under katherine's ungracious
refusal, shook the dust of his native
town from his feet, and sailed to Ger
many to study.
For the first time, In looking back
over the episode, Katherine realized
how disdainful had been her refusal.
When pressed for a reason, she had
replied with unblushing candor that
she never could care for man whose
name was Corn Cobb, no matter what
merits he possessed.
But that morning, when he had al
most stumbled over her in depressing
London fog, he seemed to feel nothing
but the utmost pleasure in the unex-
pected meeting.
In a delicate way he drew from her
the account Of her fathers death and
the necessity now laid upon her of
earning her own living, all of which
was news to him. Her voice and pow
ers of mimicry she told him were her
only gifts, and on the advice of a
friend who had lived abroad she had
come to London and found employment
in singing coon songs in the drawing
rooms of people of wealth and title.
Katherine Whitney had come to Lon
don six months before with eager re-
lief, to escape the poverty which faced
her in her own country, but though
well received, she never forgot her po-
sition; she was hired at SO much to
entertain my lady's guests and when
that was over they had no further use
for her.
In former days she had looked upon
the Cobbs with amused tolerance at
their lavish display, feeling an Unborn
sense of pride that though poor, she
was a Whitney. and one of her ances-
tors had signed the Declaration of In
dependence.
From childhood she had hated power
ty; it meant to her a cramped, narrow
life; desires that could not be fulfilled.
Generosities that could not be graft
fed, and yet when way of escape
had presented itself in the person of
CORVALLIS Cobb. she had decided that
there could perhaps be more distasteful
experiences than poverty.
That night Katherine amused herself
by reading the society news in the
Queen. The high-sounding titles inter
cStcd her and beguiled the time, for
She made few friends in London and
found people not eager to welcome a
stranger.
suddenly among the names that met
her eye. she saw one that she recog-
niZed-it was CORVALLIS Cobb. The
itcm read: Mr.. CORVALLIS Cobb. one
of Americas young millionaires, is be-
ing entertained by Lady Henry Clay
horne. at Clayborne manor, Yorkshire.
Rumor has it that marriage has been
arranged between Mr.. Cobb and Lady
Clayborncs eldest daughter, Lady
Marian Clayborne."
katherine could not help a regretful
feeling. 1t was like finding friend
and then losing him suddenly. Lady
Clayborne was evidently not averse to
the name Of Cobb, and katherine
laughed little to herself at her former
feeling of coudescension to the Cobbs.
1t was nearly ten days before Cobb
called, as he had promised When day
by day passed without any sign from
him Katherine was conscious of a dis
tinct sense of disappointment. and she
concluded his other social duties had
made him forget her.
But one morning there arrived a big
bunch of yiolets. The maid who
brought them to her was overcome by
the size.
Laws. Miss" she exclaimed. with
delight. they must have cost 'eap"
That evening Cobb called. and ex-
planned that he had been summoned
to Paris suddenly the day after he had
last seen her, and had just come back |
1t was wonderful how many things |
they had to talk about as they sat there |
in the shabby little back drawing room. |
katherine seemed to forget. she had |
never shown him so much of herself |
before, it was so natural to be talking |
to him about things that interested her |
most.
1t was fortnight later that she was |
engaged TO sing at Lady Leeland's re-
ception. Her head ached, and her eyes |
We're dazzled by the blaze of lights and !
Jewels,