Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-09-02
WON BY 4 TUNE.
BY II. BON ALL.

the twentieth time the girl responded,
but, realizing that the parting was not
an ordinary one, they were 10th to
part even then. Years hence they
might meet again; perhaps never!
}. "And, dearest, you'll remember, it
the recollection Of me ever stands in
your light, you're to forget | existed.
Promise me that"
The girl looked into the earnest
face bending over her, into the depths
of the grave, brown eyes.
81 cannot" she said softly. "More-
over, is it necessary? Is it what you
would do were you in my places"
! Her logic was unanswerable and ne
sighed.
eff you were the only child of some
body next door to g millinaire," she
went on, land your father forbade you
to marry any one who was not wealthy
while you really loved one as poor as
a church mouse, would you give up
without a struggle? Of course you
wouldn't. Mark. You'd wait, and wait,
and hope!"
"But waiting doesn't always bring
wealth" broke in Jermyn, especially
in the musical profession. Why did
my father ever destine me for his own
career?" he added bitterly.
because it's what you're most fitted
for" Elsie Renton replied. Mark dear,
you're going to be a great man.
He waived away her words with a
smile and another kiss.
"You fiatter me, sweetheart" he
said, although it's true my father was
far from being medocrity. He
changed his name on marriage, and
died when I was only five years old.
But his existence really ended, so far
as the world was concerned, when he
forsook his old name, for he never
composed a single thing after"
y Glow strange!" remarked the girl,
wonderingly. "And what terrible ex-
ample to you, dearest"
"You may think so. Of course, I
was too young to know much then, and
never heard how it all happened, for
my mother soon followed my father"
:, "And his name before was-?"
"Wegar-Mark Wegar-one of the
foremost composers of his time!"
"a
A couple of years later Mark Jermyn
was in London. 1t seemed much long
er since ne had parted from Elsie Rem
ton in Paris, where they had been fell
low students at the Conservatorie;
she, for the sake of finishing a must
cal education, he because he had his
future living to consider.
y In Paris the girl had been free from
the hidebound conventionalities Of
home, and her doting parents would
doubtless have been Mortified had they
known she had dared to regard some
one with affection. The two had part
ed; he to work for a name and she to
enter society.
land now he was in London, his fame
having preceded him, and Mark Jer-
myn, the celebrated pianist, was an
nounced to make his debut before the
most critical audience in the world.
Success had not spoilt him, and he
had held Elsies hand in his two years
since; deeply, madly, in love with her
still. Several times she had written
to him, and with her last letter in his
pocket as a talisman he faced the
eager crowd that evening.
{ The performance was success.
Mark Jermyn's reputation was more
than upheld and he quickly became the
Son Of the hour Invitations from the
highest in the land literally showered
upon him, so numerous that they would
have taken years to respond to all,
one of the earliest coming from the
Rentons offering princely fee for a
short recital at forthcoming cat
Home" To this Jermyn stiffly replied
that he only accepted social engage
ments. An answer soon came altering
the tone of the invitation, and day
or two later he found himself about
to meet his loved one once more.
The place was already thronged with
guests when he arrived, but Elsie was
the first to greet him, and as he took
her hand he would have knelt down
there and then and kissed it, had not
decorum forbade. She welcomed him
gayly, and he felt all at once the hap
piest of mortals, for single look sery-
ed to tell him ne held her heart still.
. 'I'm hostess for the moment" she
observed. "Let me take you to moth
err"
He followed her, and little later
was being introduced to Mrs. Renton
y Mr.. Jermyn, mother!"
h The stately lady addressed, looked
up, and as she saw his handsome, clear
cut features, started.
"Mr. Jermyn?--as, yes, of course!
Your appearance seems familiar. But
then, aren't your photographs all over
LondOn?" she asked.
Mark bowed, but guessed by her
tone that she had never seen ais por-
trait.
He sauntered aimlessly about, con-