River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-10-22
Invincible Cupid
BY
M. r. RITTENHOUSE
Copyright. 1903. By Daily story Pub. Co,


and pity.
NO" agreed Joan meekly, Il am not,
but it isn't altogether my fault. I've had
to obey my aunt ever since can re-
member. It's not so easy to assert your
sell when you've been ruled all your
life. don't believe you would have
the courage to make stand against
Aunt Amanda"
Marion's eyes flashed. "Fcrty Aunt
Amanda's couldn't make me give up
the man I loved" she declared, ana
marry old Jay Spencer"
"He is horrid / don't want TO marry
him" uuayered Joan, "but what can
do?"
Have you written to Neil about it,"
demanded Marion.
Joan shook her head Aunt Amanda
said not, and / just didn't dare" she
answered.
ooh, why didn't you tell me this be-
fore?" cried Marion, impatiently. "The
wedding day only a week away, and
1t will be at least eight days before
Neil can get letter and then come
on here"
cried Joan Aunt Amanda said not.
You needn't scold or look at me like
that, Marion, for / can't help it.
Girls" called the harsh, rasping
voice of Miss Amanda Weathers, and
the girls sprang to their feet and pre-
sented themselves to that worthy lady,
with surprising promptness.
Miss Amanda, spare of form and
stern of feature, at once noted Joan's
red eyes. "You girls have been talk
ing nonsense about that young Graves,
and 1 want it stopped" she said Sc
vereIy. Marion Fleming, l hired you
to do plain sewing not to gable love-
sick nonsense to this silly girl"
Now, / want you to understand
Joan will marry Mr.. Spencer this day
week. She'll never have another
chance like him. Steady, well-to-do,
reliable men don't grow on every bush.
There's not a girl in the whole set
Element that wouldn't jump at him, "
and Miss Amanda eyed Marion mean
ingly.
She'll marry him because / wish
her 10. Isn't that sufficient reason?
Isn't she my niece? Haven't fed and
clothed and shaved for her ever since
she was a little red, ugly baby, that
nobody else wanted, and now why
shouldn't she marry the man I've cho-
sen for her?
And where would you be il Jay
Spencer hadn't given you the Ford
school last winter?" she demanded,
90
gratitude? Pah! You idle young fools
make me sick. &c back to your work,
and don't let me know of your talking
nonsense again, do you hear"
Eyes, NAM" said Joan, meekly, and
they went back to their sewing with
tingling ears.
That night, with Joan slumbering
peacefully by her side, Marion pom
dered over the problem of preventing
the marriage until the arrival of Neil
Graves.
True to her promise to Joan that
afternoon, she had written him the
true state of affairs. you must come
prepared to take Joan away with you,
she told him, "for nothing else will
prevent her aunt marrying her TO Mr.
Spencer"
"He will marry her and take her
away I'll never see either of them
again." thought Marion, bitterly. Yes
Neil would marry . Joan-Joan
who would love anyone who petted and
made much of her; who would
even be happy with Jay Spen-
Ger, IL he were kind to her
while she-here poor Marion
choked back the rising sob; for had
she not loved Neil ever since child
hood? Those happy days when the
three, Neil, Joan and Marion, were in
separable.
When Neil neared manhood he began
to lavish the affections hitherto equal
ly divided between the two girls, upon
Joan.
Perhaps as he grew older and wiser
he realized the difference in the social
status of the two girls, for Marion's
people were all poor, and many OF
them disreputable, while the Spen-
GERS, Graves, and Weathers were the
aristocrats of the settlement, and no.
where are the 400" more exclusive in
their matrimonial alliances than in 6
sparsely settled New England neigh.
borhood
Perhaps he had always cared more
for Joan. At any rate, when he came
home from college. prepared to leave
for the middle West" where he was
to engage in business with an uncle
he and Joan told Marion of their en-
gagement, and she, bravely hiding heI
love and wounded pride, listened tc
their plans for the future, with smil-
ing face.
At the time, Miss Amanda made nc
objections to the engagement; for Mel
was quite promising young man, but
when six months later, Jay Spencer, g
bald, uneomely gentleman of fifty, sued
for Joan's hand, Miss Amanda prompt
ly ordered her to accept him.
He was by far the wealthiest person
in the whole community, and virtually
controlled the postoffice, school. and
public offices by reason of his influence
over the people, who were chiefly his
tenants, and stood much in awe OF
him.
Miss Amanda at once began prepare
tions for the wedding. She command
ed Joan to stop writing to that ycung
Graves" and not to chatter nonsense
about not wanting to marry Mr.. Spen-
GER"
Poor. timid Joan told no one of her
distaste for her elderly lover. until