The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1903-01-16
WON BY A TUNE.
BY T. BONSALL

WUN by A lUNE.
BY T. BoNsALL.
"Goodby, dearest!"
"Goodby!"
For the twentieth time Mark Jermyn
uttered the words of farewell, and for
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, if the
recollection of me ever stands in your
light, you're to forget I existed. Prom
Use me 1hat!"
The girl looked into the earnest face
bending over her, into the depths CT the
grave, brown eyes.
II cannot" she said softly. "More-
over. is it necessary? Is it what you
would do were you in my placer"
Her logic was unanswerable, and he
sighed.
eff you were the only child of some
body next door to millionaire" she
went on, ''and your father forbade you
to marry anyone who was not wealthy
while you really loved one poor as q
church mouse, would you give up with
out 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 great man."
He waived away her words with 4
smile and another kiss.
You fiatter me, sweetheart" he said,
"although it's true my father was far
from being mediocrity. He changed his
name on marriage, and died when I was
only years old. But his existence real
ly ended, so far as the world was con-
cerned, when he forsook his old name,
tor he never composed single thing
| after"
"How 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 couple of years later Mark Jermyn
was in London. It seemed much longer
since he had parted from Elsie Renton
i'll Paris, where they had been fellow stu
dents at the Conservatoire; she for the
sake of finishing musical education, ne
because he had his future living to con-
| slider.
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 af-
lection. The two had parted; he to work
for name and she to enter society.
And now he was in London, his fame
having preceded him, and Mark Jermyn
the celebrated pianist, was announced
to make his debut before the most criti-
cal audience in the world Success had
not spoilt him, and he remained the same
modest man that had held Elsie's 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 up
held and he quickly became the lion 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 offer
ing princely fee for short recital at
a forthcoming "At Home" TO this
Jermyn stiff1y replied that he only &C.
cepted social engagements. An answer
soon came altering the tone of the i'll
vitation, and day of two later he found
himself about to meet his loved one once
more.
The place was already thronged will,
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 for
babe. She welcomed him gayly, and he
felt all at once the happiest of mortals
for a single look eerved to tell him he
held her heart still.
| Pm hostess for the moment" she Oh
served. ''Let me take you to mother
He followed her, and little later was
being introduced to Mrs. Renton.
Mr.. Jermyn, mother!"
The stately lady addressed, looked up
and as she saw his handsome, clear-cut
features, started.
"Mr. Jermyn?-ah, 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 his portrait. 7,
tie sauntered aimlessly about, convers-
ing first with one and another, till at
length he found himself addressing the
most himself. And Jermyn was agree
ably surprised; Elsie's father was not
near'y so formidable as he had pictured
INN to be; on the contrary, his attitude
toward the young lion of the season was
courtesy and geniality itself. III: "
| "Ah! my daughter tells me she met
you in Paris he remarked. Zone of tire
first to discover your genius. I believe
Elsie's q dear girl, my dear sir!'' :.
"She il" assented Mark, earnestly.
J always = dutiful girl, and prize
r. Z a.,