The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1903-11-27

Vanderhoffs-this time ten years later
than the one noted at the beginning OF
this story-for the Vanderhoffs were a
family whose social supremacy was not
confined to one decade, but which goes
serenely on through the years and the
ages Black Fridays may come and go,
other houses may rise and fall, men may
go to the penitentiary and be released
it all makes no difference-the house OF
Vanderhoff goes right on giving bril-
liant receptions and the great and sue
cessful of the world blush with pleasure
at their invitations.
This particular reception was prin-
cipally in honor Of an engineer from the
far west, whose remarkable perform
ances in the line of his profession had
been much in the public eye for some
years and who had only now solved the
great problem Of inter-oceanic canal,
so simply and so plainly that congress
had adopted his plan and authorized the
construction, making the designer
chief engineer with plenary powers and
at a fabulous salary. OF course he was
a man to be taken up and courted by So
ciety and of course it fell to the lot OF
the Vanderhoffs to introduce him. The
Vanderhoffs had let no celebrity escape
for half century; they saw him before
the others. That was half the reason
for the leadership of the Vanderhoffs.
And so it happened that the lion or
the season, Mr. John Rutherford, was
presented to Mrs. Vernon Mordyke.
Why did my lady turn pale? Why did
she grasp convulsively at the portieres
for support? And why did the great
celebrity start, as though he had touched
an electric battery? And why did his
cheeks grow ashen pale beneath his
black whiskers? All, my readers, the
eyes of love have a quality not given to
other eyes. To no other person in all the
great assemblage came the slightest sus-
picion that John Rutherford, the great
celebrity that was. was none other than
Gerald Fuller the convict that had been
no, not even Vernon Mordyke, with
whom the great celebrity had chatted for
some minutes-Vernon Mordyke who
had been the bosom friend OF Ger aid Full
Ter.
But Edith Mordyke knew him the mo-
ment she set eyes on him, the moment
she felt his presence, and he knew that
she knew. And so it came to pass, quite
naturally, as John Rutherford was de-
tanned in the city for some months pre-
Daring to go to Central America, that
the two old lovers saw each other often
and that it was impossible not to mu-
tually recognize that both knew. There
were mutual explanations and conf
dences-a very bad thing for young
married woman, neglected by her hus-
band to indulge in toward an old lover,
and she learned Of her husbands per-
fidy to his friend and heard the story or
the long, hard fight the old lover had
made in new state in the far west to
rebuild his manhood under new name.
Finally the man admitted to himself
that the old love was not dead and fierce
1y proclaimed to his own bosom that he
owed nothing to the traitor who had
robbed him of his reputation and his
bride. So eventually there was scene.
The man was strong, the woman only
half unwilling and they found Them
selves in each others arms.
Then the old, old problem, what to
do. He was for flight; willing and anx-
ious to give up all the advantage and
reputation he had gained, to give up his
great position and flee to some far coun-
trv and live only in her smiles. She
not unwilling for herself, but hesitating
to drag him down. At last the time
came when it must be decided.
81 cannot, Gerald" she said pushing
him away. "It is Heaven you offer, but
I cannot, and if did you would despise
me-"
mo. no." he cried. II will love you
always. Come, come away from all this
nretense and sham. I have means
enough. Let us go to Italy and live and
love forever
She was in his arms before she knew.
What would have been the end is some
thing upon which every man and woman
is entitled to guess Alas for history.
however. it must remain forever silent
for in response to loud knock at the
door. she responded and received mes
sage that Vernon Mordyke had died OF
apoplexy a few moments before.
When John Rutherford went to Gen.
trail America a few weeks later, he took
with him bride whose weeds were still
green. Of course society was scandal
ized. but the newly welded couple made
no sign.
A One-Sfded View.
1..oa, fhn Kansas Citv