The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-22
MRS. BRONLEY'S AMBITION
By MARAVENE KENNEDY

the thinking stage; now she made up her
mind to act. -
A little ashamed of such plotting. but
resolute she took Mrs. Brornley's tailor
into her confidence.
You want me to make the suit, then
tell him it was ordered by some one out
of town who failed to come for it, and offer
it to him for half price; is that it?'
Yes" she assented eagerly. "and I'll
pay the other half Mr.. Bromley likes a
bargain as much as he hates dress suit,
and I'm positive he'll buy 1t if you can
get him to try it on. II he doesn't, YOU
can sell it for what you can and I'll pay
the balance"
The man smiled. Hell buy it," said
he. 1.-THE priceIl catch him.
For week Mrs. Bromley's emotion al
ternated. First she knew he would, then
she knew he wouldn't.
Anne he announced with a lugubri-
Gus smile. I've bought dress suit"
Then he explained.
ooh, john was all Mrs. Bromley could
say; but she looked so happy and kissed
him so lingeringly that Bromley's smile
changed to a quite cheerful one.
Their daughter, who had not been TAX
en- into her mothers confidence, listened
with amusement her mother talked Of
the coming wedding of Judge Gray. The
talk was all of your father
Your father'll be the handsomest man
there, Eva; there won't be man that
can hold candle to him.
You always think that anyhow, said
Eva. her eyes twinkling.
of course. But now every one else'u
think 1t, too. Mrs. Clemens said yester-
day that your father and Mr.. Clemens
would be the best looking men there. Mr..
Clemens indeed! Just wait till she sees
your father Thursday night, and she'll
no ,a,,fin ~
same breath, I can tell YOU
Eva did not answer. Mr.. Clemens was
sore subject to Mrs. Bromley. He was
certainly very handsome man, even Mrs
Bromley had to admit that and had to
admit too, that some people thought him
| better looking than Mr.. Bromley. Thurs
day night, she thought. would down that
belief once for all. Mr. Clemens had no
dress suit, and-Mrs. Bromley smiled hap
! PLY. .-
| With a restraint that deserved mar
| tyr's crown, she refrained from telling her
! friends Of the vision that was to dazzle
| them at the coming event. She resisted,
| too, her desire to talk 1t over with Mr..
| Bromley. But this was diplomacy.
AS the wedding day drew near Mr.. Bron-
| leys face began to lengthen; he even lost
| his appetite Husband and wife talked to
each other with forced interest about this
and about that, but the dress suit was
WIAI tney InOuSnC ABOUT. Ills uOleiHl
| face made her at times almost remorse-
full, her beaming one gave him at mo-
ments feeling that he tried to believe
was compensation for the coming misery.
! The morning Of the momentous day he
| looked even joyful, but at dinner that
evening he was so detected and unhappy
that Mrs. Bromley's conscience gave her
several hard twinges. But they were as
drops in the ocean to the happiness that
| filled her. She actually trembled with
| the joy Of it. D. - - ~
''Shall I help you dress?' she asked,
| fluttering and excited.
| He looked at her moment with shift
ing eyes, then his jaw squared.
"Anne," he blurted out. moping the per-
| SEPARATION from his face, Il sold that dress
| suit to Clemens last night. He gave me
$55 for it-S15 more than 1 paid. but, y
bringing his fist down on the table with
a bang that made the dishes rattle, I'D
have given it to him before I'd have worn
the blamed thing. I always have pretty
good time when we go out evenings, but
that dress suit would have settled the
good time for all time to come. I'm sorry.
Anne he said penitently. Il tried to
brace myself to it, dear. but - Just
couldn't J, ~--.-.s. - -..r:-.- a..
AS he spoke her eyes had held shock,
establishment, disappointment chagrin,
and at last a light that told of love in
finite.
I'm glad you sold it," she murmured
in plying voice, her arms around his
neck Il didn't understand how you felt
about it, John. I'm truly, truly glad yoli
! sold it, she said-and meant 1t. Some
| women are made like that.