Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-02


course Of time this despised woman
proved to be the possessor OF those VIZ
tues and social graces which eminently
fitted her to conduct the large estab-
| lishment of which she had been made
mistress he was forgiven his lack OF
taste. Little more was said OF his Pc
culiarities until, his wife having died
and his child proved weakly, he made
the will in his brothers favor which
has since given that gentleman such
deep satisfaction.
Why this proceeding should have
been SO displeasing to their friends re-
port says not; but that it was SO is
evident from the fact that great re-
joicing took place on all sides when
Veronica suddenly developed into q
healthy child, and the probability OF
David Moore inheriting the coveted
estate decreased to a minimum. It
was not long rejoicing. however. for
John Judson followed his wife to the
grave before Veronica had reached her
tenth year, leaving her and her half
sister, Cora, to the guardianship OF q
grabbed old bachelor who had been his
fathers lawyer. This lawyer was
morose and peevish, but he was never
positively unkind. For two years the
sisters seemed happy enough, when,
suddenly and somewhat peremptOrily.
they were separated, Veronica being
sent to a western school, where she
remained, seemingly without single
visit east, till she was seventeen,
During this long absence Miss Tut
tie resided In Washington, developing
woman. Veronica's guardian, severe
in his treatment OF the youthful owner
of the large fortune of which he had
been made sole executor, was unex-
pectedly generous to the penniless sis-
ter, hoping perhaps in his close, pee
wish old heart that the charms and ac-
quired graces Of this lovely woman
would soon win for her husband in
the brilliant set In which she naturally
found herself. But Cora futile was
not easy to please, and the first men
Of Washington came and went before
her eyes without awakening In her
any special interest till she met Fran,
els jeffrey, who stole her heart with 2
look
Those who remember her that win
ter say that under his influence she.
developed from 9 handsome woman
into lovely one. Yet no engagement
was anpounced, and society was won
dering what held Francis jeffrey back
from SO great prize, when Veronica
Moore came home, and the question
was forever answered.
Veronica was now nearly eighteen
and during her absence had blOssomed
into wOmanhood. She was not rs
beautiful as her sister. but she had 4
bright and pleasing expression, with
enough spice in her temperament to
rob her girlish features OF insipidity
and make her conversation witty, Il
not brilliant. Yet when Francis JEFF 4
frey turned his attentions from Miss
futile and Fixed them without reserve
or seeming shame npon this pretty bur
terfly, but one term could be found
characterize the proceeding, and I krsa
was fortune hunting. OF small but
settled income, he had hitherto shown
q certain contentment with hlg ondl-
ton calculated to inspire respSte ana
make his attentions to Miss futile
seem both consistent and appropriate.
But no sooner did Veronica's bright
eyes appear than he fell at the young
heiress' feet and pressed Els suit 50
close ana fast that In two months they
were engaged and al the end Of the
half year married with the disastrous
Just made known.
So much for the general gossip OF
the town. Now for the special
A certain gentleman, whom 1t is I'M
necessary to name, had been present
at one critical instant in the lives OF
these three persons. He was not
scandal monger, and if every thing had
gone on happily If Veronica had lived
and Cora settled down into lilatrimOny
he would never have mentioned what
he heard and saw one night In the
great drawing room Of q hotel in At
lantic City
1t was at the time when the engage.
ment was first announced between
Jeffrey and the young heiress. This
and his previous attentions to Cora
had made much talk, both in Wash.
lngton and elsewhere, and there were
not lacking those who had openly
twitted him for his seeming incon-
stancy. This had been over tho cups
Of course, and Jeffrey had borne It well
enough from his so called friends and
Intimates. But when, on a certain
evening in the parlor Of one Of the
large hotels In Atlantic City, fellow
whom nobody knew and nobody liked
accused him Of knowing on which side
his bread was buttered, and that GER
tainly it was not on the side Of beauty
and superior attachments, jeffrey got
angry. Needless Of who might be
within hearing, he spoke up very plain4
" in these words: "You are all Of
kfnd-rank money worshipers and self
you would not be SO ready
10 see greed in my admiration for Miss
Moore. Dtsagreeable as find it to
air my sentiments In this public mans
aer, yet since you provoke me to II
will say once and for all that am
ieeply in love with Miss MOORE and
hat 1t is for this reason only am TO-
T - n.