Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-04-28

NAA ocANOoblC NOAlDGniOu
But hov-how could he tell her?
Would she not think she had been the
jupe of his receptions? And-and
suppose she cared half as much as he
did? But he must Danish all such
pcssibilities-be a man-make a clean
breast of it-and return to Eleanor.
his cold, u~neongenial wife, ten years
older than himself, by whom he had
been inveigled into marriage, just aft
er his graduation from the academy.
For a while their marriage mad been
reasonably peaceful; but this state
proved transient, for they were in
herently uncongenial, and after a year
of domestic turmoil, strife and discord,
they concluded to end all p~retense of
affection and to ''agree to differ"
Into the lives of all there comes a
moment when a question of great i'm
port arises or a circumstance bearing
direct influence upon our destiny will
present itself, and upon one of two
courses we are compelled to decide.
On this critical occasion two enemies
within us are struggling for suprem-
acy; one, presenting to an exaggerated
degree our trials and tribulations, the
other displaying in tempting COMPARE
son all the alluring attractions, while
that little censor, conscience, pulls
and tugs until it has succeeded in ad-
justing all its fibers and strings to its
own satisfaction.
This trying moment dawned upon
Horace Trentshaw, and while it was
extremely difficult to Danish the vision
of Elizabeth from his memory, with
all her piquancy and the congenial
companionship she offered him, never
theless, he obeyed the promptings Of
the guiding voice within. On the fol-
lowing morning, after Horace's deter
mination upon the course he intended
to pursue, Elizabeth received the fol-
lowing note, the contents of which
ran:
"My Dear Miss Magruder: I find
to my regret that | shall be unable to
attend Mrs. Glascow's at home this
evening, FORGETTING in consequence an
opportunity of seeing you If agree
able, and if you will permit, I shall
call this afternoon between four and
five. Sincerely yours,
HORACE S. TRENTSHAW."
Elizabeth's answer to this was cor
dial and affirmative. Waiting for her
expected visitor, she fell into a pleas
ant, dreamy sort of reverie and Horace
was the object of her m%editations.
E~lizabeth's life had been a happy
one, free from all care and RESPONSE
bility.
Elizabeth had received attentions in
Vulnerable since her entrance into the
social world three years since; but
Cupid had planned a more complicated
game of "hearts," in which she was
destined to play an important role.
The time had arrived, for she fully
realized that the feeling of friendship
she had evinced for Capt. Trentshaw
was being stimulated into a deeper
sentiment.
Elizabeth was startled from her
journey into dreamland by the sharp
sound of the electric bell ringing
through the house, and a second later
the butler brought a card upon a tray.
at was a good idea of yours" said
Elizabeth, "to think of calling this
Automatically a delightful surprise,
but, first, We'll have tea, and then we
can talk. Strange how this harmless
beverage will loosen the tongue and
provoke all name of condolences"
Horace smilingly assented, but his
feelings were undergoing the greatest
conflict. oh, to catch that dainty white
hand and to tell her with all the sin
certify he possessed of his ardent love
for her!-just for one r%apturous mo-
ment, to take her slight, graceful figure
in his arms, and pour forth all loves
r~hapsodies, and wait her response.
Would there be one? he wondered,
and yet, he felt intuitively there
would be.
miss Magruder," he said, "there is
q story | want to tell you"
ooh, do, Capt. Trentshaw; I am al
ways so interested in tr1e stories of
real life"
"A bosom friend of mine and a chum
during my academy days wrote me a
most pathetic letter the other day, tell
ing me something of his life, much of
which, however, | was already aware
OF. The latter part touched me deeply,
there being such a ring of genuineness
and sincerity in it. Jack was a boy of
small means, but he made friends
readily, and was a genuine favorite
wherever he went. While completing
his senior term he became acquainted
with a man of very great influence and
rank in the army. The friendship and
interest of the older and prosperous
man of the world towards Jack, then
just about to enter the service as first
lieutenant, were calculated 10 fatter
him. He decided to avail himself of
his friends invitations to his home.
During the occasion CT one of these
calls he became acquainted with the
daughter of the house, a bright young
woman, though far from good-looking
and fully ten years Jacks senior. This
acquaintance gradually ripened, and
before long Jack and Ursula Livingston
became engaged and were married.
Ursula's love for Jack was largely
compounded Of jealousy, which she
poorly concealed, and lack of harmony
soon manifested itself, and life became
~unbearable to both. jack soon real
lied that what he had mistaken for
love on his part had been only a fasci-
nation of the hour. Life together grew
more and more discordant, and finally
they agreed to end all hypocritical
show of affection and to endeavor to