Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1905-06-22
Her fLther smiled and resumed his

ment. | was only a struggling stu
dent, and, though her father believed
that l should win fame, he did not
check his wife's ambition for her child
There came to the town. very
much like the coming OF this young
Denton, a man with gracious personal
gifts and riches which at that time
seemed immense. He had just come
into his inheritance
They met-and he loved her. At
first she would not listen, but her ma
ture was gentle, her mother deterInin-
ed and her father. porting over ancient
tragedies, overlooked the one creeping
into his home. l was powerless. She
could not receive me when l called,
and, at the functions where We met,
she was zealously guarded by her
mother and the man.
"She accepted him. She told him
frankly that her love was mine; that
In promising him she was acceding to
her mothers will. But he was buoy
antly confident that love would come
They were married, and he took her
away to a mansion filled with treas
ures Of art. She had jewels and
gowns and horses-all things that
money could buy. But love did not
come. The strongest, softest nests,
Estelle, are built by the birds love
mated.
For ayear l did not care what be
came of me. But 1 loved her, and
could do nothing of which she would
be ashamed. l went to Egypt and be-
| gan the researches that have brought
me fame.
Five years passed. The longing to
see her again, to hear her voice, be-
| came intOlerable pain. 1 went back to
London and haunted the streets, the
shops, the theaters, where she might
be. Then one night, when l had al
most despaired, 1 saw her In her box
at the opera.
"She surpassed even my dreams.
Her gown was soft and white. Above
her shoulder q red rose lifted with the
same proud tilt of her own pretty
head. 1 thrilled at the thought that
Oii LlCl L hdu oCCl u lduCu Wv cI-
The house became blurred; was gaz-
ing at her through a mist of tears
Patti was singing Home, Sweet
Home
Il hurried out and stood in the OBJ
securing crowd, near enough to see my
lost girl and to hear her voice as she
passed. She turned her head restless
ly from side to side Git was perhaps
the magnetism of my gaze-I suppose
my heart and soul were In it, and
then, before l realized it, the crowd
had parted and she stood before me
with outstretched hands.
Il could not speak-the old joy had
gone from her eyes, and in them was
sadness that never lightened Her
husband stood waiting under the pOr-
tico. He had grown coarse and worn,
and on his face were the lines of O
tyranny which would deal humiliation
for her guileless taking of my hands"
The professor covered his eyes.
Years had passed, yet that scene never
came without raising the primitive
rage Of his impotence. The girl at his
feet laid comforting cheek against
his knee. His voice regained its gen
tleness after a minute, and he con-
tinued:
Il did not try to see her again; I
felt it was better for us both But I
stayed near lest some time she would
need me, and somehow she knew l was
always waiting.
They found her husband dead one
morning by his own hand He
had speculated, lost his wealth and
died heavily indebted. She gave up
the riches her marriage had brought
her, the jewels, the gowns. and, when
his obligations were liQuidated, she
was penniless-poorer far than when
she had left her fathers home.
Il waited some months, and then I
claimed her. 1 shall never forget her
words that night, nor the sorrowful
eyes smiling into mine. She gave me
her hand and whispered:
"'Once, long ago, 1 looked into the
heart of purple twilight, andd ream-
ed dream Of my life-and you. To-
morrow 1 shall look again and see
the realization Of my dream. The
flowers are asleep tonight, dear, but
see! the stars are shining"
Mother breathed the girl, her
heart stirred to its depths. "My beau
tiful MOTHER
The professor rose slowly and laid
his arm along the mantel-shelf, above
the glowing Goals.
I've had two short years together,
pitifully short, yet sometimes 1 think
u day is worth a lifetime.
When she lay dying in my arms,
the morning you were born, she looked
at your tiny pink face and said:
"'Some time it may come to you, my
little one. to choose-to weigh the
wealth Of love against that Of gold.
II that time ever comes she whis-
pered to me, tell her the tragedy of
my youth, tell her the glory of my sun