Smyrna times., 1905-11-15


officers That was while her father
lived. When he died, failing to leave
either her mother or her a red copper
nothing but the big mansion with the
enormous mortgage on it =. Greta,
prompted by her mother, was ready to
marry anything eligible, provided there
was a good, substantial bank account.
AS far as his physical appearance
went John Selwyn did fairly well. He
was deep chested and broad shoulder
ed and bit above medium height. His
chin was firm, his mouth was sensitive
and his eyes were dark and quiet. In |
big, practical things, in the financial |
world, in mines and stock markets be |
was at home. In the arena of more |
circumscribed things-society with a
capital and the infinite trifes that
make up form and manners in that
arena-he humbly acknowledged that
he was out of place.
AS for Greta Weston-well, the
young creature whom God permitted
him to call wife was to John a being
from a world he had never known!
She was rather pretty girl and cul.
tured, but to him she was fairer than
lilies, sweeter than roses, more pre-
cious than all rare gems Her lovely,
delicate face was to him the face of an
angel, and his love for her was mute
idolatry. In all his life, not even on
the dear old New England farm, had
he known anything like it.
When John paid off the mortgage
and settled a princely few hundred
thousands ON Greta, Mrs. Weston saw
NO reason why the patrician feelings of
herself and daughter should longer be
repressed.
IF l may make suggestion" she re-
marked haughtily one morning at
breakfast, the morning following a din
ner at which Johns ignorance of table
etiquette had marked him as an I'M
speakable kind of skinned milk
among the social cream, when you
have finished a course it is customary
to lay your knife and fork on your
plate side by side"
$50 sorry. But you see I'm not much
used began John humbly.
"Oh, we know" observed Mrs. Wes-
ton icily, "but We'll do what we can to
polish you, at least to save you from
being ridiculous" And then, with his
permission, she began to point out to
him his remissnesses of the night be-
fore. For example, it appeared that he
had offered the wrong arm to the lady
whom he took in to dinner; he haC
shaken hands when he should nod anC
failed to shake when he should; ht
hadn't taken the right seat in the car
riage; he hadn't risen when the ladie:
left the table. In fact, he had been {
bull in the china shop from beginning
to last.
: "Give me little time, DEAR" he salt
, to Greta a trifie sadly, completely ig
noring her mother-"just a little time
and I'll promise you won't be ashame
of me-"
If during this scene the man az
= peared undignifed and weak 1t mus
n be remembered that he was idolatrou'
ly in love with his wife. But that yer
idolatry helped him in other ways, fC
love is a famous school mistress. II
had mastered big practical problem
In life, and he was quite confident tht
he could conquer these smaller ones.
Pathetically enough, however, b
y rapid daily improvement passed all III
noticed in the eyes of his young wifi
a She grew prettier and prettier, III
cheeks more exquisitely pink, her ey'
brighter. But likewise she grew mo
and more capricious and manifesto
increased annoyance at his presenc
At first he wondered helplessly. Lift
y by little the scales began to fall fro
: his eyes.
There was copy of Sichel's IN
donna and Child" which hung direct
over the hall mantel John had boug
the picture because he fancied the NJ
- donna resembled Greta. One evenin
following his wife into dinner, the ia
cied likeness struck him with renew
n force-she was so richly colored al
iii beautiful Absentmindedly he stepp
~ on her train and ripped the waist sea
ever so slightly. She turned on b
contemptuously when he apologize
with an anger born of her condition
'Do you mean to keep on 'beggi
pardon all your life?"
at was a little accident, dear.
wouldn't get angry" he remonstrat
ant soothingly, at heart very sorry a
len len very much annoyed at himself.
an Don't call me my dear!" she fast
ieh back. 81 despise you l might as W
er- tell you first as last! r.
arc "Greta, Gretaw cried Mrs. West
axe warningly. But Greta, for the Fl
en- time in her life, was beyond the c
lcei .adi troll of expediency.
81 can't bear you! 1 never, ney
-ear never loved you, and now-I can't e'
lore breathe where you arel Oh, if l co
,gas tha never see you again, If l could ne
see you again. She began to cry
tely sob violently, and her mother led
20 upstafrs