The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-07-13
THE BREAKER Of HEARTS
BY RICRARp RoDGERS.

BY RICHARD RODGERS.
Those who met Margaret Lowry in
the busy whirl of society said she was
coquette. Those who had boasted
of her friendship for many years and
who knew her kind heart and spirit of
good will said she was not appreciated
They said that she liked society for
the amusement it afforded and that il
hearts were broken and hopes were
shattered by those big brown eyes it
was not intentional And so the two
sides argued and ragged over the mat
ter. For Margaret Lowry was as
much admired as she was disliked
The young women of the circle in
which she moved took great pains to
impress on their men friends the fact
that Margaret was a heartbreaker-of
the ruthless kind that leads you up to
the very threshold of love and just as
you are about to make the leap slams
the door of her heart before you and
shuts you out. Yet Margaret had the
largest following of admirers of any
young woman in town. The society
leaders knew this, and so did the socie
ty editors of the newspapers. And
whenever there was a social function
it was Miss Lowry who poured" and
the newspapers seemed to take particu-
lar pride in printing pictures Of Mar
garet in her finest gowns.
AS for Margaret-well, she enjoyed
the distinction of society's favor and
she revelled truly in the hearts which
were flung about her. 1t was her de-
light to think of the lovers she could
count.
But it changed. When Henry
Thorpe came on the scene society
noticed change in Margaret Lowry.
The heartbreaker seemed to pause in
her mad career of breaking hearts.
Everybody liked Henry Thorpe. Not
only because when his father died and
left him to support his mother and
two sisters he had gone out into the
world and had carved place for him
self in the rock of fortunes, but be-
cause he was manly and true.
Don't you suppose you will ever
fall in lover asked Margaret OF
Thorpe one night as they were sitting
out n dance apart from the swinging.
swaying crowd in the ballroom.
"Yes, fully expect to fall in love-"
was the candid answer. But not until
find my hearts equal"
What do you call your hearts
equal"
affections; whose love must be pure
and holy; who will come to me because
she loves me from the heart and not
from the social side of her character"
And then Margaret Lowry had an
ambition.
Society wondered at the change in
her. Margaret herself found it was a
hard struggle 1t was the battle of
the true emotions against the super
fetal feelings which society builds up.
Henry Thorpe worked his way
through the social field for two
years. The lionizing of society amused
him, but did not change him. Then
Thorpe and Margaret Lowry sat again
apart from the gay music of the dance.
81 have had an ambition and have
worked two years trying to realize it,"
she said.
Have you succeeded?" he asked.
Il don't know" she replied and the
red glow on her cheeks bespoke more
to the young man than worlds Of
words.
Margaret, will you be my wife"
he asked abruptly. Everybody knew
that Henry Thorpe was businesslike in
everything he did, but no one thought
he would carry it into his love affairs.
Are you sure you have found your
hearts equal she asked.
"The heart true and constant beats
within your breast, and the love pure
and holy is that which l feel is within
you,' was the reply, and then it was
the old story of two souls with but one
thought.