The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-10-23
nv yIRGINIA I TOWNSEND

srhat u tho Young NORMAN The
ana IN the chin hat with hlue and
white trimmings Mlsa Wealthy
Alehion -. =, -.
nrohahly. galng eat Of the picture
gallery at that momonts Wll ef light
s,oilsh talk and laughter, but a 50
hapnanod thst caught che sentence
which completed itself With my
name, -
swered another voice. a little Older.
! deep. manly voice emphasized
With nity that Vas almost pain.
turned involuntauly and looked
Al the speaker We we're close To
tho door aud I had only time Tor a
glance but it was one that photo
Kraphed the face and figure in my
memary. A young man. az least a
good many yCata behind his prime.
with good face. Intelligent, kindly,
strong. a man whom had | been lost
IN crowd or la anywise hewildered
among strangers ! should inSolun-
tarlN have solicited fer help or
counsel
Our parents had been poor. but
my sister was ambitious aud proud
She had succeeded IN arranging an
cngagemOut between me aud Gerald
Mathews This was a few months
previous 70 my marriage. Gerald
was a descendant Of one of the old
est families in New York aud on bis
mofheHs side from Dutch ancestry
OF course there was nothing for me
to do but consent. for my sister had
managed the matter entirely to her
own satisfaction.
That day. after the singular re
mark which had overheard. went
home with a vague. heavy pain At
ms heart which ] could not put into
words. OF course there was No
gainsaying Eiylra's wisdom and
lad % seem satisfied with her
choice. which | vas not ia my own
heart. did not love the man.
Something In my heart recoiled
from him At first. | felt that he was
irdoient. seif-lndulsed and con-
celtsd.
-Four months after thla Incident
took place | was married % Gerald
Mathews and ElYira was In her ele=
ment.
One early spring afternoon Ger
aid drove out from the city In great
haste. He called me into his library
and stood facing enc % the windows
with a dark. angry glare In his eyes
~What Is the matter. GeraldG l
fAlfere<l.
do you know tia, you are a beg
gar nom this hour. madam he
said. hurting the words al me.
surely. II Is not SO bad as that. "
! yentnred. trying 30 soothe him.
bad" he Knocked. with an un-
pleasant smile about his thin lips
1T Is about as bad a. Il can he
Two months before my father died
sur family fortune vas utterly ex-
Eausted thought By marrying
yon to Keep up appearances and
gain something from yeur plebeian
hsother-ia-law as ne. too. is in
tare~ted In this same banking con
e4rn that has Just closed"
caught my breath for a momcat
ana then cried. Surely. you do not
mean to say that you married ne
for money
what else DO you suppose I mar
re- yoa for Did you think II was
nlsxely for your pretty facet | admit
that It was an agreeable concom-
liant. but had sense enough 10
know that wa could NOT live without
half a miillan or 50 20 back IL up
Thls Is no time for sentiment"
Gradually the shock OF the loss
Of our small fortune wore away. and
Bs began to dispose OF our possea-
sIons. While the latter proceeding
Vas under way Gerald left homo one
day aud sent me a brief note in
(which he adtnltied that he had not
tine courage 20 face the change Ia
his position. and he had concluded
10 20 10 Europe to try all over
again As for me. | was Just aa we'll
of without a. with him, although
he would not forget thu claim his
wife held on him. be said.
This was the last I ever heard OF
him uHsn four years afterwards. A
former classmate q Geraid's sought
me out In the little village In which
{ vas teaching school and informed
ms thai be had attended my hus-
band ID hts last moments In a little
town IN Germany.
DR.. Graham West. for this was
TIE name OF the man who brought
fha tidsngs. vas spending the sum
mer in a neiEhboring town. He
came to see ms frequently and was
very kind Ia every way. That fall
he left. but returned Just when the
apple blossoms were carpeting the