Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-05-19
THE OTHER GIRL

He was fGelooking youth, and in the
country town where he had lived most of
his life he was looked up to, owing to
the fact that four years had been spent
in an eastern college. He had lust re-
turned after the completion of his course.
and in the interval of waiting for some
this to turn up, noticed an ad in the city
paper for hotel clerk in a nearby sum
mer resort This he decided to apply for.
as the salary offered YVES good, and it
would I'LL in that tiTesome ordeal of wait
ing Tor something permanent.
| Within two days he received the APP
pcintment, and made hasty preparations
for departure. His good-bys did not &C.
| cupy much time, as he had no near rela-
tions. In fact, the only important fare
well to be said was to Mary Gordon the
| girl to whom he had been engaged. as it
| seemed to him, all his life. At least. they
had been playmates as children, comrades
as they grew up together, and that last
| fall when going back for his final year
at college, he had taken with him her
promise to be his wife That
goodbye was harder for her than he
knew, for she was a lonesome little thing.
and he was the only one in the world she
cared for. While as for him-after get
! ting settled at his work in the BIG hotel
the excitement of constantly arriving
guests, together with the bright faces and
beautiful gowns of the women, soon
blotted the quiet little country town he
had lett behind from his thoughts.
There was one of these bright. beauti-
f11l ba+ of ,t.rhsl
brighter ana more beautiful as the ewes
met his, and gradually a friendship that
was staunch as it was strong grew ND
between brilliant Amy Martin and the
humble clerk at the desk i'm the hotel
Office. Now Miss Martin was an heiress
to some thousands and could do as she
pleased with her money without consult
ing any guardian. And what good would
that money be to her, if it would only
stand between her and the man she loved?
So she reasoned to herself on this per
feet August afternoon, as she sat alone
in a shady corner of the hotel piazza. aft
er refusing to join any of the several par.
ties that had gone forth to seek enjoy
ment on the lake. tennis court or golf
links. For she knew that "he" would
soon pass on the way to his late lunch,
and hadn't she noticed of late how his
face changed and his eyes softened when
he answered her? For the advances al
ways came from her, and she fancied
that she understood the cause of the visit
full sadness that would sometimes creep
into his face and tone as he spoke 10 her.
1t was ON account OF her money, she de-
cided. Well, that could not long stand
between them.
She had just reached this satisfactory
decision when a slight little figure mount
ed the steps and came towards her saw
ing, Could you tell me where the Office
is? want to see the hotel clerk"
why, of course, I'll take you to him.
You look tired-as if you had come long
way. You are his sister,"
NO, | am going to be his wife"
Now, Miss Martin did not faint nor
cry out, nor, in fact, do anything except
Just what a wellbred society girl of to-
day would be expected to do. True. her
fingers did press the book she had held
carelessly in her lap more closely, and
she caught her breath sharply with a lit
tie sob. But she said lightly enough:
Then I wish you JOY"
Just then she became conscious that
he" was standing behind her. She
turned, and reading the anguish in his
eyes, understood everything. For one
moment she wavered, the dull conscious
ness of what her life would be without
him holding her silent, until one look
at the pathetic, bewildered face of the
girl who had journeyed to see him and
to whom he had pledged his life, recalled
her from the contemplation of her own
misery to the realization that she must
help him out at all costs. In an instant
she was the cool, self-possessed society
girl again, saying:
Accept my heartfelt congratulations.
And now. | want your good wishes, for
you are the first to hear of my engage
ment to Col. Thorpe, one of the finest
of southern gentlemen, whose proposal
have been considering for the past
week. and whose acceptance went on this
mornings mail"
The other girl did not notice anything
strained nor unusual in the Voice But
he heard-and understood Boston Post.