Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-09-08
6hs Metz Mayor
Based on G. n. Broadhvfsfs Suecessfui
The Man
TheHour
Bv ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE.
6bs Metz Mayor
By ALBERT PAYsoN TERHUNE.
Copyright. 1907. by George d. Broadhurst
fcoNTINuED.1

Copyright, 1907, by George Il. Broadhurst.
CONTINUED
eDon't go Just yet" he begged. "Tve
so much to talk over with you. When
they came In we were speaking OF that
paragraph about Gibbs and yourself.
You don't love him. do you. Dallas?
Tell me you don't!'
"What right have you to ask me such
a question:
"Only the right that my love for you
gives me, dear heart You must have
known I loved you even though I've
never said 1t before. I love you. Dal-
las. though till today. think. I never
realized how much. Tell me It isn't
true that you're going to marry Gibbs"
Even II 1t weren't true should not
marry you. Awyn."
"Ahw
The exclamation was wrung uncon-
sciously from his whitening lips. It
was as though pang Of physical pain
had pierced him.
81 wouldn't marry you." went on
Dallas. though more gently. because
you don't really love me-"
81 do! I do! With my whole heart.
r.
"Oh, Alwyn" she exclaimed with al
most mother-like tolerance, what a
child you are! What a mere child!
Some one tries to take away from you
a playtEing you've grown used to hav-
Ing. You never cared especially about
the plaything before; but, now that
you're In danger Of losing 1t, you cry
out: oh, love It! love I'll! You'll
soon find another toy that'll make you
forget
"Dallas, you are unfair! You have
no right to treat my love for you ~
IT.
"As If It we're a mere whim? Isn't
It? Now. don't say NO but look me
in the eyes and answer one question.
II Scott Gibbs hadn't proposed to me-
II that paragraph had not appeared In
the paper-would you have come here
today and told me you loved me? No.
you know you wouldn't"
Don't talk like that, dear" implored
Bennett. 81 tell you love you! More
than I ever dreamed woman could be
loved. l love you! r.
There's an easy way to prove It.
then"
"What way7 Anything
"By doing something to make me
feel proud of you I don't feel SO now.
l could not marry man who loiters
his life away-a man who sits idle
while others are thronging past him in
the upward climb. You are rich,
thanks to your fathers efforts. What
have you done with that wealth? II
you've done no harm with It you've at
least put 1t to no good use. You are
young, talented, highly educated.
What have you done with your youth,
your talents. your education? How
have you used them for your own bet
terment or for your fellow mems?
What have you to offer me? Money
Social position2 have plenty Of both.
What else can you offer me? Nothing
absolutely nothing"
"My love. for one thing. can ofer
you that"
"In what is your love better than
any other mans? Behind 1t is not
a record Of hard work, Of self sacrifice.
of achievement-of any Of the things
that go toward making love strong and
enduring and beautiful-to make 1t q
support that woman can lean on for
life? What have you to offer me or
any other woman"
There was q silence. az.
You are right said he. nave
done nothing. I've been content to be
rich mans son, and I've nothing to
offer that is worthy your acceptance.
but that does not mean l never shall
have. And by the grace Of God ]
shall! You've put things In new light.
see them as l never did. 1t isn't a
wholly pleasant experience. but It's
good for me. There's nothing yet that
I'm fitted to do. but I'll find something.
never fear. And when ! do
Don't say there's nothing you're fit
for" protested Dallas There's moth
Ing you couldn't accomplish II once
you set yourself to 1t. Why, just think
of those speeches you made for MIR
Lorimer last campaign. They were
fine. | was so'-
ooh, those amounted to nothing.
Just did it to Oblige him. And. be-
sides, 1t was fun to sway the crowds" }"
That's just It. You did it for fun
and for friend Why not do some
thing In earnest and for yourself? The
world is fairly bristling with oppor'
tunities for such man as you. Grasp
those opportunities. Won't you?"
"Yes! And when l do-is there any
hope that you will?"
81 have given Mr. Gibbs no promise
| told him to walt"
Then my chance is as good as his
From now on l am going to drop the
role Of rich mans son and be some
thing on my own account. II you have
faith in, me-if you believe In me-li
there is IL ghost of Il chance that you
can some day love me-
81 have faith In you. Alwyn." She
answered softly, letting her hand lie
passive In his grasp. Then, withdraw
Ing it with a pretty gesture OF petu
lance, she added:
only | wish 1t didn't always re-
quire a blow to rouse you to action
Did you ever happen to notice thai
trait in yourself"
"Why, no. l don't quite understand
"Then here's all instance that VII
show you what mean: In your senior
year at Yale when you were playing
halfback on the varsity eleven ] saw
my first football game. 1t was against
Princeton. You were the only man OF
either team I knew, 80 watched you
from first t
IA last. Little as
!: ! ! !. ! !: ! !. ! !.
understood foot
AA<f01 ball. could set
S=ElSAlEIl8 you were play
| N5MtMEHM Ing clever
.YAlsllF HS hard, conscien
EWI W &tNM~ tious game. Bu
N w .tS.NSyhNw 1t wasn't fight
Fgy Ing game no
lECS~ the sort of gam,
| W. that carries ev