Middletown transcript., 1908-08-01
OF THA SAME MIND
Nv FRANK CHAFFEE

be! | always loved the name Of
John. It has such q simple, hon. |
est ring to it, Well, John dear.
| have little story to tell you.
Say you are going to forgive me
in advance, whatever it is.
He took her hand and kissed it
tenderly as he answered, Sweet
heart, there is nothing | would
not forgive you, save only not
loving me.
She regarded him tenderly for
a moment, then hurried on, Once
on time there was girl. Her
mother died when she was a baby,
and so she grew up with only a
father who adored her to go to
for guidance. Her father was a
mine owner, in a section of whic h
you probably know nothing, which
is spoken of here as the Far West.
Well, as the girl grew up she was
sent away to fashionable schools,
and later was taken for tour
round the world. Everything
that unlimited wealth could do
was done for her, and every
where and always she was ticket
ed with this terrible money, and
known and spoken of as the mil
lionaire's daughter. Men asked
her to marry them-oh, the shame
of it!-when she knew it was not
the girl they wanted, but the
millionaire's daughter. I think
she was silly and romantic per.
baps; but, oh how she hungered
to have friends that cared only
for her personality, and perhaps
some day lover that didn't even
know about the mines and the
millions!
She had an old school friend
whom she could trust, and this
friend had a country house far
away from the girls home. So
the girl conceived the idea of |
paying her friend a visit, and |
getting the friend to introduce
her as her paid companion. By |
this plan she thought she might |
find out her real value in the
world. You see she was silly.
| Well, John, and the sweet voice
faltered little, then went on,
she didn't have time to find out |
surely, because at the very first
she met man that did not know |
anything about her, who liked |
just the girl and asked her to |
marry him, thinking she was
poor; and he was SO dear and |
honest, and then the girl was a
bit glad about the money, because
she thought of all the things she |
might do for him. John, you do |
forgive me, don't you?-for I'm
the girl. And you haven't got a
lot of money, have you?
During this recital Langham
had looked at first puzzled, then |
relieved, and at the finish posi-
lively joyous. He took the flushed |
face tenderly between his hands
and kissed her fondly, as he said, |
Poor little girl! know how she
felt and just how she longed to
be taken for her actual value. |
And darling, I've got to disap-
point you a bit. You see, I'm
not-that is, amt is my name
dear, Algernon Langham-that
is, it's really John Algernon Her
bert Langham-but- and poor
Langham looked anAiQusly at
Marion.
She was listening with a
strained intentness, and as Lang
ham paused she said coldIy, Well,
what else?
Well, dear, you remember Mrs.
Harding asking about Earl of
Netherwood. Well, Netherwood
was like that girl, don't you
know? He wanted girl to marry
just him, not jolly old title or
money and things; so he-that is
I-sweetheart, I'm Netherwood!
He blurted this final announce
ment explosively, watching Mar
ion with apprehension, as well
he might.
She had risen and was looking
down at him with anger and
scorn in her face. Very clever
idea, Lord Netherwood! she said
in cutting tones. | assume, then
that had I known your real posi-
ton you fear I might have mar
ried you for your title.
Oh, I say, groaned Langham,
as he sprang to his feet, my dear,
you don't think that-l-fact is,
I'm not much of a chap, sort of
duffer. you knoW-was afraid no
body would want me without title
and things; and when you did,
whv T.