The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-10-01
'0neof Fate 'SFanCies



is constantly amusing himself with our
dcstlnies. For instance. at the end OF
the eighteenth century II showed lit
tie Corslcan the crown of France kick
cd about by n mob in Paris. He picked
II up. put ii on his head and then pro-,
cceded to make kings and queens OF
his family. Per contra, fate designated
the monarch who lost the crown the
Corslcan appropriated 10 he the one Of
a long line of sovereigns TO lose II and
his head Mt the same time. He was the
only one Of the lot who In many years
deserved TO wear It.
In the case recited in this story IT
would seem that this incxorabe fate
took cunning and malicious pleasure.
A party of American sightseers
abroad were doing" the gardens OF
Versailles. A middle agcd couple stroll
ed away from the others and sat them
selves down TO rest.
AT twenty" said the man, 81 laid
out a definite plan for my life which
| have followed to the present moment.
Having tastes which I had no means
TO crafty, ! resolved 20 spend twenty
years in accumulating a fortune where
with to spend another twenty years in
an ideal life. Before leaving America
month ago closed out my business,
having accumulated the requisite
amount. The first twenty years of my
life have been passed as | intended.
The second period is before me.
"Of that period have spent but n
month, and yet It is long enough 10
have taught me that TO enjoy the world
| must have some one TO enjoy It with
me. In you ! have met that person.
the only woman have ever wished to
make life companion. 1t rests with
you whether this second period shall
be n success or failure. Will you
spend Il with me as my wife?"
There was long silence between
chem, at the end OF which the woman
said.
"Unllke you. laid no plan for my
life. At eighteen | loved, married and
was for ten years supremely happy
with my husband and my children.
Then within Il few months they were
all swept away by death. cannot be
happy without them, therefore It
would be impossible for me to enable
you as your companion to carry out the
second part OF your plan"
(which means that this part has al
ready failedy
"If dependent upon me; not on an
other"
"Had not fallen in with you I
might possibly have been happy with
another"
The woman was looking on the
ground. making marks oD IL with the
end of her parasol Presently sue
looked up into the mans face to sec
there bitter disappointment resting
on every feature.
"ln that case will do my best for
you. consent" she said.
There was wedding In the Amer.
! lean Parisinn colony. after which Wal
ter Lanier and his bride spent ito HIM
six delightful months in laud where
there Is every opportunity for a culti-
vated man to enjoy himself The only
shadow falling upon him was that, dc.
spite u brave struggle on the part OF
his wife, she occasionally showed that
her heart was with those who had
gone from her. Tue husband, seeing
| that occupation would be better for
her, proposed that they return to Amer
| ica. where she might have the care Of
a home. In reply TO this proposition
! she told him that whatever he wished
was her preference.
Lanier believed 1t would be better TO
take his wife where she would enjoy
| the companlonship Of those she had
always known. He planned Il surprise
| for her. He wrote n friend TO buy
house for him in the neighborhood In
which his wife had been born aud
| reared, where her father and mother
| and a sister would be near her. 1t
happened that Just such Il place was
In the market, and II was purchased
ments, and as soon as Lanier was adj
vised that the papers had passed he
and his bride sailed for America.
BY this time, Mrs. Lanier had been
weaned from constant dwelling upon
those she had lost. She had married
splendid man for her second hus.
band and every day clung to him more
and more. Indeed. she seemed to reai-
ize that living with the dead is an
abnormal condition aud resolved to
| live for her husband
ON the day of their arrival at the
place of their intended future resi-
dence the wife expected to he taken
! temporarily TO hotel They were
met at the station by carriage and
| driven away. She did not know where
and did not feel In a mood TO ask.
! But presently she noticed that she was
on familiar ground. She looked up at
her husband inqulrlngly. He put his
arm about her affectionately. but said
nothing. When they reached the 10.
cation OF her old home Mrs Lanier
put her hands on her eyes as II to
shut out memory Then the carriage
stopped aud her husband alighted.
( He had taken her hand TO help her
out, and her foot was on the step
when she looked up at the house her
husband had provided for her. With
a cry, she drew back into the carriage.
eNcln iminw.