Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1908-11-19
Why They
Were Generous
By M. MONROE JAMES.
By NJ. MONROE JAMES
Copyright. 1905. by American Press
Association.

| In 10 | was invited to make Il
Memorial day address in my native
town of Eastport. When the exer-
cises were over l wandered among
the tombs. watching the friends who
were bestowiug fragrant tokens of re-
| membrane over the ashes of their
| dead.
| was standing beside grave which
was literally covered with choice
flowers when my friend G. Joined me
Those people are generous,
said, pointing to the flower sireWn
grave and indicating a gentleman and
lady who had Just left it.
They have reason TO be- he an
| swered.
That evening be told me the story:
For time il was difficult to guess
which Of The rivals for the hand N
| Cora Dixon would carry Off the prize,
for she seemed equally gracious to
Fred Nevius aad Godfrey Burns
There was ono intensely interested
spectator. who had the question been
LEFT for her decision would have set
tied it -ca,ily. 10 Coras mother mon
ey WAS the key % all things desirable,
and a. Bu'~.s Hal M abundance of
the COMMODITY. rh'in Nevirs was but
indlfrerentiy lro.idrd she wondered
ut her dargH f'4 iroeci-ion.
Ert C1ra vas unlike her mother,
ana whai DE supreme test came TO
her she did not let thc superior fran
clal adya" ne Or one lover outweigh
the fact her leHrt had gone into
tho Ecco'", ~ the other
Sca'cc'y p "a The story Of l'red's good
fortune he onr known when the town
was startled l.y strange news. The
lover had forged his employers name
and had fed
While the matter was being discuss
cl cierv hcro Cora was reading with
tear ", "r aud agony of soul a let
ter from hcr accused lover.
D Deer Corr N-hcn rou get this shall be
fa~ u.s. whore 7 10 not know. Fate is
franst nc: but aa there IS God IN
he ,c1. did not 90 the thing they charge
. Against RE snail love you always but
OF 90 ere free from any promise
: 10 cen clear my name ]
: | shoN unyr urn. / trust YOU viii be-
( ictc ! .ue9rct the world will
mo- God j., t YOU. Loodbv Your un-
happr FRED.
II, $685.. SIS thi- y check presum-
ab'. G H.,= a"l Elahg, his I'M
Gle ara G. iu}e LAS presented by
, the youug 81 ,hc bank and cash
ed Nr ~. q declared the check
fcrfeiy ,g q said il was received
in letter ~h,,'I stated Il Was Il gift
Unluruia flo letter could not he
produced ,h an indi. laLt denial
he paid ba,s The money aad demand
ed TO l,pc, ! hi untlc intended to
prosecute ';r"aiving negative reply
he left the ~,tI" and, packing his be-
lodgings, let tuvu without notifying
any one OF hi, destination
AS Cora facet the situation she saw
that. as he hau said. his explanation
would not br accepted She was
worldly wise enough to know that,
notwithStanuiHg HE maxim of the
law TO the contrary. public opinion is
| apt to adjudge an accused man guilty
: unless he can show his innocence Her
cheeks tinglcd ms she thought of the
covert sncers about that gift oh. If
, he had only kept that letter!
But what did II all matter: She
knew he was innocent Whatever the
world might SAY, that was her verdict
This verdict she announced with
quiet emphasis whenever the matter
came 10 her attention but she sadly
saw that few stood with her; hence it
did her world of good to receive
, note from Gconrey Burns announcing
his faith in her friend.
. AS time wore on Cora bearing the
double burden Of her own desolation
and her lovers shame saw. with an
added pang, how quickly the world
forgets. Fred Nevius had been the idol
Of the social circle in which they had
moved. Now he was as one who had
never been. :,
SO went a year. Then came an event
which broke somewhat the dIplry ten
or of her life David Nelson fellow
employee, on his dying bed made
statement which wiped the blot from
Frcd's name lie said he sent the let
ter and check as an April fool jest.
expecting" To- tell Fred Of it before he
could present Ii at the bank. When he
saw It was likely 10 get him into trou-
bic he became alarmed and held his
peace
Shortly after this disclosure Burns
called on Cora and CONGRATULATED her
on the clearing VI her lovers name.
Il cannot thank YOU enough for your
loyalty 10 Fred, she said gratefully.
Tile was my friend too" he an
swered
Then he told her OF having sent Mel
sons confession TO the papers Of the
large cities with the hope that the In
noccnt man might see H.
Somehow after this II seemed the
most natural thing for Burns to can
now ana then So went another year
Meanwhile report came to East
port that Nevius was dead. When
Burns next called Cora questioned
him about -
yes ! have heard IT," he answered
| evaslyely
DO you know what foundation II
| hasf"