Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-12-02

udu Sent away utE CdilidSc, iuleHulh5
to walk home from the museum, so
she permitted him to walk beside her.
From taking an interest in Brook
fields fad she was beginning to take
an interest in Tom Brookfield himself.
She found him well worth her inter-
est by comparison with the idle men
of her own set. lrma admired action.
and though Brooktield had only just
passed thirty he had been a worker
for half his lifetime
He had not become monomaniac
on his hobby. but he was a good gen
eral talker, and. though they met only
at the Settlement house or in the mu-
scum, a real friendship soon sprang up
between them. Irma had feeling that
to invite him to her home would spoil
it all, and his dense ignorance of the
fashionable and afi1uent Miss Moul-
taire was not lifted.
He believed her to be teacher in Il
fashionable school who gave a part of
her time to settlement work, and they
met on plane Of equality which was
refreshing to the woman after the for
tune hunting she had so often to en-
dure.
One afternoon late in the spring
Brookfield came to meet the class and
escort them to private view of a COL
lege collection. They had acquired
some of his enthusiasm, and he had
obtained private views of many COL
lections for them.
Today he came. with a beaming face,
and all the afternoon his high spirits
were apparent. He never shared the
little luncheons which wound up the
expeditions. but today he detained
Miss Moultaire for moment.
'"There is something l would like to
say" he pleaded. May l walk home
with you. or do you have to go with
the girls?"
Il cannot very well leave Them" she
explained.
''Then | shall have to tell you here"
he said resolutely. II can't keep it any
longer. am to be curator of the
Cheeswick collection in the fall and at
a salary enough for two. Will you
share it?"
Only for a minute did Miss Moultaire
hesitate; then she placed her hand in
his.
81 will share it," she promised, with
a radiant smile. Come this evening,
and we will talk 1t over"
She handed him her card with its
engraved address and hurried after
the girls. while Brookfeld beamed
upon her from the top step.
But the beam had faded from Brook
fields face when Miss Moultaire came
toward him in her reception room that
evening. Instead Of clasping her in
his arms he held her hand an instant
and then waited for her to be seated.
you must think me a presumptuous
fool" he began, ito ask you to share
the paltly salary which this after
noon seemed so great. did not learn
until later who you really were. 1t
seems that | have been very Dense"
"You are still Dense" suggested
Irma. "Do you come to ask me to
withdraw my promise of this after
noon?"
you must know how impossible it
would appear" he reminded. II be-
lieved you to be a teacher"
you were the teacher" she cor
rected. "You taught me what love
really is. What does it matter that
have more than you?"
II would not be considered a fortune
hunter" he said slowly
'And | will not marry one" she re-
torted. at is because you are not
fortune hunter, because you love me
for myself, that | said Yes this aft
ernoon, and l shall hold you to your
promise. Instead of you being curator
of the Cheeswick collection we shall
have collection of our own"
Silently he came toward her and
looked down into the tender eyes. No
word was spoken, but a message was
exchanged, and Brookfield knew that
such love was not lightly to be set
aside by pride. Slowly he sank into
the seat beside her and took her in his
arms.
II am sorry that you are not what
thought you to be-" he murmured.
"And l." was her tender response.
"am glad that you are what know
you to be-"
"Pll try to be all you think | am"
he promised as he bent to kiss the
smiling lips.
And so Miss Moultaire's dread Of
fortune hunters had been settled
through the Settlement
Salt Water Questions.