Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1909-04-15
LOVE TRIUMPHED

daughter, he gave ner the DenenC OF
fair education. Mary was by no
means an ignoramus.
Her fathers only sister, Della, mar
ried a wealthy city merchant, and
when Mary was nineteen she was in
vited to pass the winter months at
their elegant house on Murray hill.
Mary's instincts and ideas were high
toned and her tastes artistic. She liked
soft laces and jewels, she delighted to
wrap Aunt Delias costly shawls about
her shapely shoulders and let them
trail gracefully over the velvet carpet
and to fold the dainty laces against
the clear white and pink of her ex-
Quisite face and imagine herself some
fair princess.
Aunt Della encouraged the girl in
this. She arrayed her in the finest and
introduced her into society and was
proud of the sensation her rare lowell
ness excited.
Mary's thoughts are best expressed
by reading over her sisters shoulder
the letter that she received somewhat
later. This sister, Louisa, was the ED
est. very plain and very good. Mary
cOnfided in her without reserve.
Dear Lou-Oh, that you were here! But
you wouldn't enjoy it all as do. I am
In my element.
Aunt's house is a marvel of beauty.
Thanks to her generosity, I am attired as
daintily as a kings daughter. She will
have 1t so, although I rebel, for shame.
Lou, I fear I can never don by plain
dresses again.
Let me whisper to you alone that l
have two admirers. OF course there are
a score or so Of danglers ready to do
homage, flirt or carry wraps. but there
are but two eligible for matrimony
One of them. Clifford Mason, is a per-
feet Adonis. Oh, Lou, he is handsome! I
like him ever so much.
He's a gentleman: but, alas, notwith-
standing all this, he is poor. Aunt says
that he'll have to take a back seat"
Poor folks must, you know
Gilead Willoughby. the other candidate,
Is fine looking, too, but he is self opinion
ated and always ready with a covert
sneer But, then, he Is millionaire and,
OF course, that will atone for all his
faults.
What would you say, sister mine, if you
saw your pet blazing with diamonds and
dressed In Worths marvellous toilets?
What would you say to spending your
winters at Mrs. Willoughby's elegant
mansion and riding through the Central
park behind a pair of magnificent bays?
All this and more If marry the money
bags What shall do-how decide? Send
your honily quickly dear Lou. Oh, don't
I know well what that will be! stick to
your principles, Mary, whatever
P. 81 think even you could not help
being pleased with Clifford Mason. There
II something grand and noble about him.
Willoughby sent her costly bouquets
and seemed to live but for her smiles,
yet, with a woman's intuition, she
knew that beneath his courtly manner
there was hard, selfish nature, but
she thought that he loved her as much
as he loved anything beyond his own
pleasure and comfort.
Her heart fingered lovingly upon the
manly words of Clifford Mason II
am poor, darling. but I could labor
cheerfully for you, for love you"
She asked herself, Do love Gilead
Willoughby? If he were poor or i'll,
would I be willing to work for him?
Could I accept of shabby gentility"
and wear made over dresses for his
sake? If he should lose his wealth,
same?
"Gilead is not a man to die for
woman, nor for a woman to die for"
she added, and with the tears trem-
bling like dewdrops upon her long
lashes she struggled against the temp
tation Of being the envied wife of
millionaire.
And when the struggle was ended
and love had triumphed over ambition
1t was time of joy when she prom
1sed Clifford Mason to be his own true,
loving wife, in poverty or riches in
sickness or in health.
1t was a glorious day in June when
these true lovers were married at the
old farmhouse where she had passed
the happy days Of childhood, but she
was quite content when her husband
told her that he had provided a plain,
comfortable home in New York city.
1t was evening when they arrived,
and when the carriage stopped before
a stately mansion on Fifth avenue and
Aunt Della came out in the hall to
welcome them she felt as If it was a
pleasant surprise. Could it be posi-
BILE, after all, that her proud Aunt
Eastman meant to forgive her for the
serious fault Of marrying a poor man!
And when she had finished tour of
examination through the house and
duly admired the decorations of the
rooms, each perfect in its way, she
congratulated her aunt upon the pos
session OF so fine a mansion. 81 loved
the dear old place on Murray HILL"
she said. because it was there that
first met Clifford. but this is fit for
kings palace"
"Do you regret having rejected the
millionaire for the sake Of one who
has but a loving heart and willing
hands to offer you?" inquired her hus-
band.
II own that 1 was tempted, Cliff;
but, you see, love triumphed."
Clifford Mason wound his arms
around her and, looking into her beau