The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-08-12
LOVER PROVED
HIS DEVOTION
Girls Ruse to Test an Ad-
mirer's Affection.

l
You will never show fault toe
| pernicious for me to bear WITH
You don't know my faults.
! .'If you possess all there are In the
dictionary, shall still love you al
| ways"
There are faults that come from a
physical defect One may have pas
sion for gambling, for drink, for a
number of vices, any one of which is
excited By an abnormal brain condi.
ton. Suppose after marriage you
should find me suffering from some.
thing like this"
II should do all in my power TO pro-
tect you from the consequences OF
your deficiency"
! tried to bring her to decision, but
/ could not, and was obliged TO leave
her without either Yes" or mo. "
/ did not doubt that she suffered from
some such cause as she had mentioned,
though / knew 1t was not drink and |
did not believe it to be gambling. She
had named these as illustrations.
We were In the same summer hotel
on a beautiful lake. II was toward
the end of the season. and as most of
the guests had been there for five or
six weeks we were all acquainted.
music In the parlor when the landlord
entered and announced that one of the
guests had lost valuable jewel The
servants had been searched and moth
Ing found. Would every guest consent
to the same process? The question was
put to a vote and carried unanimously.
The doors were locked. and the
searching began. While 1t was going
on my eyes fell on the girl loved.
and | soon noticed that whenever the
searchers came near her she moved
away. After I had been searched she
came and stood beside me. | felt her
hand against mine. and she placed
within it a small box. Then she moved
away and in few minutes submitted
to be searched. evidently relieved OF
a great dread.
All was clear to me now. The fault
she would not name was kieptomania.
1t would be impossible to describe
my emotions. When / felt her passing
the box 1t seemed as IL | had been
bitten by a rattlesnake. Nevertheless.
When she looked her appeal | had
realized the situation-she was not a
thief for gain. She stole because she
was impelled TO do so. But think Of a
man accepting such defect in his
wife. entering upon matrimony know
ing that at any moment she would be
liable to bring disgrace upon herself.
him, their children! turned, looked
out through window and shook con-
vulsively. My soul was welded to this
woman. and suffered the same as IL
she we're already my wife.
Some one touched my shoulder. and I
turned. She was looking up at me, her
eyes full OF gratitude and love. The
search was ended. the doors were open.
and the guests were leaving the room.
The jewel had not been found.
Come" she said, for walk
Mechanically l followed her to the
margin of the lake. She stepped into
one Of the cedar rowboats there. and
entered after her. she taking theI
tiller. / the oars. pulled away from
the shore, and she steered the boat
across the lake toward point where
bed of ushes grew higher than
mans head. / felt sure that she would
take me to some concealed spot where
she could repossess the stolen Jewel.
Was 1t proclivity of kleptomaniacs
to wish to keep what they stole?
Presently heard the boats nose
penetrate the rushes, and in another |
moment we were in their midst. COM |
pletely concealed. The lie said TO
me:
you have repeatedly asked me to
be your wife. and ! have repeatedly /
declined to say Yes Now that you
know what ! am. do you still wish to
marry me?"
She was lounging back in her seat. I
toying with one of the tiller ropes. |
She was simply dressed in pure white,
her neck and arms uncovered. I'M
adorned except by a rose In her hair.
AS she asked the question she looked
up at me with an honest look that as
sured me she was innocent at least of
a sense of guilt. 1t was for me to de-
eide then and there. once and forever.
IL | would take her with her physical
defect or resign her. Looking steadily
into her honest eyes. said:
YES"
An expression of supreme happiness
passed over her face
Give ME the box" she said.
took it from my pocket and handed
It to her. 1t was ring box. She
opened it and turned 1t so that could
plainly see the inside.
1t was empty.
/ sat for moment scarcely under
standing what 1t meant, but her face
soon broke into a smile that revealed
he trap into which she had led me.
Fool" muttered. ito have been
.hus dupedv'
She clapped her hands in glee at the
success of her ruse and my discom-
iture.
WELL I said at last. IF I have
been made a guy. have at least stood
your test. You have not given me the
answer l have earned. Is it yes or no?"
YES"