Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-05-02

out" she continued. General Mouse
would have a tit at the least notion ot
my liking anybody who hadn't q town
house and a country house and !
yacht, and cast-iron social position
studded with iron nails and spiked ON
top-and family heirlooms that hi
great grandmother wore at Washing
toms Inauguration. That's General
Mouse's view. and he's likely to -
squeak terribly at poor little hun.
dred-and-twelve-dolla lion! That's thu
bad part Of it; the good Is that when
I'm twenty-six l come into my moth.
er's money-three Snug old New York
houses filled with dentists and doc.
tors and sub-letting old ladies who
have seen better times---somewhere be.
tween eight and nine thousand dollars
a year. Isn't that nice, Mr.. Lion? Isn't
that splendid? Come. cheer up, and
say 1t Is worth waiting for! Yes. two
years and ten months to wait, and
then fearful General Mouse rumpus
and me. II you are still Of the same
mind, that is, and haven't gone of In
another direction? Though
"Oh, Christ"
But this Is a secret have to be
sure you love me first"
"You know do"
"But awfully. awfully well-better
than anything-just terribly"
eyes"
Don't smile about it said ter
ribly"
/ II was thinking of all that money;
1t frightens me even when I'm glad
TO be called fortune-hunter, and
heaven knows what-yet, don't know
how was I to know?-It's stagger-
Ing, Chris; IL am trying to get used
to 1t; why, we've can get married."
That's the secret-before then,
perhaps!"
II don't care If it's only one room:
I'm not afraid, Matt-only sorry
about papa, and the way he Is sure
to take 1t. You must stay here and
get something to do no matter what
1t Is, and as soon as it is enough for
! two. I'll come, Matt, dear-Ill come,
II it's only seventy-five dollars
month"
Matt gave an appalled, glance about
the room-at the pictures, the tapes
tries, the rich, dark, old furniture
at the elegance, luxury and beauty
that everywhere surrounded him.
you couldn't" he exclaimed, over
come. "You don't understand what It
is to be poor. You see it staged and
dressed up. and with a row OF foot
lights, and roses climbing over the
cardboard cottage; but 1t isn't like
that at all, Chris; it's ugly and detest-
able. and should be the most selfish
brute alive to let you do such
thing" .
ut needn't be ugly and detestable,
Matt" she returned, with tender re-
proving seriousness. "The trouble is
that poor people are usually poorer
still in taste, and are horribly oil
clothy, and given to chromos of Swiss
lakes and screaming green carpets.
We won't be that kind of poor, and
promise you I'll surprise you how well
I'll manage and how pretty and coy
everything will be. Other people have
done ut and been happy-and we'll do
1t and be happier. No, It's settled, Mr..
Lion, and If you fight about it any
more shall think 1t is because you
really do not want me-
"Oh, Chris, 1t isn't that. God knows
It isn't that liam man. and r.
And you never can remember that
I'm a woman" she Interrupted with
an unshrinking look 1T isn't very
fair Of you, is It? am ten years more
grown-up than you are, though I'm
only twenty-three; and am ready for
life to begin-greedy for it-greedy
for the hurts as we'll as for the other
II it's with a man could love- What
would you do In my place, ask you
that? Suppose you were lying here In
a dragon coat, and I was you-what
would you say then, Matt?''
"Just what you've said, of course"
"And mean it,"
with all my heart"
"And wouldn't be afraid?"
"No, not bit afraid
"And wouldn't you rather risk every
thing than-than wait those three
years-three long, long years?'
Eyes, would, Christi would be
just the question whether you loved
me we'll enough, wouldn't it,"
"And do"
"Chris?'
Eyes, dearest"
cts settled then, isn't IT."
"That's for you to say"
"Me? have said it,
(To Be Continued.)