The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1913-09-27


appeared ION tho social horizon OF the
town with more fine clothes than the
Johnnies ever had seen and with an
automobile and q debonair air and
much superciliousness. He was there
he announced. for rest aud recreation
after strenuous season on the stock
market In Wall street Need II be
recorded how he swept every thing
before him? How mammas courted
him and papas gave him little dinners
at the club, how clubs and societies
strove for the privilege Of entertain'
Ing him as an honored guest-and how
the maidens. betrothed and unbe-
trothed, smiled upon him? Nay, the
dullest imagination can see all that.
Then one day the town was startled
with an elopement. Yes, sad as II
was. Agnes had eloped with T.
Seymour Esterly in most spectacular
manner. leaving dramatic note to
Homer that she had made a great mis-
take, but had saved both him and her
self by recognizing the fact that they
were not mates before It was too late
thanks to the fact that her true
affinity had appeared. And she begged
him to forget her unworthy self and to
find some maiden who could appre-
ciate his good and true qualities. AS
though she did not well know that
there could be any other woman in
his simple honest life
The months sped and strange re-
ports came regarding the clipping
couple. The final one was that the
Mr.. 7. Seymour Esterly was common
adventurer-in fact valet of distin-
guished member of the stock exchange
who while taking trip abroad had
left his establishment in the hands of
his valet. And the valet with the curb
off had started out In search of ad-
venture with his employers automo-
bile and clothes and had succeeded
In inflaming the imagination OF the
ambitious country belle and inducing
her to elope with him. And sadder
than all 1t was whispered that he had
not married her at all and that she
was living in miserable quarters the
very creature OF his whims.
Homer Dent had survived the blow
with the stoicism which ever had
been his saving grace. God alone
knows what 1t meant to him and the
hours OF mortal agony he suffered,
but he made no sign and plodded on
as he ever had.
And one day many. many months
after the catastrophe there came to
him letter-oh such a pathetic and
hopeless and tear-stained letter from
the lady of his dreams. The end had
come. She was deserted, alone and
without friends, money or hope. Her
own people had cast her off-and she
did not blame them. Her board was
paid for the balance of the week. Then
she had resolved to end the whole
miserable business and let the silent
river tell the story II 1t would. Only
she could not go out of the world with
out letting Homer know how keenly
she appreciated her mistake and how
much better she knew than he. his
nobility of character.
II am saying these things, not to
Justify myself nor with any hope Of
the future" she wrote. But | want
you to know your own worth which
you always have underestimate and
People in this world are
taken OH their own valuation. Since
| went away from the truest lover
ever maiden had / have seen many
men of all degrees, and / want to tell
you for your own good that you are
better and stronger and drawer than
any OF them. When l am gone | wish
you might forgive me for my dis
loyalty to you--God knows have suf
fered enough for 1t. And l wish
might awaken In you some concep-
tion of your own power. II you could
appreciate 1t all success and all hap
piness would be yours. All business
success would open to you IL only you
would demand it-and all women
would lie at your feet II you would
command instead of beg. This Is the
only reparation l can make-to
awaken you to your own possibilities.
It Is a poor one, but believe me It is
attempted in all sincerity and with all
the love which woman can feel toward
mana love intensified thousand
times because she knows she has
sacrificed It. And II should have all
the weight Of voice from the grave
because next Monday I will be num-
bered with the dead
Long and prayerfully did Homer
Dent struggle with this letter. 1t re-
kindled all the passion Of his first and
only love and he realized all the
terrible consequences OF her fall.
Finally in the cold gray dawn he
threw his meager wardrobe into
trunk and wrote a letter to his en-
ployer resigning his position and
stating he was going away to be mar
ried and would not return,
Later he drew his money from the
savings bank and boarded train for
the city praying he would arrive In
time