The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-07-31
An Illusion
Dispelled
By JOHN Y. LARNED

When my mother. a widow. died ]
was twelve years old and was adopted
by a lifelong friend Of hers. ii Mrs.
A~uchincloss. There was something
very romantic In this friendship which
could 0 understand. but | never
saw Mrs. Auchincloss till after my
mothers death. | remember when !
went from my desolate home to that
of my foster mother she said to me-:
poor boy! l loved your mother. and
| will love you for her sake"
Her little daughter. Della. stood by
and said. And l will be your sister"
AS l grew older Mrs. AuchincIoss
kept her word. only it seemed to me
that she loved me as much for myself
as for my mothers sake. The days
became twenty-one she said to me:
Frank. ! wish you to marry Della"
| had thought of Della as a sister
and believed that she had regarded
me as a brother. l was somewhat
taken aback by this announcement.
but somehow it was not an unpleasant
one.
why I thought. Aunt Margaret
| had always called Mrs. AuchinclOss
aunt, though there was no relationship
whatever between us-"that Della was
in love with Dan Gregory"
She thinks she is. but that is all
nonsense. Dan Gregory Is worthless
and undressing. and Della will find
it out some day. But I don't propose
that she shall learn it as his wife. |
prefer to marry her to please me. that
later on she may be pleased herself"
"That's very complimentary to me-"
said. taking Aunt Margaret in my
arm and kissing her. You have been
so kind to me that l have no right to
refuse you anything. l NEAR by this
that it is not at all contrary to my in
%clination to marry Della. but l would
prefer that she should love me instead
Of another man."
Agreeably to Aunt Margarets re-
quest. l went to Della. told her of her
mothers desire and said l should be
happy to acquiesce. 1t was no news
to Della. who had been Informed of
what was considered best for her. She
told me that she would do everything
she could In the matter, but she could
not give me her heart since that had
been given to another. To this l re-
piled that she must be the Judge as
to whether she would marry me under
the circumstances. for my obligation
to her mother was such that I would
not refuse her any request But I also
told her what l had told her mother
that l would be very happy in a mar.
rage with her provided she would be
happy to marry me.
This seemed to have some effect on
Delia-that is. In gaining her consent
to the match. She had a good deal Of
character. 80 much. indeed. that !
wondered how she could have given
her heart to 90 shallow a chap as
Gregory. She gave me a kiss to seal
the betrothal. and. although there was
N great warmth In 1t, there was no
ice.
As soon as we became engaged Mrs.
Auchincloss seemed greatly relieved
When l proposed that Gregory's calls
on Della might better be discontinued
her mother did not agree with me
The good lady seemed to be acting on
the idea that the more Della saw Of
him the ooner she would find out how
little there was In him. However. ~
soon as he learned that Della was ell
gagged to me he ceased his calls Of his
own accord.
After our marriage. by Mrs. Auchin-
Gloss advice. 1 let my wife alone SO
far as her disappointment in giving up
her lover was concerned. Coming upon
her suddenly one day. l found her read.
ing over some Of his letters with dim.
med eyes. l made no complaint. In.
deed. l did not refer to the matter ex.
cept to speak q word Of sympathy
She seemed to be ashamed Of her
weakness and. putting her arms about
my neck. kissed me The next day ]
saw some unburned scraps Of paper
In the fireplace and knew they were
Gregory's letters. This seemed to be a
turning point In the matter, and In fu-
ture. whatever may have been Delia's
feelings. I experienced no expression
If them.
Eight years passed. Della and I lived
In our home alone with children.
while Mrs. Auchincloss lived III an
other. Indeed. she refused to live With
rs from the day we were married. One
day when l went home from business
Della told me that her mother had
telephoned a desire that we should dine
with her that evening. We never
thought Of declining q request Of any
kind from the good lady and at the
hour appointed appeared at. Der house
We found Mrs. Auchincl0ss In the
drawing entertaining q man
Roth arose as we entered. and our host.
ess introduced the man az Mr. Greg
DRY. Della was a trife put out and
darted a look Of reproach at her moth
er for inviting her to meet her old
lover. But the old lady's reason for
doiE.; -; Was soon apparent. Gregory
had d~eteri0rated. he was the same
man 10 eight years ago. but the Greg
DRY that Della had looked upon through
the romance of nineteen had been re