Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-12-30
TRIUMPH that
LACKED zEST
Story of a Woman Who Pre-
ferred Wealth to Love,

II iouih !, N1oilH.
But it does. If you had plenty of
money I'd love you as l did when l
married you. But now, shaving as l
do
1T isn't so much that, Molly; it's
seeing other women enjoying the splen-
dor of wealth."
mo matter what's the cause, my
minds made up"
Tom Beverly made no reply. He
knew that "a willful woman must have
her own way" One day a few months
after this interview he came home to
find her gone. She left a note saying
that she had no fault to find with him,
except that his poverty made life a
burden to them both. He wrote her
that he regretted her inability to take
comfort with him in a homely way:
that he was not q dog in a Manager"
and if she found an opportunity to
marry n fortune he would not stand
in the way.
Mrs. Beverly was an attractive WON
an and soon found just such an oppor-
tunity as her husband had referred to.
She wrote Beverly asking if he would
stand by his word and help her get a
divorce. Beverly, who had vainly
hoped his course would bring her back
to him, was much disappointed, but he
kept his promise and signed a paper
cCufessing to a number Of shortcom-
inss, any one of which would turn his
wife against him. Mrs. Beverly got her
divorce and became Mrs. Willard. She
had married Beverly for love; Willard
she married for money.
The first time Beverly saw his for
mor wife after their separation he was
trudging along on foot from business.
Size was riding With her second hus-
band in a glittering equippage with
both coachman and footman. The
si:Alt gave the deserted man a shock.
HIS philosophy was all gone out of
him. Still he was too generous to
gTndge the couple their wealth. But
he was human enough to wish to sur
piss them III their own Injuries. He
thcn and there made a resolve that he
would n day drive by the couple in d
more Respondent carriage and horses
than they possessed.
Beverly was still q young man. He
had been laying the foundation for his
business, drawing q niggardly sum for
living expenses, often making nothing,
ana when he made anything above ex.
penscs leaving it in his business for
capital. 1t was this that had tired out
his wife. The first year after she left
him he made a fine unexpected profit.
This put him on his feet. and. follow
ing his resolve, he expanded his bust
ness and made money rapidly. In five
wears lie WAS a rich man. and in five
wears moro he was more than a mil
%liOnairc.
Meanwhile Willard, who was q dar-
ing Spectator, was getting on the
wrong side OF the cotton market. and
his fortune was melting away. Rey-
erly had been too poor to move in the
same set with him and his wife and
consequently had not kept track of
them. BY the time Beverly had accu-
mulated sufficient means to live as thev
did Willard had lost everything and
retired with his wife to a dingy cottage
in the suburbs. Consequently Beverly
did not ever hear of their altered cir.
cumstances.
One day Beverly was trying q new
pair Of horses he had purchased. They
were high steppers, their harness was
gold mounted, and on tile rcar seat of
the sparkling drag behind then. sat
two liveried lackeys with folded arms.
Beverly came upon the last carriage of
a funeral procession. He was obliged
to check his FESTIVE horses for awhile;
but, coming to a point where the road
Widened, he pushed on beside the train.
Passing The mourners' carriage. n wom-
an in widows weeds sat looking our of
the half drawn curtain. Beverly 9lanc-
ed aside and in the melancholy face
saw the features of his former Wife.
For ten years he had struggled to be
able to pass her and the man who had
supplanted him with q finer cuuipace
than theirs. Alas for human triumnhs,
When they come they wither. The
woman he had desired TO excel was
riding in a common cab. her husband
in ?. hearse.
Teverly drove Oh to the city, where
he~ learned all the late happoninns to
his Eival and the woman who could not
wait for fortune to come by slow proc
ess. if indeed it would ever como
When the widow returned to her shah.
by home she found a note there adj
dressed in a well known hand.
She opened it, and out futtered q
check. 1t was for 81, 600 and was sign.
ed "Thomas Beverly" The note read.
For ten years I nave struggled to nos
sess the means TO Guido YOU and the man
Wno took my place. This was to he NV
revenge. Death and misfortune have de-
pl?ved me of it. l wish for no revenpe
but If you can find it in your heart IN IIse
the check l inclose you will give me com
fort.
The next day the check was return.
ed, with a note:
I would gladly give you comfort Tom
and 1 am not too proud to accent your
Kind offer. 1t is simply a crushing sense
OF my anworthiness and your superiority,
providence gave me the means to be hap
py, but l threw happiness away. I can
not atone for my fault. can or,v t,nor