Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-31
HOME PRIZE SUGGESTIONS VAGAREs FASHION CORNER
The Daily Story
Testing Prudence

TO the bed ana blew ring OF smoke Cell-
ingward from his cigar. ITO recapitulate," F"
he began, directing his remarks to the
calendar which hung on the wall, and
from which stared back at him the face
Of a supposedly beautiful young woman
with fixed and sugary smile, your lett
ear is confoundly out of drawing. beg
your pardon, I'm not an artist. I'm a
civil engneer-or will be next June And
that isn't what started out to remark
ITO recapitulate, I have peddled maps
over three states, and the net profits of
these adventures are S53l62 l have a
steady job during the college year walt
ing on table at three per and found. Fur
thermore, | have dress suit and clothes
and ties and things Further yet, have
| an invitation from my cousin, Terrence
Marshall, to spend a week with him at
Sylvan Cove the swelest resort on this
little old ocean. II Is now Saturday night
September 49, and college opens UP the
25th.
The question seems to he shall l go on
peddling maps and accumulating more
| hlthy lucre which I may possibly need;
shall | go home. which is 300 miles away;
to college, which Is $50, or Sylvan Cove,
which is under a hundred and where
pretty young women, 1t is presumed,
abound?"
In due parliamentary form, the Sylvan
| Cove question was put and carried unan-
| imously; whereupon the boy-he was lit
tie more-bowed gravely to the calen-
dered lady and thanked her for her kind
| ness In voting for him. Then he ran
down the stairs of the country hotel to
consult the time table. for he was in
| hurry to he OFF
Marshall found Sylvan Cove in the
elaborate simplicity stage of summer re-
sort development. Everything was cost
| ly but very plain. for the Cove was in
habited each season mainly by wealthy
| people who had become accustomed to
| their money.
on the first day of his stay Marshall
navely confided to his cousin that he
believed Prudence Fairchild to be the
| prettiest girl at the Cove, whereupon
Terrence grinned and replied "stung, are
you?' On the second day he learned
| that she could swim like a seal and golf
| like Scot That evening, by virtue of
I four dances which she generously gave
him at the pavilion party, his stock of
| knowledge was augmented by the fact
that Miss Prudence danced like a fairy.
| Marshall's knowledge of this pretty
! and wholesome young woman deepened
during long sail the next morning. when
he discovered that her taste in books and
tennis rackets was identical with his
| own. When Terrence informed him later,
child. was credited with more millions
than there were letters to his name the
young man experienced a novel and en-
tlrely unpleasant sinking of the heart.
His own financial situation did not
trouble Marshall; in fact, he found hu-
NOR in his poverty. Marshalls father
had been rich until an Industrial furry
had left him broken and penniless. Berke-
ley himself a natural engineer and in
love with the profession he had chosen,
felt the prescient stir of genius within
him, vague but real. His teachers pre-
dicted great things of him, and with the
knowledge of his own powers and his
burning desire to achieve, fame and
wealth were merely around the next cor
ner.
Yet. the fact of Miss Fairchild's wealth
depressed him. I've almost monopolized
her since I've been here" he told him
self, land she'll think it's the blooming
money. l suppose half this bunch that's
hanging around her would marry Dig
ger Indian for the old mans pile. 1 wish
she were poor!" The latter aggrieved and
sincere remark revealed to Marshall that
he was dangerously near being In love.
A certain sensitive pride, for he had
a morbid fear that his attitude might
I've misconstrued. kept Marshall out of
the girls presence most of the time
thereafter Maybe she understood, for
the possession of much money often
| brings a woman bitter wisdom: maybe
| il was a feminine desire to repay him
for his aloofness; at any rate MISS Fair-
child contrved to give Marshall
glance at parting, as he held her cool
little hand, that thrilled his every pulse.
1t was like the song of a nightingale or
| the scent of June roses. And the mem
! ory moved him again and again that
| winter as he built theoretical bridges in
the classroom or delivered vegetable
soup in +he hotel dinlngrOom.
Now a look such as that from girl
who is not a flrt dwells in her memory,
too Miss Fairchild's cheeks were hot.
sometimes. when she thought of it, and
| of the answering glance of bewildered
Ioy that flashed from Marshall's blue
| ewes "He might take advantage of'it,
she said TO herself in brief, delicious
panIc when the invitation of a chum,
| Nell Burrows to come for the January
hon of the seniors at Marshalrs college
| reached her. But she went neverthe-
less.
The assurance with which he confs-
| Gated five of the dances on her card at
;he ball showed that Marshall remem-
bered They sat out two which was de-
lightful, but dangerous; there was little
| said. and the silence between them was
intimate and significant
Removed from the glamour of the
lights and the music, from the half
| shielded promise of her eyes and the IN
! toxIcation of her beauty. Marshall was
not satisfied. "If she only were poor!
ne repeated to himself How can she
know that it's she l want. and not the
money? Suppose that she thinks I'm
fortune hunter? And IL the money makes
| any difference with her, then she doesn't
care for me- | wish knew! II you only
could give me a sign, sweetheart tnst
you had faith in my love-
| II was lunch time, and Marshall was
at his accustomed table in the hotel His
musings were broken by the opening
| of the door Miss Fairchild and Miss
burrows came in. They were accom-
panied by Bronson and Carrick, wealthy
| frat men of his own class.
out of the corner of his eve Marshall
saw Miss Fairchild start a tri1e when
she recognized him. When the party
| had been seated two tables away by
Young Condor, another student waiter,
| the girls back was toward him. He had
given her no opportunity for a greeting.
For II had flashed over the young man
that the sign, either of favor or of con-
tempt for his poverty and his menial oc-
cupation, must be given. The girl would
| show whether her nature were gold or
| dross. II she were ashamed Of him, II
| she left the room without a word he
resolved to tear the love he felt from
| his heart and trample II under foot.
/ Marshall never knew what he did be-
! fore the crucial time came, the moment
-gaf.a -