The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1915-10-29
THE CRUEL LOVE TEST
BY MIRIAM Lee sANeoRN.


might be the making OF Elwyn TO try
him out, and then circumstances aid.
ed the precious project, the Needless
Myrtle not reckoning the manner In
which II might affect the emotion OF n
really worthy young man
For such Elwyn Moss Was. in man.
ner and thought Winnie had awak.
ened new soul in the reckless young
Fellow, who had checked the sowing
OF wild oats" under the influence OF
her helpful. sympathlzing gentleness.
Twice during the next few days El.
wyn sought and found an opportunity
TO get Winnie alone. ready TO tell her
his love. On both occasions, however,
she managed to fit away before the
aVowal materialiEed This discour.
aged him. He felt repealed and hurt.
In the meantime. Ned Parsons was a
good deal in Winnie's company. Myr.
tie. harmless but scheming. managed
II 90 that when Elwyn left the village
II was with the conviction that Winnie
Thomas had taken up seriously with
Ned, and that she regarded himself
only a. q friend.
More than this, an old chum In
formed Elwyn that he had II on pretty
good authority that Winnie and Ned
had become engaged.
A few days after Elwyn went back
to work In the city he wrote In his
diary: Amy true man who has been
under the sweet influence Of the com.
partnership Of such q girl a. Winnie,
has an ideal to cherish. q guardian
angel, the memory Of whom will never
leave him. 'Tis better 70 have loved
and lost than never to have loved at
all"
II he suffered disappointment, heart
break, he kept 1t to himself. He felt
strong in his ability TO fight loneliness
and keep to the right course Then y
new element entered his life. Ned.
too. came to work in the city.
Elwyn recalled the evident evasion
Of Winnie to give him an opportunity
to tell her OF his love. Their parting
had been simply that of friends She
had given him no encouragement. Now
In his daily tasks and evening leisure
fate seemed to throw him in the way
Of Ned.
The latter was enjoying life to the
full" as he termed II. Little did his
friends at home imagine the drift his
follies were leading him into. Elwyn
saw and deplored
For the sake Of the one he might
wed, Elwyn felt he must do all he
could TO win this reckless young man
from the path OF waywardness. He
became his constant adviser. He was.
in fact, his guardian.
Once at q great sacrifice OF time
and money he got Ned out OF serious
gambling scrape. exposure OF which
would have lost him his position.
At another time he took blame upon
his own shoulders IN behalf OF Ned
II led to his losing = months salary
and an advance in business promo
ton. Day after day, however. Elwyn
watched, encouraged, reformed the OBJ
ject of his solicitude
Reward came II was with . thrill
Of gladness that Elwyn realized that
he had not labored In vain, when Ned
said to him one day, grasping his hand
fervently, tears in her eyes
You have saved me. old boy. II all
cane over me what a true, selfsacri-
ficing friend you have been felt II
my duty to straighten out with the
house here their misconception re-
garding mistakes made and not you.
have written the folks home ! am
through with all the old folly and
owe II all to you. Then there IL the
dear little girl even the folks don't
know about-F1ora Day. She'll bless
you for your good work. and you'll
have 10 be the best man"
Flora Day" repeated Elwyn in be-
wilderment
why. yes. we have been secretly
engaged for six months"
Glad, He was suddenly reused 70
emotions that swayed his soul in an
indehnable whirl. Ned read some hid.
den mystery under his strange man
ner. He got the truth out Of him
Thought was favored by Win
nieH' he laughed Why. man, I'm .
hopele' : scapegrAce in her. estimation!
see It all-oh. you noble. noble fel.
low! For winnie's sake you tried to
make q better man OF me, 20 would
be worthy Of herr"
Winnie cried like . child when
Myrtle read to her = letter written by
her brother She reproAched herself,
she declared she was unworthy Of the
brave hearted man whom she had put
10 q cruel. crucial test
II shall never dare TO face him
again" she sobbed oh, Myrtle. u
was wicked"
TT was grand" cried Myrtle Tell
your mother all about It. while tell
mine Of her boy. the new brother and
son we are going TO have after this-
and all through Elwyn Moss"
When Eiwyn got OF the train ~ bis
home town q week later. II was Myrtle
who met him at the depot. She told
him the whole story
..hnA- .fRHr- co.