The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-26
THE CRUEL LOVE TEST
BY MIRIAM LEE sANeon"

tie was peISiStohs - A.. trv
might be the making OF Eiwyn " -.
him out" and then circumstances anu.
ed the precious project, the heeoiess
MYRTLE not reckoning the manner "
which it might affect the emotion oi
really worthy young man.
For such Elwyn Moss was, IN nian
ner and thought. Winnie nad avian
ened a new soul in the reckless young
fellow. who had checked the so~in
NJ wild oats" under the influence VI
her helpful, sympathizing gentleness'
twice during the next few days NJ
wvn sought and found an opportunity
to get Winnie alone, ready 10 ten n..
his love. On both occasions, no"esei'
she managed to fit away before the
avowal materialized. This discoui-
aged him. He felt repelled anu nu' y
In the meantime, Ned Parsons was
good deal in Winnie's company. MY
tie harmless but scheming, manaseu
II 40 that when Elwyn left the village
n was with the conviction that winnie
Thomas had taken up seriously Win
Ned. and that she regarded nimSe'A
only as friend.
More than this. an old chum IN
formed Elwyn that he had 1t on pret'y
good authority that Winnie ana Neu
| had become engaged.
A few days after Elwyn went BACK
n work in the city he wrote IN MS
diary: ANY true man who has oeen
under the sweet influence Of the COM
pauionship of such girl as WINNIE
has an ideal to cherish, a GUARDIAN
angel. the memory of whom Will never
leave him. IT'S better to have ioVeu
and lost than never to have loved al
ALL"
II he suffered disappointment, heart,
break, he kept it to himself. he fei'
strong in his ability to fight loneliness
and keep to the right course. Tnen a
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. Sne
had given him no encouragement. NOV
In his daily tasks and evening leisure
fate seemed to throw him in the way
of Ned.
The latter was enjoying life to tn
full" as he termed it. Little did hi
friends at home imagine the drift hi
follies were leading him into. Elwyl
saw and deplored.
For the sake OF the one he nigh
wed, Elwyn felt he must do all n
could to win this reckless young mai
| from the path of waywardness. H
! became his constant adviser. He wal
| In fact, his guardian.
Once at a great sacrifice Of tim
, and money he got Ned>out of a !serioq
y gambling 'scrape, exposure of whic
, would have lost him his position.
At another time he took blame upo
his own shoulders in behalf Of Ne'
1t led to his losing months salar
and an advance in business prom
ton. Day after day, however, Elwy
': watched, encouraged, reformed the o
y ject of his solicitude.
II Reward came. It was with thri
\ OF gladness that Elwyn realized TIL
= he had not labored In vain, when NJ
Il said to him one day, grasping his hal
~ fervently, tears In her eyes:
"a you have saved me, old boy. 1t {
N came over me what true. self-sac
-. ficing friend you have been. felt
;, my duty to straighten out with Il
- house here their misconception !
,, garding mistakes made and not yC
- l have written the folks home. a
" through with all the old folly and
owe it all to you. Then there is t
=, dear little girl even the folks dol
:: know about-F1ora Day. She'll bic
- you for your good work, and you
= have to be the best man"
~ Flora Day." repeated Elwyn in
=. wilderment.
is "Why, yes, We have been secre
oh ! engaged for six months"
lat Glad! He was suddenly reused
nv emotions that swayed his soul in
indefinable whirl. Ned read some
den mystery under his strange mi
ner. He got the truth out of him.
an Thought I was favored by W
on nie?" he laughed. why, man, In
ks hopeless scapegrace in her estimate
III l see it all-oh, you noble, noble
he low! For Winnie's sake you tried
Ter make better man of me, so wo
I'D be worthy of herr"
lur Winnie cried like a child. wi
IRA Myrtle read to her a letter written
Try her brother. She reproached hers
err she declared she was unworthy of
Der brave hearted man whom she had
it'll to a cruel. crucial test.
are II shall never dare to face |
q a again. she sobbed. "Oh, Myrtle
her was wicked"
rex 1T was grand" cried Myrtle. 80
'at- your mother all about it, while I
vas mine Of her boy. the new brother
lae- son we are going to have after thi
and all through Elwyn Moss!"
When Elwyn got of the train at
home town week later, it was NV
..,. who met him at the depot. She
him the whole story.
roo. There was somebody waiting
an him, she said, and Elwyn knew VIII
was.
Of "Forgive!" was the first futte]