The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-05
The Devil
Climb
How a Man Won a
Bride by Scaling 1t.
By WILLARD MALTBiE

4hCiS was ~ opLN't'N' - -
reason why Amos Steele should marrG
Eva COwles. Neither had lAi@c icH-
tune, but each had small ole and
the two together would lrol.te N
income sufficient to enable thea -
maintain the social position to Wii:cI
they had been accustomed. Thc.r la
theirs had been partners i'll bus less
and on this account some II tx. ~
yestments were Oh joint ;.c@s at All
needed to remain SO in order to ~
made profitable.
There was but one thing to EeS.'
them apart. While Amos steele N&s
endowed with lot of practical eoli
mon sense Eva Cowles WIS intcnsai"
romantic. There was in her II +"Ml
deal of that German element whcil
loves tales of valiant knights who GGht
for fair women. She dotted on MS
terry. on sentiment. She delighted III
the operas of Richard Wagner. net be-
cause she loved the music. for il 4!
not appeal to her, but because the
themes are based on some faHtastiH
tale about q Lohengrin or a Flying
Dutchman.
Steele was anxious for the match.
not only because it would be advanta-
geous to both, but because Eva was a
charming girl, and he wanted her for
a wife. After the usual gifts of such
trumpery as woman may accept from
a man-probably because it may be
swept out within Il few days after its
reception without material loss-he
proposed. He looked upon nothing
with rainbow eyes and doubtless his
declaration was matter Of fact. He
could not be anything else.
Eva admired her sutton for his real
worth, but a proposition which dwelt
mainly on the advantages to be gained
by both parties was repulsive to her
She rejected Amos, and when he press
ed her for reason she told him plain
ly that the man she married must love
her better than his life; must be will
ing to endure poverty with her; must
be ready to defend her in case Of ne
cessity with his hearts blood.
Amos undertook to break down this
opposition by making light of it.
II fear you have been reading TO-
mantle stories," he said to her. There
is no romance in America. In Europe
they have their legends of heroes and
heroines, their Sir Galahads, their
Lereleis, their thousand and one i'm
possibilities. In America we have only
the Salem witches, which, being old
women riding on broOmsticks, are not
pleasing to contemplate. Besides, all
these beautiful fancies wither before
an empty stomach or a hole in ones
stocking. Why do we call that period
of intense affection between newly
married persons the honeymoon"
Because 1t is very sweet, l suppose
"Very sweet and very fleeing. A
moon lasts but twenty-eight days. NJ
one expects the eXuberance Of love t.
endure more than a month"
"The man l marry must love me
forever, his love growing stronger ev
cry hour, every day, every month, ev
cry year. He must be man of cour
age, ready to strike at any momen
4 In my defense. think shall MARI!
q soldier, tall, handsome
suppose he gets his nose shot off !?
HE will WOO me by diving to brin,
me pearls; he will climb mountains
standing on giddy heights to show tina
he can look upon an abyss withou
: fear."
"Why not marry man in a fyin
machine?"
Enough Of this" said Eva sharply
1T Is evident that you and l are nc
tied for each other. / wish a ma
b lift. me up, not to drag me dowl
Ik\Vith you should always feel tha
was chained to EARTH"
1t was evident to Amos that he wa
II lining nothing. In fact, the more /
q pdeavored to instill the practical int
81 70 girl he wanted the more he SCENE
II antagonize her. He took leave
81 ~ and went away sorrowful.
1Amos had an uncle whom he W,
~ much like in his nonappreciatit
3 the romantic, only the uncle ",
n Derienced, while Amos was not. Fl
81 lie was manager of Amos proper
y would remain so until the heir /
be thirty years old. The guardi'
favored the match, and at Amt
IRE he reported 1t to his uncle, q
the cause.
~ boy" replied the older ma
rer oppose a woman With t
IT sex one must stoop to conqu
made mistake In ridiculing Ev,
mentality. You should not OIL
appeared to appreciate it, |
IN every case gone her one bett
must take back track"
recall what have said sh
be only contempt"
ver mind what you have sa
Fords are of little moment bes
Mcts. Contrive a scene I'm VIII
M jump in the water to 81
mes life"
init SWIM"
nr something buoyant UNI
Nothing"
ose life shall I save? Pers,
hn into the water especially
4 man to show his prowess
.n