The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-18
The Devil
Climb
How a Man Won a
Bride by Scaling Ii.
BY WILLARD MALTBIE.


Eva Cowles. Neither had large for
tune, but each had a small one, and
the two together would produce an
income sufficient to enable them to
maintain the social position to which
they had been accustomed. Their ia
tners had been partners in business
and ON this account some of their in
Vestments were on joint account and
needed to remain so in order to be
made profitable.
There was but one thing to keep
them apart. While Amos Steele was
endowed with lot Of practical com
mon sense Eva Cowles was intensely
romantic. There was in her good
deal OF that German element which
loves tales of valiant knights who fight
TOT fair women. She dotted on mys-
terry. on sentiment. She delighted in
the operas of Richard Wagner, not be-
cause she loved the music. for it did
not appeal to her, but because the
themes are based on some fantastic
tale about Lohengrin or 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
man-probably because 1t may be
swept out within 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 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
~ 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
Lsreleis, 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 it is very sweet, suppose"
| very sweet and very fleeting. A
moon lasts but twenty-eight days. No
one expects the exuberance Of love to
endure more than month"
1.-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 a man of cour-
age, ready to strike at any moment
In my defense. l think l shall marry
bolulci, ldil, uduuSOue
Suppose he gets his nose shot Off"
HE will WOO me by diving to bring
me pearls; he will climb mountains,
standing on giddy heights to show that
he can look upon an abyss without
fear"
"Why not marry a man in a flying
machine?"
Enough Of this" said Eva sharply.
ut is evident that you and l are not
fitted for each other. l wish a man
to lift me up, not to drag me down.
With you ! should always feel that
I was chained to earth"
1t was evident to Amos that he was
gaining nothing. In fact, the more he
endeavOred to instill the practical into
the girl he wanted the more he seemed
to antagonize her. He took leave of
her and went away sorrowful.
Amos had an uncle whom he was
very much like In his nonappreciation
Of the romantic, only the uncle was
experienced, while Amos was not. His
uncle was manager Of Amos property
and would remain so until the heir be-
came thirty years old. The guardian
had favored the match, and at Amos
failure he reported 1t to his uncle, Civ
ing the cause.
"My boy" replied the older man,
"never oppose a woman With the
softer sex one must stoop to conquer.
You made mistake in ridiculing Eva's
sentimentality. You should not only
have appeared to appreciate 1t, but
have I'm every case gone her one better.
You must take back track"
"If I recall what l have said shall
receive only contempt"
"Never mind what you have said. |
Our words are Of little moment beside
our acts. Contrive scene In which /
You will jump in the water to save I!
some ones life"
81 can't swim"
"wear something buoyant under |
your clothing"
"whose life shall I save? Persons
won't fan into the water especially to +
enable a man. to show his prowess In !
saving them"
..nE 5,,,o,,x, will do How do YOU ,