Fair play., 1921-05-14
TRUE GOLD LADY
BY MoLtiE MATHER.
|3G99eSg g9eS393t
90. 1921. western Newspaper Union.)

| Towers of harboring romantic dreams,
| yet, half-uncofsciously, at the back Of
his well ordered bachelor life was
kept a daintily colored picture Of
n glorified being who should one day
| become his wife-one day, for the
| attainment seemed ever farther of.
| Johns measure of success in business
had not fulfilled boyish promise,
| though the village bank had grown to
reality through his tireless and sys-
tcmatic effort.
The bank had been but part Of q
store when John began as its am
bilious cashier. Now he was presl-
dent and owner and the small white
| pillared building, the finest on Main
street. John Towers home was also
capably managed, with meals always
| just on time, and regular cleaning and
baking days never varied.
His elderly sister followed Johns
| ways of prudence and matter-of-fact-
ness. And IL she had visioned for her
! brother a wife 1t was some sensible
| and efficient creature who would con-
tinue sufficiently the daily routine,
| Could she have seen her brothers
dream picture she would have been
| astonished and alarmed. As resident
| young women and visitors coming
from far and near failed as time
| passed to arouse Johns serious inter
est, his sister settled down assured Of
her continued comfortable reign. And
I then John saw the White and Gold
lady. That Is the name his heart in
stantly gave her as he walked idly one
Sunday morning to the farthest end
Of the lane. Lovers Lane" the young
folk called It, but until John came
walking back again later by the White
and Gold lady's side he had never ap-
preclated the meaning Of the name.
She was sitting on bench built round
the old park tree when he first found
her. Her dress was white and her hair
was gold and she held some marigolds
in her white fingers.
"If you please" asked the White
and Gold lady. with smile that was
| golden too, could you tell me the way
to Willow Lawn house? I'm visitor
there and started for the woods and
can't get back the turns are so very
confusing"
John Towers drew q happy breath
OF anticipation.
81 will be delighted to show you the
way" he offered, and that was the be-
| ginning Of the end. A small-town
| banker seemed rpt desirable hus-
band to the father of the White and
Gold lady. And he told her SO with
an emphasis which hurried her into
marriage. For Lily had to make her
choice between father and lover and
4 she made it inevitably, trustfully-
while the old capitalist Withdrew in
injured pride to his great home.
So for time did routine and order
But Lily, the dainty, bent to cook and
| menu, with the same intensity that
had carried her through music and
study; and II household tasks were
not always accomplished, John Tow
ers, coming broodingly from his bank
found awaiting him deliciously cooked
meals that tempted his tagging appe-
| tite.
bank on the village street and John
wondered and wondered-about the
White and Gold lady.
Then the bank failed The circum-
stances were unforeseen and unavoid-
able, yet he blamed himself. And
when he could no longer bear the
pathos of Lilys patient face, he bade
her go away some place for visit
Obediently his wife went. II he
had expected her to demur he did not
show his disappointment 1t was an
old school friend that Lily selected
to visit in her old college city.
The friend had been inviting her for
long time. And when John found
that he could no longer bear the
haunting loneliness of his own desc
late home he took OF the small saw
ings which could lily be spared for
even that purpose and Travelled the
miles to see Lily. She was more the
White and Gold lady than ever in
flmy white frock at a tea her hostess
was giving.
The yellow-shaded candles shone on
her yellOw-gold hair. lie sighed hope
lessly mt the difference between their
present lives.>"I will go back" he told
her huskily. "to my failures. The pity
of It Is that should ever have
brought you to share them" Lily
drew him aside.
Dearest" she said, "yOu are not
going home to failure; and when
have finished here what I am doing.
then l will come back IN you-for-
ever. An idea of how to help you oc-
CURED to me as.I journeyed and
have been putting that idea into prac-
tice. You see the charming arrange
ments of this tea Helen is giving7
Well am responsible for it all, and
| have managed dozens for friends
who used to he with me at college