The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-02-09
The Test of True
Love
n, FREDERICK CLARKE


I'm walk home wlth yoa. Dick " said
Frank Fuyles % his friend Nehad
Talbot and started away with him
from Alss Lands door Al the cor
Ger of the block he stopped and wruui
his friends hand violently.
Il congratulate you, old man." he
said warmly. Il think your nancee 10
one OF the finest girls I've ever met
and Just suited to you, too aud bet
your married life viii be one long
dream Of paradise"
Talbot did not reply and his friend.
mortified by his coldness accom-
panied him IN silence. Talbot was
thinking bitterly OF his folly--hls abb
/ solute folly II was too late 20 With
! draw with honor now. The wedding
was only one month away. And dur
| Ing the past two weeks he had come 10
realize that he had made the mistake
I Of his life
/ lie had thought Elsie Lands all that
\ could be desired IN any woman until
until he had met Edith Spinner.
/ Honor forbade him 20 speak; but the
i pressure OF their hands when they met
i must have betrayed them 90 each 9th
i err. They had met three times only
and he was head over heels In love
with Edith.
He thought over his future that
night. lie could not withdraw
He rose up after sleepless night
resolved to give Elsie the chance TO
reconsider. II was not until eight
o'clock that evening that he found him
self in Elsie's presence.
Their greeting was commonplace
enough The handshake. the kiss, and
even that seemed perfunctory. Talbot
sat down.
Richard" said his fiancee, looking
at him curiously, do you know you
have been acting In a very odd man
ner lately7"
AZ How Is thatf" he stammered.
"You haven't seemed 10 love me as
much as you used TO-" she stammered-
II have been thlnklng-O. Richard.
don't you care for met"
A moment later and she was on her
knees at his side. her arms around
him, weeping.
"Elslep exclaimed Richard, miser-
ably, IL love you"
"You won't love me when | have
told you something" she sobbed.
Tell me and see" said he. He
could think of nothing better TO say.
81 have been untrue to YOU" she
sobbed. II don't mean that I've
kissed anybody else. No. but-O
Richard, you are so simple and noble,
you would never understand. Well, l.
had been wondering whether oY
marriage was going TO be happy. L
had begun 10 seem so ordinary, gu,
love. And then met man-Just tive
weeks ago. He fascinated me and
and | loved him more than you. dear
est"
Richard sat up very straight. Thii
was turning of the tables with 4
vengeance.
"We never told each other" she
went on, weeping bitterly. II felt thai
we ought not TO be married until you
knew-and | didn't dare to tell yos
until today"
"why todayT inquired Richard
; kindly
Because he is married now
! sobbed Elsie. He got married yester
day And he had been engaged TO hef
for whole year-just think Of that
He had just been flirting with me ant
, I-foolng me. And then q sudden 70
vulsion came over me and knew thai
! II was you / had loved all the tima
Richard, can you ever forgive me 90
shall I give you back your ringT
"who was the man1" inquired Rich.
ard, conscious OF an odd sense Of help
less Jealousy.
, Nobody you know. Richard" she
, answered. so II wouldn't do you any
good to tell you his name. But III
tell you whom he married. ! believe
you met her once II was a Miss Spin
, ner."
Edith Spinner he shouted
ayes. Richard. She Is said TO be q
: dreadful hirt. Why. what is the mat
, terri
Come here, Elsie." said Richard.
do you know ] have been fancying
, myself In love with EdlthT
!. "You, Richardi Since we we're en-
gagged Why. how dared your
How dared your be retorted.
I. 81 didn't" she cried. ut was purely
: Imagination just feared that we
mightnt be quite suited TO each other
and"
That's what did"
you never kissed her. DickT
Never" ne said. looking her IN tho
: eyes. and then suddenly be drew her
? upan his knee and kissed her.
Elsie. darling shall We start over
againT"
ayes. Rlchan4" she answered. rails
{ ing her lips 70 his. "But-you're quite
r sure that you never kissed her. DickT