A Moving Tale of Modern Love and Devotion.

Lake County Press, Issue 906, 12 April 1900, Page 2

A Moving Tale of Modern Love and Devotion.

" Mother, I will Isave you !" " You cannot, Hortense ! It is too late ! If I could have had some apple cores or potato peelings yesterday I might have pulled through, but the grip of Death is already at my throat. Daughter, I am dying of starvation !" " Say not so, mother I I know that the landlord threatens te eject us tomorrow ; that we have no fuel ; that we ate our last cold potato four days ago, and that we couldn't raise sixpence on what furniture we have left. But live on. mother—live for two hours more and all will be well." " Hortense. would you go out and blow up and rob a millionaire?" reproachfully asked the dying another. " No, not 'that ; but this night I will save you. I swear it, and when Hortense Dangerfield swears you can put it down as solid !" "I sec the light of desperation in your eyes, daughter." " Y/es. it is there ! Mother, do you remember of my telling you in a casual way about a imonth ago of Mr. Sydenham asking me to be his iwife ?" " I believe I do faintly recall something of the sort. It was the day our yallcr cat died, wasn't it ?" "It was. He said he had loved me for years, aud would try to make my life one continual sunbeam." " But he ,is worth £IOO.OOO. and the idea ot" you throwing yourself away on a rich man!" moaued the mother. "It is hard. I know, but it seems to be destiny. Somewhere in this great world is a mechanic earning 10s. per day who wants .me for a wife ; but. alas ! I cannot find him !" " Just think. Hortense. of all the diamonds and sealskins and silk dresses you'd have to wear if you were rich !" " Y'es, the thought makes .me shiver !" "You ■might have to even ride in a carriage ami go to the theatre !" " Oh, how could Idoit ?" " And there's the Joneses and the Browns and the Greens io point the finger of scorn at you and say you threw yourself away. No. no. Hortense ! Let me die. if death (must come, and let you make shirts ifor fourpenco a piece, if meeds be, after I am gone, but do not wreck your young life by marrying a man worth 'millions !" " Mother. I will not, and yet—and yet " And yet'l will ! You must be saved. What is-my future happiness compared to yours ? T will put on my bonnet and run over and tell Mr. Sydenham that 1 will accept his love and riches." In half-an-.hour she was back. She bad placed herself in a position where she would be obliged fo roll in wealth all the rest of her life, (but it was for her mother's sake, and she was sternly dr termined not to regret it. And the new moon rose above the house-tops, ami looked down upon her with smiles of joy. and the policeman on that ben looked up at the window and winked, and Hortense Dangerfield flopped down on her bed of r.-tjv ami relished that she was a heroine at last.—M. Quad. -i