The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1875-03-25
THIS SsRiTE6Y.
A STORY OF EARLY CALIFORNIA LIFE.

Mapcs was chivalrous Ivy nature he
hclicve;E in "secking the bubble reputa-
ton even in the lannon's mouth His
enthusiasm was aroused by the recital
at stories of deeds OF desperate daring
While he hal nothing but contempt for
even success won by crooked and indi.
rect means. Tlmms, on the contrary,
believed there was policy in war, and
that the end justified the means, par;icu-
larry if the end was attained. Compan
IONS from infancy, their lives had been
spent in competition for scholastic and
such other honors as the locality atfor-
oei, without even q monetary break
IN their friendship. But now in early
manhood, they struggled for prize OF
incalculable value, with an ardor that
threatened a complete rupture of friend
iv relations. The heart and hand of
Eliza Reed, the ncighborhood belle,were
10 be won; and TO these none other need
aspire, in the face Of sUch formidable
composition as that of Mapes and Timms.
They alone--each by virtue of his own
personality and pOsition-hal right 80
lay siege TO the heart OF that variable,
irritable, impcrious beauty, and for
months the strife between them had gone
on. Each one had called into play all
bis personal and social resources Cor
the local society had taken such an in
terest that Il WAS divided into two fac.
tions, known as the Mapesltcs and
nimmsites Aud yet Miss Eliza could
NOT be brought to express a preference !;
81 4. Il.
careful to walk abroad with The rival TO
morrow.
Coqpotry is dcl!>Ious 10 q WON an !;
aud Eliza would not have been feminine
bad she been in haste TO have made an
election. Nevertheless, she di1 not in
tend 10 miss her opportunity. She knew
well the war could not always last, and
tcarc that when one OF the aSpirants
tor her favor withdrew from tho contest
the love OF the other, wanting the stun
Mus OF competition, would grow cold
hence, she had nado up her MUD, that
on the first favorable opportunity, she
would signify to MIpes that his suit, so
Orten pressed, was at last accepted. The
opp prtunity, 1T seemed, WAS not to b.
long wanting, for invitations wero given
out for an app,obee ia the neigh5orhond
and Eliza found means to convey an in
vitation to Mapcs that she expected to
meet him there, and counted on his es-
cort home at the conclusion oil tho froi-
ic
The Appointed evening, looked for,
with such nervous anticipation bY
Mapes, came at last. He felt that it wa,
- - "A
rayed himself rs only q rustic dandy
can. His way lay across meadow,
through which ran-or rather loiterod-I
"a deep, but narrow stream, spahned by
a single log. 1t was so dark when he
reached this primitive bridge, that he
was compelled to feel his way slowly
across. As he progressed, it commenc-
cd to swing lightiy-something very un-
usual-unlil he reached the center, when
TO his inter confusion, 1t gave way, and
he WAS launched into the water. He
scrambled out, then suddenly the night
became luminous with the lurid light Ia
which people refer when they say, in
speaking OF some profane wretch, 'He
swOre until all was blue Whatever il!
Eliminating qualite' this lurid light pos
sessed, it had no drying ones, and Mapes
was forced to bid adieu for the night to
all hopes of phghting his troth to the
loved Eliza.
In the rural districts down East, in /
early times, tho good people had such
habits of industry and rigid economy
that they seldom gave or attended par !
ties, unless such ~ wcro cloakcd under
the names of raisings, cuttings, hu>k /,
ings, or apple-bees thus, the apple-bee,
traught with momeItous consequences to |
Mapes and Timms, was but a social par
ty IN disguise, a few apples being pared, .
quartcred, cored and strung in the early |
evening, for Appearances sake.
As usual, Eliza Reed was the belle Of
the occasion. Good looks, entire self I
possession, ana a satirical wit, always
assured her that position; and this night
she shone with unusual briiiancy, until,
as tho hours wore away, and Mapes
came not, she began TO lose herself in
bordering why, and at length she asked
Timms:
SIS your friend Mapcs alingY
d guess not replied Trims, saw him
to-day. He wasn't complaining
lie denies himself much pleasure,
said Eliza, Sin not coming here tonight,
foo this is the place where wo always
have a good time. Aunt Judy knows
how to get up an apple-bce.'
you let Mapes alone answered
Timms; 'he knows what he's about
what DO you mean z asked Eliza.
ooh, 1 mean, replied Timms, that
Mapes is the prince OF good felows,and
gets invitations whore the rest of us
don't
where is Mapes tonight q asked Fiji
"a, now fully aroused.
Il don't know, for sure, answered
TImms. lie told me to-day there were
special reasons for his coming here, but
that he had an invitation TO ,he rich and
aristocratic Squire Huntoon's, who is
celebrating his daughters birthday, aud
that he didn't know which way he would
so and Timms turned away, 10 talk 10
the next prettcSt girl in the room.
Petted young women are seldom log
ical or patient. When the party broke
mp, Eliza accepted Tmms' escort To her
home, and before they arrived there, she
had consented Ia become, with tho least
possible delay, Mrs. Vimms Tho next
morning the enhancement WAS annNupc.