Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-11-26

Had she not listened to his declara
ton with genuine feeling and mutua
affection? They met few times al
the table, and then Lon timed hi,
meals SO as to completely avoid them
There were two reasons that prevent
ed him from Immediately leaving the
hotel. First, the natural pride OF tho
mah, which rose up in rebellion al
the idea of flight; next, all engage
inent to meet some friends week OIL
two hence, and to travel with them
into the heart Of the AdIrondacks.-
The last could he cancel d-the lack
of true manly courage involved by
any ignominious departure could new
er be excused. SO Mr.. Lon Harrison
read. smoked, rode, fished, and tried
to forget that the shadow of a beauti
ful woman had ever darkened his
path. His fellow boarders laughed
and shrugged their shoulders, and il
was astonishing how many people
were aware that Mr.. Atherly and
Miss Hartley had been for u long
time engaged.
A few days later, and Mr.. Atherly
had left Schroon Lake; and Lon, on
a fishing excursion, was told, by a
friendly gossip, of the scene at the
boat landing when the gentleman
bade his promised wife good-by.
"Her face was as red as a boiled
LOBSTER said the gentleman, "and
he looked as if he was going to his
own funeral. | thought would
speak to Miss Hartley, as she was
walking back, she looked so sort OF
lonesome, so sad, 'We are going to
have regatta, by-and-by, Miss Hart
ley by George! If you'll believe.
she never so much as looked at me,
. but walked on as fast as her feet
could carry her. If ever q woman is
Internally disagreeable to the whole
human family except one, it is when
she Is in love-"
Lon laughed and changed the sub.
.ject. After this, it seemed to him
that his friends never would come
to give him the desired opportunity
of getting away. He hated himself
for the agitation which every chance
meeting with Miss Hartley produced.
He hated himself for having believed
that she would explain her singular
conduct. OF course, that time had
passed, and lie YEARLY counted the
hours for his friends arrival. He
should always hate pond lilies for the
part they had unwilling played IN his
heart-history, and yet every morning
found him at the border of the pond,
where a couple of bare-legged boys
waited for their customers.
"I'he last morning he should ever
stand in this spot" he told himself.
That evening his party were to start
with their guides. He had just
bought out number one, and now
number two had waded to earn his
fee.
A light step behind him broke in
upon his thoughts. He turned his
head to see-Miss Hartley.
'To what devilish machination," he
asked himself, was he indebted for
this accident?" Not Miss Hartley
herself could have more effcotually
disguised her real thoughts"
"Ah, Miss Hartley"' he said, with
a smile. "And you have come for
flowers, too?"
She made no answer-simply look
ed at him in a rapt sort of way, rs if
she and the present had nothing in
| common.
"Are you good at conundrums?"
Lon went on, carelessly. "If so,
can give you something original =
Why is water-lily like whale?''
He did not look at her face. Ii he
had, the anguish which was written
all over it would have silenced him
etfectually. "Do you give it up?"
"YeS, Mr. Harrison, | give up all
conundrums."
"Very well, then: because it comes
to the surface to blow"
That moment he threw Il quick
glance in her direction, and the death
ly paleness of her countenance fright
ened him. He stepped to her side,
and id:
"Miss Hartley, will you accept a
few punches of these wa.er-lilies?"
She took them mechanically, say
ing, as she did so, "Mr. Harrison, I
sought you this morning Toto"
EYES," interrupt Lon, grieved in
spite OF himself, and more perplexed
than ever before in his life; ''to ex-
plain" ...
eyes, she went on, lingering the
lilies absently. eyes, to explain. l
Il was engaged to Mr.. Atherly. 1t
was to be marriage Of convenience.
My parents expected it-planned it
from my childhood. Until | saw you
supposed should be as happy with
him as any one else; but-then l
know better. We have parted for
ever, MI. IIIfflSOH--
"You mean" interrupted Lon again,
this time with the old heartiness in
his voice, ''that you have given him
his congo, because you love me, and
do not love him?"
eyes, Mr. Harrison"
The bare-legged boys were on the
other side of the pond, and there was
no one near to look on. What hap.
pened / cannot say, but there mus.
have been a total forgettulness OF all
mundane subjects, for even the belov-
ed water-lilies fell to the ground in
fragrant confusion, and We're no more
thought Of.
H w to Judge n Horse,