Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1877-06-30

duty bound, was TO cross the ocean to
meet his betrothed, and give her an op-
portunity to refuse him.
The news of his arrival brought into
full activity those feelings of repugnance
that Elsie had conceived for Harold in
her childhood. Yet there was enough
of worldly wisdom in her head, to teach
her how much better it was to be rich
than TO be poor. If he refused her, her
fortune and his also would be her own
by law. She would force him to refuse
her, and then she would return him his,
and all would be as it should But how
could she do this?
The girl sat for awhile in deep revery,
and then arose and clapped her hands
together. A thought had struck her.
There was in the house seamstress-
vulgar girl, as plain As it was possible
to be, and with rs much conceit as any
Young beauty was ever blessed with.
Her rough manners and ways of speech
had become proverbial amongst her own
class, the other servants speaking of her
generally as Crusty Betsy. And this
girl had of late been occupied in the
room of her young mistress over some
new dresses. Straight to this apartment
Elsie flew, and, locking the door, sat
down opposite Betsy and said:
81 have something for you to do, and
III pay you well for it,
'..Just name it, then," said Betsy.
"When / was a little girl, Betsy" said
Elsie, "poor papa promised that |
should marry young gentleman who
lives in England when was grown, and
that if did not should lose my for
tune. Now the time has come and he
is coming, and can't marry him, Bet
sy, and want him to refuse me. Do
you understands
al understand, said Betsy, "and if
| were you I'd huff him off quick
enough, and make him glad to 90, that
| would
And l can's think how TO do it,
Betsy" said Elsie, " and if you can you
must do it for me. While he stays you
must pretend that you are Miss Sea-
bright; you must wear my clothes, and
take all the airs you possibly can, and
make him as unhappy as possible, so
that he'll have to refuse you-that is,
me, you know. Be sharp as you can
with him, Betsy-never the least bit
kind or nice. You'll try, won't you,
Betsy?''
81 can give any one as good as they
send, MISS" said Betsy I'm no
mealy-mouth, and you'll pay Inc well,
miss
"I'll give you hundred dollars,
Betsy" said the girl, "for you'll save
me freedom and my fortune; and you'll
not refuse him, you know, else all would
be spoiled
"I'll manage" said Betsy.
Then the two girls left all other work
to exawine Elsie's wardrobe, and soon
Betsy was dressed in the most elegant
attire, her hair powdered, as was the
custom, and white gloves upon her
hands.
"And t. said Elsie, evil be your
poor companion, and you must call me
Miss Smith and snub me and order me
about"
Thus all was arranged when the little
letter Elsie had been so long expecting
arrived, and, breaking its blue seal, she
read that Mr.. Harrington would pay his
to Miss Seabright in an hour
How Miss Seabright laughed as she sat
waiting in the drawing-room watching
Betsy sail up and down with all her new
of dignity! Betsy, with the
most amiable intentions, would have
been sure of offending; but Betsy, bent
on being unpleasant, would be grand
success.
Just then Betsy herself leant from the
"Oh, miss!" she cried, ''there's a
carriage at the door, and there's a gen.
leman coming out of it. Bless US! if
that's him, don't wonder you want to
De off your match. Deary me! oh, deary
npiS