Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-12-04

lIet t0rC0 70 stop It. Mine wAs not ebI
tor the feat, and my friends arrange
their plan 81 action without me. Att
al, / think I was not sorry that he shout
make : fool Of himself publicly befoI
Min Eleanor. It would BE- sure to d,
stroy any sentimental liking she Nigh
have for him, 70 I held my peace and th
eventfal day came on.
How nervous I was that EVENING"
remember / was obliged to call in tn
assistance Of one of my friends to adju,
my necktie, and he was obliging enoug
to tell me that l looked - yellow ~
guinea. A comfortable assurance, truly
when I had wished to look my very best
for 1 had not seen Miss Hartley sine
my unlucky story, and l wanted to max
my peace with her. But when, with q
apology ON my lips, ] drew near the sOf
where abe was sitting, ! found, to m,
infinite regret, that no apology wa
necemary. She was - friendly in he
manner ~ ever. She was exquisitel,
dressed that evening in-well, can
exactly say what-sOme dead white me
terial, that fell in delicious folds abou
her stately figure. That girl could al
ways dress herself TO perfection. Sh'
looked superb. Beyond = doubt, sh'
was the queen of the party; certainly
We all felt proud of her ~ if each ont
of US had been her father or brother
She did not speak to u new conner,
and this relieved me. But at the dinner
table / felt 4 little more uneasy. She
and he sat At opposite corners OF the
table It seemed to me that she was
quietly watching him, from time to time,
and at such moments there was in her
face q wonderful light of happiness and
pride. / UNDERWOOD it all presently.
The long dinner passed, dessert was on
the table; the usual toasts had been
given and responded to. Then my friend
rose. and in = few serious words which,
~ some of US knew, yelled q real irony,
proposed the health Of the youngest man
at the table, our distinguished guest,
whose arrival had been 30 long ~anticipat-
I'd ami so eagerly hailed.
All drank the toast, and there followed
In awful pause. Every eye, Eleanor
among the number, was fixed
On 0ur new conner. He rose to his feet,
and / ventured to glance at her. All
vas explained.
Oh, woman, what a strange being you
arel Soft and yet triumphant was the
beautiful face Of our queen. She was
bending q little forward; her eyes glis-
you would have said that she was
listening to some exquisite melody.
About him, too. there was q change.
| was excited, and, of course, what
saw and heard was colored in my mood,
but l could have declared that the young
mans form had expanded, and that an
indescribsble dignity had crept into his
gestures. He stood upright, his voice
was clear and unfaltering; he did not
from, he rather courted, the null.
titude of chances that were bent ON him.
As for his speech-sir, l have knocked
about pretty much, as you know, and
now and then at dinners and elsewhere
! have knocked up against distinguished
men, but l have never heard a speech
to match this one. In substance it wa.
review of the time he had spent in the
settlement. To hear him one might
have believed that he had seen through
our practical tests from the first, and,
while seeming to be their victim, had
been quietly amusing himself ut our ex.
pense. Its manner, the delicate irony
the wit, the forced piquancy, l should
be glad indeed to reproduce, but Of
such an effort l am incapable. Her,
was q turning of the tables! My friend.
were bewildered; those not in oul
secret applauded vociferously. l alone
knew who it was had planned thi,
triumph; and l was not surprised when
few days later, it was rumored abroad
that Eleanor Hartley and our new conner
were engaged to be married. Rumor,
for once, told q true tale. Before tina,
cold season wal over l was invited by
Eleanor Hartley's father TO his dsugh'
ter's wedding.
"And I would wager" said the gem
tleman who had asked for the story
F" that my lady kept him in order"
"On the contrary" replied our guest
/" she vas a model among wines-de.
voted, adoring. / believe she though,
that man half divine, Well, poor fel
lowl he was always delicate, aud, after
two or three years Of happiness, he
"And his wife7"
II think you have met her"
"Whatl She cannot be-"
II zee that you have guessed. Thanl
me for giving you a peep into the char.
OF Eleanor Walthingham. Gas
seles Magazine. ~