The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-12-12
VOL. %.
BILL ANDERSON AND THE GIRL OF
THE EEIGHBoRHooD.

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conld never find ont why William, as d
ladies' man, was not a success. If you
questioned the young ladies very closely
and if you happend to be a confidential
friend, you might possibly find out that
he was a real good young man, but
we'll, they did not like him. He had no
bad habits; he held an important posi-.
ton in Sunday school. was prominent
member of the temperance society, and
in fact was what the old folks called a
''model young man." but for all that his
mother began to be uneasy for fear Will
liam would never marry. Not that
| Cupid had overlooked him-Oh. no.
Cupid never butchered mortal man a. he
did Bill Anderson, and instead of los
ing interest in him Cupid seemed TO he
concentrating his energies ON him and
each arrow appeared TO inflict deeper
wound than the previous one. WhaIev-
er il Was that was lacking in Williams
makeup il was certainly not energy or
endurance, for no sooner did one of his
love castles tumble over his devoted
head than he rose up out of the ruins
and began to look about for material
with which to build another.
We humbly beg the readers pardon.
We know it is customary for all disap-
pointed lovers to commit suicide or rush
off TO the mountains and live as hermits !;
but there are exceptions to all rules, and
| besides Bill Anderson himself was an
exception ana always had been. He
was neither the Oldest nor the tradition
al youngest of the Anderson boys; but
somehow he had been selected by his
parents and laid upon higher shelf
than any of the others. The other boys
had been allowed to grow up pretty
much rs they might; but this particular
son William was picked out in his very
infancy to wander in the higher walks of
life, as II noted professional man, or per-
haps senator or governor, or, in fact,
almost anything except a laboring man
or farmer. He had been kept in school
greater part of his time until he was
of age and had returned home with
diploma, and his fond parents had the
satisfaction of knowing that they had
fitted him up for something-which, be-
ing interpreted into the language of the
world, unfortunately means fit for MOTH
ing.
Alter coming home from school, ac-
cOrding TO directions from his parants,
William had concluded To make n small
fortune and get married before really
starting out to make his mark in the
world; but somehow his speculatons
proved as unsatisfactory as his love af-
fairs. fine attempted to deal in swine
il was IA sure sign that much dreaded cal
nifty, hog cholera would fall on the
neighborhOod. The market always went
down just before he was ready to sell and
left him with iull stock of deprecated
property on hands. HIS brother Sam once
made fcndish remark To the effect that
they need not take the Chicago papers TO
find out anything about the markets as
long as Bill specialized.
While William was at school Mrs.
Anderson had picked him out wife,
and William had promptly fallen in
love with her. She was the best girl in
the whole neighborhood, and the match
was very satisfactory to both families.
But younger brother of Williams who
was not considered good young man
by any means, but who was proving a
financial success, had, in spite of family
opposition on both sides, cOolly married
her, and this WAS about the first indica-
ton Mrs. Anderson had that things
were not going to turn out as she had in
tended they should.
William, like all human family pets,
had fashion of kicking hard against
fate. If any of the other Anderson boys
lost money in speculation, they simply
counted it in as part of the play, and
went on with their business as though
nothing had happened. But when Will
liam held losing hand he always gave
! himself up to good long spell of the
blues, and wondered why lie was so COM
| pletcly out of luck. As he had never had
any faults III his childhood and youth,
| he never discovered that he lacked any
thing but luck TO make him complete
success.
Suddenly. rs if To atone for past in
! justice, fortune seemed to smile on Will
| liam. His business affairs had turned
out favorably for awhile, and the sup
ply of marriageablc girls, which had
nearly been exhausted, was increased by
family from the cas-. who had pur-
chased Il neighboring farm.
Mrs. Anderson was the first one in the
neighbOrhood to call on the new corners,
| and she soon made up her mind that the
Karp folks were very intelligent, respect
able people, and that among the three
daughters there was one who was just
such girl as William ought TO marry.
William had not been in love for nearly
a month, and when he called on the
Karp family. he fell head over ears in
love in less than thirty minutes, and he
at once began to push his suit in dead
earnest Mary Karp was altogether diff.
fercnt from any girl he had ever met.
1t was true he had loved before, or
thought he had, but lie knew now that he
never before really knew what love was.
For once everybody was pleased with
the way things were going. The girls of
the neighborhood used To all call and
parade Williams excellent qualities be-
fore the Karp fimily, so that the old
folks wondered how it was that some of
them had not married him long ago.
Miss Karp was a splendid girl. Ev-
erybody said so; and to make matters
still better, none of the other girls ever
appeared to be at all jealous of her. 1t
was true most of them were in love with
somebody else, but still when the cham
pion young man OF community is
about to commit matrimony, the other
girls usually discover that they would
not want to marry just such person as
the intended bride-and, seriously, We
don't think they would.
In less than three months from the
time the Karps settled in the Anderson
neighborhOod rumor said that Bill An
derson and Mary Karp were engaged.
Pushing matters, you think. Well, no,
not under the circumstances William
really believed that his past failures in
love-making were owing to his not low
ing hard enough or fast enough, he did
not know exactly which, and he was de
termined not to make another mistake
oF that kind. RumOr was little fast,
though, for the lovers were not engaged.
At this time we are compelled to in
Iroduce another character, who was con-
founded nuisance to the neighborhoOd,
and who was unfortunately brother of
William Anderson. None of the old
folks of the country had ever lost any
sleep because their girls did not marry
Jake Anderson. When Jake was small