Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-04-17

Our baskets, lined with the gay, curl
ously spotted silk, attracted much atten-
ton .fa
When l went up to the table, on
which they were arranged, on the Last
night, noticed tan, bearded, very
handsome but masterful man, examin-
ing them critically. He looked up as |
approached.
"Can you tell me whose baskets these
are?" he inquired.
| "There comes the lady who sells
them," replied.
"But who made them, mean?" He
was almost abrupt, in his commanding
eagerness.
"My sister and l made them," an
swered little haughtily.
He wheeled round upon me, his fine
eyes blazing, one of the baskets in his
hand.
Your sister, did you say? This
lining, this spotted silk, was her shawl?
Her name is Ludlow-Lutie Ludlow?''
" Yes" l stammered, in amazement.
al thought so," he said, his dark
cheek flushing. al beg ten thousand
pardons, Miss Ludlow. When l get an
opportunity, will explain all this"
The crowd surged up, and separated
us land with an intuitive feeling that some
great joy was in store for Lutte, made
my escape and ran home to tell her
about it.
She listened to me, with whitening
lips.
"Oh, Bessi" she faltered out, when i
had finished, her hand on her heart, 81
won't see him. / can't; l must 60
away
l put my arms about her and drew
her head down on my breast.
"Tell me all about it, DEAR" said.
You can surely trust me with your
trouble, Lutie?"
And then, her face hidden, her heart
throbbing against my shoulder, she told
me her story.
al loved him, Bess," she sobbed.
He is the son, the only son, of lady
for whom my old employer worked. 1
met him, at first, when l took bonnets
to his mother. Then, afterwards, he
got to joining me in the street. Twas
foolish, mad, blind, Bess-at least for
awhile. He wooed me and won me
against my will. l couldn't help it,
Bess. But very soon saw how wrong
it was to meet him clandestinely-"
swell, DEAR" said piiyingly.
"Ah, Bess, well may you pity me!
For then he offered to marry me at
once. He wanted me to elope, that
very night. But l told him / would en-
ter no family, against the wish of its
head and his mother would never con-
sent. And then l broke away from
him.
"The very next day, 1 was sent to
his mothers, to fetch bonnet she
wanted altered. He must have told her
of his offer to me- She sent for me into
the parlor, look of mocking pity upon
her proud face. -a
"1'll not try to repeat what she said
to me; I'll make it as short as can,
Bess. 1t was her duty to warn me of
the danger was in, she said. Her son
had no right to trifie with me as he had
been doing. He-he already-had a
wife of his own.
"There was good deal more, Bess,
but 1 remember only that another
woman was his wife; for, oh! Bess, 1
loved him, in spite of what ! have said.
Great heavens, the shame and agony of
that hour! 1 left her house, almost in
sane, and came home with the bonnet
box, as you know, instead of going to
the shop. Up in my room, alone, l
fought it all out. And then we came
here, before the week had gone-and
that is all.''
"But how can you be sure it is true,
Lutie?" said. ~
"True, Bess? Why, his own mother
told me So"
Nevertheless, it may be a falsehood.
l saw the man, tonight, and his face
isn't the face of william. If he comes,
i ..4:. -, L. 4 LoA4o- coz, L., Z,