The Osceola times., 1881-05-14
WARES HUNTING PARTY.
Leaves From His Cousin sally's Diary.
ny MARY Y. MoFrAT.

bttil away. MlSll ilt llOt tdhtl IL
into that curly head of his TO 90 hunting
/ in midwinter, and TO coax OFF all the
/ available beaux who might have made
/ his absence endurable. Aunt Freleigh
| feels Just as | do about it, am sure, al
though she is too loyal to say so. Ware
being her only son, Just winds her around
his little finger when he has point to
gain, and when once she has given her
consent to any of his wild plans horses
wouldn't drag anything against il ont of
her lips. Well, | must say | admire il in
her, though il would be perfect luxury
10 me TO go over and see her and have
good grumble.
Feb. 4. Found auntic full of plans for
some poor families, and she set me TO
work cutting out flanne.s, and doing lots
of other things against the meeting of
the "Glenville Sewing Society" of which
auntie is president, and whose funds are
largely supplied by her own dear self. |
wonder if Ray Carleton keeps diary,
and if he ever puts my name in it. Mil
ly Grosvenor has been doing her best
since he went with Cousin Ware on that
horrid hunting party, to make me be
lieve that he is sweet on her sister Cecy.
But | don't imagine he'd look at her.
She is too bleached out in her complex
ion, eyes, hair, etc, to attract him. He
admires dark eyes and hair, at least
so he has told me lots of times. For my
part, | think Cecy is just as pretty as a
| girl needs to be. / was only copying af-
ter Ray when l said "bleached out" |
wonder if any gentleman ever says one
thing to one girl, and n different one
that is-well, i can't exactly explain
| \ I G,,,ah
tence OF one thing, though, l feel sure,
and that is, that Ray never paid me
| compliment unless he really meant il.
| He's too blunt to be deceitful. | do SO
admire an outspoken person. But |
must not loter over my writing any
! longer, for auntie expects me to come
over and help her again. So, goodbye,
/ little book, for to-day.
Feb 3. Such dreadful thing has
| happened Auntie is nearly crazy, and
q gloom is over esery thing. The hunt
| ing party are all home but Cousin Ware.
/ lie became separated from them, and,
after fruitless searches, they at last gave
up all hopes of finding him alive, and 80
came home with the terrible tidings
Think of III that bright-spirited, hand
some youth to die alone in that snow
covered desolate wilderness If they
had had one half the pluck they ought
to have shown, poor Ware would have
been found either alive or dead. ! don't
ever want to set eyes on Ray Cartoons
face again. He should have found Ware
or died beside him.
Feb. 10. How leadenly the days drag
on. | never thought what difference
it made in the looks of things to carry
heavy heart in ones breast. / absolute
" shiver when the sun shines, for
think of poor Ware and wonder where
he is lying, and-but my thoughts are
too dreadful even to speak, much less to
write down. ] have met Ray Carleton,
but have only given him the coldest OF
| bows and passed on. | had such lofty
| ideas with regard to his faithfulness and
valor, and it makes the rebound all the
greater. A man who would come away
and leave his comrade to die is not the
one to take into your heart, even if it
should break in the effort not to love
him. Auntie is n perfect angel! In all
her own deep sorrow and distress she
has not an unkind thought toward those
who came away and left Ware to his
fate. She chidcs me in her gentle way
for feeling as | do, but ] can't help it,
The sight of her sweet, pale face and
fearful eyes, makes me feel like wicked
sinner; but the angry thoughts will not
be exercised. | met Ray again yester-
dav. and he looked at nae with such a
wistful, pleading expression that
had to draw my vail over my face
to hide the swift-coming tears. He looks
pale and worn. | wonder if he suffers
In his mind rs he thinks of Ware? They
were great friends, and when one saw
Ware they were sure TO look for his
double, as Ray was called. Maybe
have been too hard upon him. What If
his sorrow for his lost comrade is equal
to mine? But it can't be, for blood is
thicker than water, and poor Ware and
| are own cousins-l mean were. Oh,
my heart feels as though it would burst.
Feb. %. RAY has gone away. If
had only been little kinder to him !
should have saved myself an additional
heart ache; for since il is too late 10 make
up friends | have heard all about the
noble way he acted with regard to Ware.
A party of Indian braves had become
disatlected with the management of af-
fairs at the Agency and had started forth
on the war-path. just after Ware be-
came separated from his companions,
word was brought that they had struck
the trail of the party and meant TO do
them mischief Preparations were at
once made to thwart their plans by
hasty departure: and all but Ray were
eager 20 reach place of safety. But he
was determined to continue the search,
come what would. In this dilemma
force was resorted to, and his compan-
ions absolutely bound him hand and foot
and took turns in carrying him until
they reached a settlement. Milly Gros-
venor told me this and to make me feel
still worse, said also, that Ray felt very
much Inundated at what had occurred,
and was absolutely ashamed to look any
one in the face. Just as if he could
help being so slight in his build" added
Milly, that the boys could handle him
as easy as a baby
SO that is why Ray looked at me so
shameiacedly, and yet never came near
me to explain. | suppose he thought |
scorned him for not being able to hold
his own against all those great strong
fellows. All, no, Ray; ii was because |
thought you an unfaithful, lukewarm
searcher after your lost friend. And
now ! cannot even tell you | am sorry,
for they say you are to be away for an
indefinite time, and that may mean for
years. | mean to lock up my diary and
not look at ii again; for I've nothing to
write about now that all is so sad, and
and-Ray is gone
Nav %. Come forth, little confdant,
and let me tell you the good news. 1t is