The Red Cloud chief., 1881-07-14
JACK HASTINGS CHOICE.

-ChiodJo EUening Lamp.
JACK HASTINGS CHOICE.
To say the sun had been hot would
not in the least do il justice. 1t had
shOne from early morning until night,
not even the smallest cloud had inter-
fered TO moderate for a moment Its
heat; and now that the hour was come,
/ when, according TO established usage. it
must set, it seems TO have gathered all
its energy for a final effort, and hangs
in the western sky like a ball of fire,
lighting up Nahant's beach for a long
stretch and rejecting in the placid
water an image almost as brilliant as the
original.
The scene is really beautiful, but Door
humanity has suffered SO much from
that luminary that it is totally unable
TO appreciate its parting salute. One
poor mortal is devoutly grateful. and
sits on the piazza of the principal
hotel. his chair tipped back. his feet
ON the railing and a cigarette in his
mouth. contemplating the sunset with
decided satisfaction. At this moment
another individual appeared on the
scene.
Hot, amt it?"
..Con!ounded," replied our friend Of
the cigarette. and offers one to the new
who takes it, pushes back his
hat and assumes a position almost as
graceful as our friend, and falls to con
templating the water and the sunset.
The new ONE is a man OF about five
and twenty years. His light hair falls
on "A broad, intellectual forehead, his
mouth is proud and sensitive. and the
upper liz is adorned with n mustache
Chat men take genuine delight in. His
ayes are quiet blue, in which there is \
Alrift of humor; although the face is very
pleasing and the large stalwart figure
which accompanies it makes the man
decidedly worth looking nj. This is
Raymond Lesser.
His companion is entirely different.
Jack Hastings best friend never VEN
tured Uo call him handsome. His eyes
ale large and dark and have in them a
!, dissatisfied EXPRESSION. He does not
Ievcl, as Toes Lester. in n fine mus
tache, his face is smooth, and his mouth
is perhaps a triile large. but his teeth
are fine. and when Jack Hastings laughs
one feels like racking his brainfor some
thing to provoke his mirth afresh.
= Jack Hast ngs is a favorite. and this
summer he is a decided hero, for he has
n history, and all the young ladies are
dcyoutly interested in him i'm N s
quencc. Last winter the news came TO
Jack that an uncle in England had died
and left him Il considerable fortune on
condition that he marry a niece OF the
old man, VINO had lived with her uncle
Z ever since her infancy, and in case OF
his not complying the fortune reverted
10 the niece.
Now, Jack bad never been over bur-
dened with lucre, and the idea OF hav-
ING n fortune was not in the least Objec-
tionable TO him. but the incumbrance
was not all TO his taste. Up to the time
that the news came of the will, Jack
had been heart whole. and his friends,
however. thought him a lucky fellow,
for Miss HELEN Isabelle Leighton was
said TO be n beauty, but rs the young
lady had never visited America it was
I rather difficult to say whence came this
important information.
Jack had made no decided objection,
so it was arranged that the young lady
accompanied by her aunt, after a short
tour through the continent, was to start
for America and was expected TO ar
rive about the middle of September.
Miss Lcighton's aunt resided in Boston.
and shortly after her arrival in that
city she was to give a reception, the
purpose being to present Jack Hast
ings to his future bride.
Jack had been informed OF all these
arrangements, but had taken little in
terest in them. As he must become a
Benedict he had determined to make
the best of the time left him; but the
- fates were against him. A few weeks
after his advent at the beach he had
fallen desperately in love with 3 young
lady stopping at one of the cottages.
In consequence of this Jack fully be-
lieved himself one of the most deeply
injured mortals on the face OF the
earth, hence, the dissatisfied expression
= in the young gentleman's eyes, as he
' looks toward the cottage which holds
the object of his alteration.
For a person who had just had .
fortune thrown at his head, you are
about as ~disconsolate as q fellow can
be-" said RAYMOND; but as the latter
made no response, he continued, IL
saw, Jack, don't you like it,"
Like itP' said Jack, turning heree.
" on him, 81 like the fortune, but
= who would like to have Q girl thrown
:, at his head; would your"
That depends altogether on the
size of the girl" replied Raymond.
smoothing his hair and laughing at his
friends eagerness, but % be serious,
Jack. | would not get entanx]ed with
< any one until l had seen Miss Leighton
and l should put a stop to my visits TO
tie cottage, for pretty Miss Nehie s
sake, if l were YOU"
Jack looked after the ~retreAsing ngr
ure and then utterly regardless o. ms
friends advice walked OF in the dlrec-
ton of the cottage.
Miss Nellie Long had been exposing
; him. She lay in a hammock, her q
resting listless in her lapi white, son
hands that were strangers 70 ieoos:
Her white dress Just escaped playground
as she swsyed lazily in the soft sum.
mer twilight. Her head was covered
with a shower of golden curls md her
complexion was as fair - = beoys.
> Her ewes were large and blue. and jest
at present were fixed rather anxiousty
on the road where Jack would hrss up
pea.
He was late, aud she had ALMOST
given him up, when the stalwart figure
appeared striding along toward p
cottage. A smile of satisfaction plays
xaround the pretty mouth which breaks
Unto a merry laugh as Jack leaps
low fence. and stands by her sides
Raising her eyes to his she says:
you. Jack, dear?"
He stoops to kiss her, but she pushed