Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-07-13
AURA MERRIAN's FOLLY.

i think | must have been crazy. At any
rate, know IL live 20 be one hundred
years old, | shall never cease 20 turn
hot and cold every time think of my
folly.
My roommate Mt Miss Hough's semi
nary was Ellen March. did not like
her ut first. She was one of those noisy.
ill-brcd girls, who rasp your nerves and
make you feel every place is too small
to hold both you and them. We had
small room, almost n closet, and being
the two eldest boarders and in the same
classes, Miss Hough allowed us n good
many privileges.
She said 90 me: 81 put Ellen March
with you, Aura, because you are one Of
the quietest girls in school. and she is
the most bOistcrous. There is really no
harm In her. and she seems to like YOU
so much that think your influence will
tend TO make her more refined and lady
like
That was the verdict we all pro-
nOunccd on Ellen March" No harm in
her"
She was given more money than she
needed, and was generous with every
thing she had. Besides this. she was
Obliging and good-naturcd. and Of
course was not 10 blame II her people
were uncducatcd and vulgara and had not
taught her good manners.
But u wood have been better for me
II Ellen had been tcrmagant in temper
and rs mean and selfish rs Lizzie Carnes.
who was by-wOrh To every girl i'm
school.
u was contrary Co the rules of the
school for rOom-matcs To talk after
going 10 bed, hut Ellen would insist
upon Keeping up whispered converse
ton orhOurs and hours. wien we should
have been asleep.
~ first ! would not answer. for up To
that time ! had never broken tic rules
1T the school. Still. I listened, which
was just rs bad She talked about balls
and parties that she had attended. but
her favOritc topic was bcaux. particu-
larry two young men, to both Of whom
she said she was engaged!
You see, Aura she said. cts the
greatest fun To see fellows making fools
Of themselves about one. It's lust de-
hghiful To make them think each Is the
favOritc, and then see them glare nj
each other whenever they meet. Don't
have fun when one happens To- call
when the other is with mel they're as
icalOus'as cats. and 50 polite To- each
other! wouldn't miss IL for ANYTHING.
l don't know vet which I'll marry. Per-
haps | won't marry either of them,
but | wouldn't bc without two strings 20
my bow, anyhow. How many beaux
have you gotP'
Not one, and I'm glad of II" I an
svercd. Indignantly. ''Do stop this non
ing n rulcP'
81 don't care IL am" she nm.
swcred, placidly. IL didn't come here
to be tied to rules. and pas too rich
for old Hough to be too strict with me
But just to Think YOU'RE sixteen. and
You re prettier than am. and haven't
gotta beaul Why. I've had bcaux since
was thirteen. And people say IL you're
not attractive To gentlemen when you're
young, you never will be; and then. ten
chances 10 one. you'll be an old maid.
Why, Id be wretchcd II the fellows
uidn iall In love with me and with
them
You think, no doubt, I ought to have
been Disguised with this conversation.
was ut first. But by degrees began
To be Interested, and out of curiosity
read Ellen's lOvc-lcttcrs, which she
used to get under an assumed name.
anu IN the spirit of fun | even helped
her To answer some Of them. You will
hardly believe IL, but after time. un-
der the influence Of her constant talk, |
began To feel almost ashamed that /
had no beau. think Ellen must have
read my thoughts, for she soon began
to praise her cousin. Guy Reeves.
such splendid fcllow!' she said
All the girls are desperate about him.
lou arc Just his style, for he worships
dark beauties. / wish he could see Won.
know he'd lose his head, and I'd give
anything TO see Guy in love. for he laughs
so ut my little affairs. wish YOU could
see something Of life. You've been
brought up like n num-"
Guys real name | afterwards found
out was Gideon, but Ellen did not think
u suited the romance she was beginning
To weave about him. She must have
written her cousin about me, for not
long after she said she had message
for me. and then read from n letter she
had just received something about his
great desire to meet his cousins lovely
friend.
OF course, you will say that I ought
To have treated this message with cool
contempt. but II seemed very molten
sivc. What harm could there be i'm Il?
i thought. So l merely replied In n
baniering way "Well. he won't get
his desire" But other messages fol-
lowed. until one day Ellen. in great ex-
element, took me aside and said.
80 AuRi sent Guy your photo
graph. just 10 look nc IL, YOU know. and
he says you're too beautiful for any
thingri
Sent him my photograph" ex-
claimed. In dismay. "Why. how could
you do thatP"
"Oh. II was not 70 keep. Just 10 look
NJ, that's all. Why. ANYBODY has the
right TO look at photograph. I suppose.
You have the queercst, old-fashioned
notions. I've given away dozens ~
mine TO young men,
was really frightened. hut IN no
pronounced beautiful, when I have orI,,
moderate share Of good looks. fattered
me 20 the point OF forgiving the pre-
sumption OF my roommate. Message
followed message after this, until one
day = letter came To me inclosed In one
TO Ellen. My first love-letterl n was n
miserable piece Of bombast. but was
not disposed TO be critical, though read
u with timid, guilty feeling.
"Of course, you'll answer it.u said
Ellen, rs we talked about Il that nioht
No" l replied. hesitatinglv. 81
think you'd better send Il back 10 him.
and tell him he mustn't write again.
I'm do no such thing" Ellen an-