Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-01-19

+ "I repeat, sir. that Miss Nicholson is
my niece, and am her guardian" re-
turned Mr.. Farquhar, angrily.
miss Nicholson! l assure your, Sir.
you are mistaken" replied Colonel
Ingram, perceiving that his visitor was
neither mad nor intoxicated. This
young lady's name is not Miss Nlchol-
son, nor is she your niece. May L ask
your name, sir?"
"'Pon nv word, this is too much"
exclaimed Mr.. Farquhar, Indignantly,
though inwardly Disconnected by
Co onel Ingram's straightforwardness.
II app al to the young lady. l will
give YOU my card with pleasure, he
added. laying it on the table with
trembling hand.
do YOU know that name, my
dear"' laughed Colonel Ingram, glanc-
ing at the card and handing it to the
young lady
MIR. Champion Farquhar. No, i
never heard it before in my life," was
the reply, uttere in low, nervous
tone. and from the manner in which
she mispronounced the name 1t was
evident she never had.
Really, MIR. Farquhar, you are Ia
boring under misapprehension," said
Colonel Ingram, frankly. You are
probably misled by some accidental re-
semblance between this young lady
and your niece. 1 sympathize with
your disappointment, and hope you will
soon be relieved OF your evident anx-
iety."
Poor Mr.. Far4uhar looked the picture
OF confusion. The Coloners frank
tone carried conviction with it, while
the young lady made no sign of recog-
milton. Certainly the resemblance be-
tween her and his niece, Mis- Nichol.
son, was most striking. but in his agita-
ton Mr.. Farquhar began to imagine he
saw points of difference. 1t occurred
to him in painful d siinctness that he
had made an absurd mistake. and he
felt so overwhelmed by the awkward
ness OF his position that he fairly bolted
out OF the door with a muttered apology.
On descending to the hall of the
hotel, he found that his portmanteau
had been taken Oft the cab, and. being
worn out with fatigue and excitement,
he wisely determined to stay where he
was for the ght. He, there ore, or.
/ dered dinner, and by degrees recovered
his eGuanimity sufficiently to be able to
reflect with calmness on what hal hap
! pencd.
Unfortunately his deliberations did
not conduce to his peace of mind, fol
the more he thought over the matter
the more convinced did he feel that his
first suspicious were correct, and that
the young lady up stairs was really his
niece. The Coloners ingenious manner
] had -
off the scent, and, recalling to mind the
young lady's agitation when he entered
the room, Mr.. Farquhar came TO the
conclusion that he was the victim of
clever conspiracy. While angrily med
| itating another visit to Colonel Ingram's
apartment, waiter handed him note
written in pencil in a lady's hand, which
showed traces of haste and agitation.
! Mr.. Farquhar put on his glasses and read
with amazement as follows:
DEAR SIR: l implore you to keep nv secret
] 1t was all the fault of the people at the hota
at Paris which caused me to mistake you for
my uncle, and never suspected aIryth IL 4: I'M
| Ill my uncle came into the room while we were
at breakfast: He has been in India 50 many
years that had forgotten what he was like
! but when he came in 1 at once recollected
| for was wicked enough in my great confU-
sion TO pretend to him that had only arrived
| yeSterd ~ morning. persuaded my uncle to
| leave Par s at once, never thinking you would
| take any more trouble about me. Pray for
give me for my ungrateful conduct to you
Just now, but keep my secret or my uncle
| really: Do pl .ase forgive me, and accept my
grateful thanks for your kindn SIS.
| Yours sincerely, AMY BETHUNE.
Poor little thingr muttered Mr..
Farquhar, when he had read the letter,
which he handled tenderly "Of course
she feels awkward, for she kissed me
more than once, thinking l was her
uncle"
The recollection of this agreeable cpl
sode caused the old gentleman to break
into a good-humored chuckle, which
banished every trace of anger and re-
sentiment from his mind.