Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-07-27
THE COMEDY AT L

reason that dislike her most tnof
oughly."
SDislike her! Why, what are you
talking about? l thought you We're
Observation-Disclosures"
THAT is where you were mistaken"
But you must allow that she is
handsome?"
"No, I will not. I don't think her
half as good-looking as"
"NIiss WalshinghaIh?"
eyes, Miss Walsingham, if you will
have it So"
Miss Walsingham. l must say,
Fred, admire your eyes,
"That must be sarcasm, Ed. But
come, tell me your objection to Miss
Walsingham's style of beauty"
Il will, when you've criticised Miss
Englebourn.'
"Well, as for Miss Englebodrn, l
never could endure the sight of an
Indian, and your black haired. dark
skinned, snake eyel brunette always
reminds me of one"
'.And as for Miss Walsingham, l
never could endure the sight of a
wax doll, and your towhaired, pale
eyed, frecAled skin blonde always re-
minds me of one"
"You're prejudiced, Ed"
$50 are you"
II am not"
''Neither am /. But here comes
the train; SO goodbye; we never
could agree"
The train rolled into the depot;
the bell rang; the conductor shouted
"All Aboardp' The ponderous en-
CINE moved convulsively, and, tug
cling and putting, the iron horse la
boriously pulled its heavy load of
coaches from the station of L.
The rumble of the receding train
was dying away in the distance when
Edward Logan left the country sta
ton of l., and, mounting bis
horse, galloped quickly out of town.
His mind was so completely taken up
with a subject that had given him
considerable trouble for some time
past, that he scarcely noticed which
direction he had taken.
"Confound itw he muttered, when
his horse, suddenly stopping, nearly
deposited him in the ditch by the
roadside. And then he Immediately
continued, as he discovered the cause
to be his having nearly come into
collision with an approaching team.
"Goodmorning, Cecilia! I'm glad
to see your
Cecilia expressed herself as being
glad to see Edward, and after per
suading the small boy who held the
reins to evacuate and accept his posi-
ton in the saddle, Edward sprang
into the little carriage beside her, and
they drove on, followed at respect
full distance by the boy and his horse
"I'll tell you what" he shortly be-
gan, "I'm jealous of Fred. After
what I've said to you, suppose you
are not surprised. I've just had a
talk with him, as he was leaving on
the down train, and from what he
said I believe he is head over heels in
love with Eva, and you know am
He then proceeded to narrate the
conversation at the station, and apol
ogized for its being somewhat per
sonal by saying that he was aware
that personal interest often Influenced
people with regard to appearances
and he had used this line to sound his
friend more thoroughly.
A fit of uproarious laughter fol
lowed this recital, in which Edward
was compelled to join, after which
Cecilia promised to do all in her
power toward the advancement OF
Edwards interests in connection
with Eva Walsingham,
1t has been noticed, probably, that
Cecilia and Edward were the best
possible friends. They were brother
and sister, so Eva said. Neither of
them had been blessed by nature
with those very desirable relatives,
and so they had mutually agreed,
years before, to be brother and sister
to each other.
Edward confded his petty troubles
and annoyancss to her, and he found
her a worthy confdante and an ex-
cellent adviser; while Cecilia always
felt herself at liberty to call upon
him for those little brotherly services
that can be appreciated only by
those to whom they are denied.
Now, Cecilia had another conf
dental friend, and it SO happened
that this ore resided at l., the
village that they were fast approach
ing; and it also happened that this
friend was Miss Eva Walsingham.
Accordingly, Cecilia was soon closeted
with Miss Eva, and the matter of
Edwards attachment, and his jeal-
ousy Of Fred Hazelton, was thor
oughly discussed. Cecilia had sur
missed for some time that Eva re-
garded Edward with some favor, and
the acknowledgement that she now
received confirmed her suspicious.
Meanwhile, Fred Hazelton, speed
ing swiftly away from l., was
also in mental torment, caused by
his conversation with Edward on the
railroad platform. It seems he had
been playing a part. too, and that
the whole intent of his part of the
conversation was to discover the
sentiments with which Edward re-
garded Cecilia Englebcurn. The re-
suit was most aggravating; he felt
confident he had got possession of
Edwards cleverly guarded secret.
He now beheld in him rival, and
most DANGEROUS one, too. He had
often heard that Edward and Cecilia
were unusually intimate. and he
tortured himself by imagining his
own case hopeless, and the prize in
possession of his schoolfellow. He
remembered how enthusiastically he
had defended Cecilia, and how he
had condemned the really superior
beauty of Eva Walsingham.