The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-12-05

have to thank you, Mrs. Reade, for on,
more pleasant acquaintance"
When she went to her carriage Bra
cey was standing by the open gate. He
gave her some green, pointed leaves,
which she accepted mechanically.
II should like to see you again. l
know where you live. May 1 come and
see you?" he SAID with the simplicity
of a child.
Belle gave him permission to call.
His directness pleased her.
Braceyduly made his appearance, and
Belle in turn went ove to the university
and examined its points ofinterest will.
the mature but studions freshman, and
after that they saw each other often.
She was beginning to like him very
much, and the teachings of her old
time worldly friend asserted their pow
ers, and she was discontinued to per
ceive in him no signs that he was .becom-
ing a victim.
Perhaps" she said to herself, che is
o man who can be a woman's friend
without falling in love with her or o
sidering it a duty to play at beingin
love with her. But how indifferently
complimentary to the woman toward
whom such sang froid is possible! J
should like to make him writhe a little.
Patience! / shall do it yet"
She tried gushing over him. and.
knowing that it was not spontaneous,
blushed guilty when she met his calm.
kindly eyes. One day. becoming DIES,
perate, she sent him some books. The
next day she received the following
note:
CESAR MISS WOODBURY. am much Obliged
to you for the books. lido not believe you have
heard that am engaged to a young lady at thu
east. 1t is a hopeless affair enough, but she
has promised to wait for me. She is studying,
as / am. l am very happy in knowing that she
loves me. l love her. | hope this will not
give you pain. l thought You ought to know
it. If had known you first, perhaps l might
have liked you best. Indeed l shall always
like you, and very much, too, but we can only
be friends. Yours very truly,
john Bracey."
Every man she had flrted with, every
woman she had gushed ove and for
gotten was signally avenged i'll the
storm of comic rage that for a moment
made Bellies face u stu.iy after reading
this note. III she had been a man she
would have sworn, being n woman she
talked. ''Poor, weak brain" she said,
centemptuousiy, 81 do him the honor TIC
take the trouble to try to give him The
most educating ache he eve had i'll his
life. he who thirsts for cultivation; and
the serene stupid talks about giving me
-me-pain! If he had seen me hirt.
Language fails!"
She appeared to answer the note al
once, and sat dipping the pen III tho ink
q score of times. while her hand shook,
when suddenly the un%speakable alb
surditv in the situation dawned upon
her. She threw her pen and shouted
) with laughter. Her sense of justice
, told her that it was solely her owl
fault that she had received the note, an(
her sense of humor found the note it
l self delicious. She leaned forward
again and hastily wrote:
'DEAI Mr.. BRAcEY-Thank you for you
confidence. You have given a warning a MAJ
is rarely generous enough to give, because h
!. fears ridicule or mistake. l see you have no
thought either possible. Thank you again. Al
| ways your friend; ISABEL WOODBURY."
She sealed this and went off int
another gale of laughter, and at inter
walls during the day lounged agsins
d%oorposts and leaned upon tables al
musingly muttered:
cit served me right"
\