The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-29

In this untOward manner, IL seemed,
did Fate cause important life-lines to
diverge which at one time were likely
to have crossed at least, and perhaps to
have blended.
Autumn merged into winter. Wanda
and Bertha had picked up, with girlish
tact, bits of style in dress and manner,
and their provincialisms were rapidly
softening out of sight. Mime. Muller.
whose protege and distant relative
Burnham was, had made many inef-
fectual attempts to introduce the young
people, but he kept well out of reach,
and for a long time she did not achieve
her purpose.
II believe Burnham is in love-" re-
Elected this little round, fat-and-forty
lady, in whose nature the element of
romance was largely in excess of all
other qualities. 'tHe is so distract, so
unsocial, so brusque. l have lost all
influence, see.'
But she collared him one morning.
"Ah, Charles, you are an adept at
hiding, but you shall not escape me
this time. I shall hold you here in
view of all these people until you prom
Use me to come 10 my recital this even
ing. No excuse, sir! Not even the
strength of prior engagement will eff
feet me-"
''But, Madame, hate piano music.
and-I am engaged"
"Charles, you are no diplomat-you
tell lie with The awkwardness that
should belong only to truth. You
are not engaged, unless to that musty,
strong old meerschaum of yours. Say
you will come"
MADAME, do protest that nothing
is such bore to me"
"Say you'll come, Charles. Promise,
If you would avoid a scene"
"Ah, coercion, is it? Well, 1 promise
that won't" and he retreated back
ward with graceful effort at escape.
She made feint of pursuit, and he
threw up both hands.
"I'll come-Fll come! But l shall
stay just one half hour-mark! just one
half hour"
every well. AS you please"
Wanda in her blue dress that evening
was more than ever like a flax-fower.
In her maidenly slimness she had an
air of field-growth, breezy and sunny.
Even Bertha, glancing out of her
of dark lashes, was not so al
Turing.
Burnham came early, with suspi-
cious appearance of having given ex-
treme care to his toilet.
There was a long delay in the arrival
of some important performers, and con-
took the place of music
Wanda fell to Burnham's share. She
was naive and bright talker.
$50 you like Chicago?'' he said, after
some predatory skirmishing.
"It is a nice place"
"Ah-I should scarcely apply that
term"
.'We like it. But perhaps 1 cannot
Judge as well as you
at is a. brutal place"-this said to
provoke controversy.
But Wanda was too joyous to be
very good listener. She did not heed
The cynical speech. She was, just at
that instant, giving smiling attention
to something Bertha was saying to
devoted admirer near at hand. Burn
ham caught this fragment:
at was like Wanda to do it-exactly
ike her."
The young man laughed, and Wanda
and Bertha laughed too.
What is it thatwa so characteristic
Of Miss Hegel?" asked Burnham.
Bertha can't get over funny thing
that happened when we first came
here" answered Wanda, evasively.
ut seems to have made great impress
sion on her."
lit is no secret. l see she has told
Mr.. Cuthbert. May 1 not hear it?"
Wanda will be sure to leave out the
best part of it," interposed Bertha.
And she went on to give pi luant ac-
count of Wanda's peremptory action
5he night of the reading, making very
merry over it and embellishing it with
.ull details.
"And we know who it was" she
added, ''for he has glowered at us ever
since. But we have had no more the
''Did he read well?" asked Cuthbert.
'.He read loud" said Wanda. "He
ried to read WE'LL
Perhaps he's in training for the
stage"
Both girls, with the plethoric old gen.
leman of the dining-ro in mind,
aughed nerrily.
Burham's face was crimson.
"Was it quite kind" he said, ''to
,ut such a speedy check upon en-
ieavor?'
"Speedy?" replied Wanda; che had
'een going on nearly all night. Be-
ween him and the mosquitoes Bertha
vas almost frantic"
Pray tell me who he is" pleaded
Iuthbert-not so much interested in
What Bertha should say as in the soft
heet-lightnings of her eyes in the say
ng of it.
''Ah. no." said Wanda, shaking her
read; "that would be unfair. 1t is
enough that we know"
Further conversation there could not
re, as the music began.
Burnham's "iust one half-hour" ex-
ended to midnight. Wanda's figure at
he piano was as supple and graceful a
hing to watch as a cynie's eyes could
lesire. And there might have been
worse sounds than her pretty playing.
But to Burnham there was a thorn OF /
vanity in all the sweetness.
"You behaved very nicely" said
dme. Muller next morning. "And it
would take more than your lawyers !
ogic to make me believe you didn't
N oy it. So, to pay you for your pa
ient attention to so much piano, come
n this evening again for quiet game |
# whist. My young ladies have made !
cry creditable progress in that as
veil"
No demur now-no hesitancy, no ex-
uses. He would come.
He hated the charm that held him,