The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-31

No words can describe his feelinga
He stared blankly atthe handsome door.
well shut and firm. that suddenly had
closed upon him and separated him
from his love. What cOuld this awful
thing mean? Had Mrs. Bracegirilo
heard something -falSa. Of course. and
uttered by some other base aImirer Of
her darghter-which had made her
| take this cruel step? 1t was impossible
to guess. 1t WAS impossible to knock
again aud ask: it was .idiculoIs to stand
staring at the door. He turned, de-
seconded the steps and walked down the
street.
Before he had gone halfway he met
Il hated rival, very fine fellow. whom
| he had only begun to hate in the last
three or four DAYS, since he had noticed
that Miss Bracegirdle sometimes gave
him very charming and encouraging
| glances. Captain fortescue walked on
slowly, and listened for the confident
rat-a-tat-tat of his rival. He heard it,
listened, and looked back. The door
was opened, and the visitor instantly
admitted.
The unhappy man who had been
turned away from that same entrance
sighed heavily and went away down the
sunny street, hanging his head. He
told himself that it would be only fool
or mailman who could pretend to
misunderstood so plain refusal as this.
Perhaps it was meant kindly, he
thought, and grOaned at the thought.
Miss Bracegird!e WAS no coquette, and
did not care to have men offer her their
love when she had no intention of ac-
cepting it. He was so desperately
enamOred of her that he busted himself
in irving to see this cruel cut as a kind
deed His hopes were gone, but he
could not bear so suddenly to lose his
idol. He determined he would not
worry her by his unwelcOme presence
where she could not easily avoid him,
nor permit himself to be laughed at by
his successful rival. So he excused
himself from certain engagements at
houses where he knew he should meet
her. He gave up dancing and took TO
cards instead.
Mamma" sIid Miss Bracegirdle
one day, doesn't it seem odd that for
three weeks Captain Fortescue has not
calIed?"
at does" said Mrs Bracegirdle: ''and
vet, when come to think Oft, we have
not met him ont anywhere, either. He
must be i'll. or more likely he has gone
out of town. He will call when he comes
back"
This she said, noting that her daugh-
ter looked little pale and out of sorts.
But, secretly, she was uneasy herself.
CAPTAIN ForteScue hal shown signs of
being so earnest a woOer that it seemed
very improbable he would leave town
without word to them. At the next
opportunity she quietly made some in
quiries about him, and learned that
Captain Fortescue was neither i'll nor
out of town. This was bad news, in
deed; for Mrs. Bracegirdle knew per-
fectlv well that her daughters heart
was seriously touched; and, as Captain
Fortesccue was perfectly ''eligible. "
all had promised fairly. Now that fair
promise was destroyed. There was
nothing to be done except try, by other
distractions, to erase the impression
which Captain Fortescue had made.
Mrs. Bracegirdle devoted herself to her
daughter more tenderly than ever, and
the girl understood her.
Amid all the gayety and the many
engagements which came with every
dav. there was melancholy about the
house which had never been there be-
fore 1t was impossible for them TO
Danish it altogether. Even Master
Harry, a cheerful youth of about four
teen, became aware OF it at last. and
declared his sister was not ''half as Jolly
as she used to be- One dav, when his
mother and sister were taking quiet
half hour before dressing for dinner, he
came into the room carrying an UNI
brella
81 say, mother, this umbrellas been
in the stand for a month. The fellow
il belonged to has forgotten all about
it, | expect; don't you think | might
have it,"
Isn't it yours?' said Mrs. Brace
, girdle. 81 gave You a Silver-handled one
, last year"
80, | lost that long ago. replied the
youth, coolly; land may rs well have
this instead. It's like mine, but ever
so much sweller. There's name en-,
, graved on it. but L could have that
scratched out"
LET me see the name," said Mrs
, Bracegirdle. She took it and read
"ForteScue."
An odd look came over her face. She
said nothing for a moment, but seemed
plunged in thought; then she rose and
{ went down stairs to the dining room
, She rang the bell and the stern-eyed
maid appeared.
- -b caiI Siam I-oI1 ,-nupoO,-
Der the appearance of that young man
, who came one day and asked for an
, umbrella? He came twice, l think you
said, and asked for me the second time,
VIII YOU describe him, if you CAM"
) He was quite gentleman to look
, at. ma am" said Eliza; ''but this sort
mostly are. Tall and broad -shouldered,
and military looking, with blue eyes,
very short, fair hair, and long: Leh,y,
: fair mustache."
That will do. Eliza" said Mrs,
| Bracegirdle; you can go"
) As soon as Eliza had left the room,
Mrs. Bracegirdle sat down and wrote q
) note Then she tore it up and wrote
another, which was merely an informal
invitation to lunch the next day.
Then she called Harry down to her
HARRY" she said, - want you to &C
to Captain Fortescue's room and take
this note and the umbrella. See him i
you possibly can and try to explain about
this unhappy umbrella and thai
wretched, stupid Eliza"
Then she told Ma ,ter Harry the story
at which he laughed immensely.
'Now, YOU must not laugh, but think