Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-06-18

L
bare. after the manner of their kind, until
they reached height of thirty or forty
feet, where scragggy branches began ia
obtrude, finally widening far above the
head into masses of foliage that jealousy
| struggled to interpret the sunlight, softly
muttering and crowding against each 9th
er as the wind swept by. In midday II
was indeed church like, and in moonlight
it was weird as the woods about Camelot
1t was here that Alice Burleigh had be-
taken herself that sunny September after.
noon, and thither had George, much to her
| discomfort, followed her. His boyish CAB
BILE distracted her thoughts from the high
romantic subjects of which at that time
she considered much, and his unsympathiZ-
ing practically Jared upon her customary
mood. Therefore it was only with in.
| creased annoyance that an exclamation
| from her brother directed her attention tG
| figure seen indistinctly making its way
| along the avenue of tree trunks at little
| distance.
"Mr. Chiffon! Mr.. Chiltonw cried the
| irrepressible youth, hailing the advent Of
| a more congenial companion. slow many
have you caught"
"Hush, George" said Alice. "Don't cal
| any gentleman here"
"But it's Mr.. Chiffon, and he's been fish.
ing. You know Mr.. Chiffon first rate,
| persisted the boy.
to either feign ignorance or to make Q
graceful retreat. The salutations were
| somewhat awkward Oh his part, a trife
cold on the other, when George interrupted
the formal exchange:
"We're just going to the house, Mr.
Chiffon: amt we. Alice: And l wish
you'd let mo carry your fish for you. You
| can take Alice's book, or she can put it In
the basket"
Chiffon had recovered his self-possession
enough to realize that if his rival was soon
to appear on the scene, fortune had no;
| done him an i'll turn by bringing him into
| the field of action, even in wet clothes; and
he set himself to make the most of it, call
| ing i'm all his resources for agreeable con-
versation. But Miss Burleigh was in one
Of her lofty moods, to whose prevalence
Chiffon conceitedly attributed his re-
lection, and her responses were not eu-
courag ing.
II suppose it was very gay here earlier
| in the season." at length yentured her
| companion. .'When 1 left, all the town
! had returned, with reports of excursions
by day and hops by night"
Eyes, it was quite lively at some OF the
houses: but mother prefers quiet, and /
really don't care much for such things
replied Alice, adding, with an arr as if the
gravity of hundre years of worldly eI-
perience rested on her young spirits, 81
don't find society very satisfying as we
have it at these resorts"
"And so YOU come oat for the best Of all
good company-yourSelf and solitude.
Well, l can't disagree with you. But you
see you are not safe even when you take
| sanctuary in the Cathedral. Society fol-
lows you, even in wet boots: and no won
der"
"Please don't make it personal, Mr..
Chiffon" said Alice, annoyed that she
should have led the talk along in that
channel ..All NV friends know how feel
on this subject. What do not find in So
ciety is a high and earnest purpose, a
knightliness, and a true elevation of spirit
which feel confident would make them
selves evident in the face and form as well
as in the mind of the people who had
them"
"!Sdna mems in corpora SdnO," murmured
the young man, quietly amused at this
girlish rhapsody.
"There is nothing ideally good or great"
went on the young woman, now fairly
mounted on her hobby. 1T is all common
place and dull. The girls have their little
sentiments, the women have their dress
and their children, and the men have their
tiresome and vulgar business. They make
money and they grow bald. There is no
romance in it anywhere. One of King
Arthur's knights would be laughed at in
our society, but a true woman would wor-
ship him."
''This is the very place where one OF
these knights ought to be found, il any
where" said Chiffon, anxious to make a
diversion. 'How his chargers hoofs
would crush these yellow ferns. But armor
would be uncomfortable wear in fightin.
the dragons of these days."
''You don't understand me-" replied
Alice, with a touch of haughtiness in her
tone. ~ could recognize a knight in blue
flannel or broadcloth."
Here the path led them out toward the
road, from which George was seen running
with excitement.
81 told you he was coming, Alice. Now
l hope mother will be satisfied, and get
ready to go home"
"Who is coming:" asked Alice, little
! nervously.
"Why, Mr.. Lankton- Arthur Lankton:
and he just drove by in one of the teams
from Foskitt's. Come along quick, and you
will see him."
They met at the supper table. Lanktor
was fine fellow, physically and mentally
| a model of elegance both in action and re-
pose. His manner was faultless and i'm
pressive; and whether he was listening to
Mrs. Burleigh's talk of her symptoms, OF
| was interfering remarks in Alice's fluent
conversation on more aesthetic subjects, his
| tone and his air indicated the most intense
| sympathy. Chiffon recognized him as a
| dangerous companion where the peace OF
| mind of a romantic young girl was con-
| cerned, especially since the first two DAYS
developed an evident preference and at
! traction between the two: while Mrs. Bur-
| leigh had the satisfaction, which does not
| always come to match makers, of seeing
her work prosper under her hands from the
| start. Chiffon saw that, while he had
/ doubtless won the esteem and measure OF
the confidence of the girl who had rejected
| his warmer advances, the brilliant Lark
ton had already fascinated her, and know
ing the man to be in some sort moral
sham, he was by no means content.
One morning, at the end of the first week
Of his stay, coming down to a late break
fast, Chiffon found the Burleigh family
with Lankton in attendance, already
packed in a mountain wagon, preparatory
to an ascent of Weehausett, and the young
lawyer was asked, with more or less cordi.
atty, according to the individual, to make
one of the party. He excused himself. and
| sat down to a solitary meal: in the course
of which. revolving all the circumstances
in his mind, he decided that his interests
if he had any, would perhaps be better
served by remaining near Alice for the
short time that was left, not leaving the
field to the enemy. 1t was not too late tc
reconsider. There would be delay in
| changing from carriage to saddle at the
foot of the mountain, and he could walk
there in time to join them or horseback.
A brisk tramp of few miles brought the
young man to the station where guides and
horses were taken for the ascent. Blu,
with the exception of Mrs. Burleigh, who
was comfortably ensconced in the farm
house parlor, her courage having failed al
| the last moment, none of the party was
visible. The rest were already on Their
way up the great slopes of the mountain
and had taken the last horse from the
stable with them.
There was nothing left for him but q
days climbing on his own account, whether
or not fortune brought him into the society
OF his friends. So, cutting a stout staff
he set out with q swinging step up the