The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-05-22
OLD BULLloN'S BRIDE.

oAo"ty oue VI 11e euSt-UnS
shadows OF the great bridge resting
softly on the mirror-like surface of the
Hudson river. The sound of a flute
played softly afar off, and all of a sud
den the keel of my boat coming sharp
~ ~ contact with somebody elsc's
oars.
Halo, you'll" cried out a clear, incis-
i've young voice. "Where are you going
to? Why don't you look which way you
are steering"
"Charley Dresden~ cried out L, little
needing the torrents of obloquy he was
beginning to heap upon me.
"Old Motiimore," he responded Joy
ously. "Why, who on earth would
have thought of finding you dreaming
on Harlem river? Here! Come into
my boat; hitch on your old craft be-
hind, and let me introduce you to Miss
Sophy A%driance."
Hooked as sharply at Miss Sophy all
the moonlight and my own modestv
would let me, for l knew that she was
the especial admiration of my friend
Charley Dresden.
She was pretty, slight round and
rosy, with china-blue eyes and q dimple
i'll either cheek, and golden-brown hair
worn in long, loose curls. There was
something fiower-like aud delicate in
her Notwithstanding unconscious
ly imploring in her way Of lifting her
eyes up to your face.
We rowed home together-or, at
least, as far on our way home as the
Harlem river would take us. Sophy
sang little boat ballads. Charley
roared out tenor barcorolles. I even
essayed a German student song which
l had learned in Heidelberg no one
knows how long ago. and we parted the
best of friends.
A week afterward Dresden and I met
face to face or Wall street.
Halo, Mottimore!" said Charley,
his honest visage lighting up. "What
do YOU think of her?"
81 think she is a pearl-a jewel-a
princess among women!" 1 answered,
with o perfect sincerity.
Congratulate me, then!" cried Char
ley, beaming all over, "for I am engag-
ed to her. Only last night! Look here!'
opening q mysterious silver case which
he took from his inner vest pocket
What do you think of that for an engage
ment rlng?"
GA fine diamond" said I, putting my
head critically on n side, "and fanci
ully set"
We're to be married III October, sale
Charley, lowering his voice to the mos
confidential tones. "Imight have beer
sooner il I hadn't undertaken thai
business in Europe for our firm
But l. shall be sure to be bach
by October, and the money ]
shall make will be acceptable TOWARD
fitting up and furnishing our new home
Because, YOU know, Mottimore, I'm no
rich"
Ispent an evening with her afterwart
at the genteel clearinghouse wher,
she and her mother-a nice, bright
eyed little woman the full-brown ros,
to correspond with Sophys budding
lovliness-dwelt in the contest Of apart
ments, furnished in dark blue reps
with a turn up bedstead, i%ngeniousl.
disguised as a high-backed sofa, ant
canaries and geramums in the win
dows. w.
Its so kind of you to come" sal,
Sophy, with a gentle pressure Of til
hand when L went away. 81 am s
glad to welcome Charley's friends"
And I felt that l could cheerfully 81
through another evening Of common
place chit-chat, and photograph album
for such n reward as that.
Well, Charley Dresden went away
and as he didn't particularly leave Soph
Adriance in my charge, l didn't fec
called upon to present myself at TIL
genteel boarding house. l supposed
naturally enough, that all was goiu
right. until the day I received o. not
from my old friend Bullion, the banker
a man of GO, who wears q wig and spec
tacles, and counts his income upon til
double figures.
Bullion wrote from Saratoga, whel
he had gone because he didn't kno
what else to do with himself in the du
season. He asked me to be his groom'
man. Bullion was going to be maj
ried.
"Of course, you'll think it q FOOLS
thing for me to do, wrote Bullion "b,
even at sixty q man has not entirely on
lived the age of sentiment; and whe
snce YOU see Sophy Adriance you wi
forgive any seeming inconsistency on N
part"
l went straight to the genteel boart
S. - 1,, r. woc rNSc1I1n that
might be misled by a similarity
name, although even that was unlik'
ly.
as Miss Adriance at home" I aske
of the slatternly servant girl who al
swered the bell.
''Lo', no, sir, Miss Sophv's spending
few weeks with a friend at Saratoga.
she answered, promptly.
That was enough. [ went home ar
inclosed Billions letter in another el
velope, directing it to poor Charlie
Dresden's address. Poste Restantt
Vienna, adding a few lines of my owl
wherein l e~ndeavored to mingle co,
ISOLATION and philosophy as aptly as pc
possible.
And then I wrote, CURLY declining
"stand up" with old Bullion.
It was but a few weeks subsequent
that the waiter showed al elegant
dressed young lady into my room
the hotel. ] rose in some snrpris
Aside from old Aunt Miriam Platt al
MY laundress my lady visitors were fe'
But the instant she threw up her thu
tissue veil l recognized the soft bl'
eyes and the damask rose cheeks
Sophy Adriance.
doh, Mr.. Mottimore!" she cried pi
eously, II know you won't mind Il
coming to your parlor, because "
seem exactly like a father to me.
WINGED a little at this. "But have I
ceived such a letter from Charley, al
as--as you've known him a long. tim
14honnht nerhans vou could explain