The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-23

1 " Nile OdIIleS OFelSulOn, new DIX
FEB. q, 1SS4-Ny Dearest Edith: This il
the sixth letter Ihave written this morn
ing, so You can ina CINE the desperate stat
my correspondence was in. / know yoT
are furious with ne for not writing you be-
fore; but, my dear, you would forgive ms
could you realize how entirely l am shut
out from The world in this beautiful Park
hemmed III as it is by mountains and hav-
ing no connection with the busy life out
side save the stage that comes in every
other day. Don't think l am about to
plunge into rhapsOdies over the scenery.
| shall spare you all that, knowing that
| Aunt Mary has written you, and that her
poetic soul has not been content until you
| and Jim shared her ecStacy as much as
possible. But do wish you were here to
enjoy the lovely walks and drives, and,
best of all, rides am delighting in. Speak
ing of rides suggests funny adventure /
| had week ago, which may amuse YOU.
Did Aunty write that we met Captain
Prentice just before we left New York:
| You remember him, of course. had a
| desperate Irritation with him at West Point
| the summer before l was married. | had
/ not seen him since, but we renewed our old
| acquaintance, and it was he who told US
about this delightful place. just before
| leaving US he told me that he should write
to one of his best friends, a Mr.. Forbes,
who lived on his ranch, ten miles from the
hotel, to call upon me when arrived at the
Park. Naturally felt q flutter of delight
! at the thought OF knowing one Of those
mythical ra2chmen of whom we hear in
New York, and especially as Captain
Prentice told me he was an Englishman
and Thoroughly good fellow. | confidently
expected each day after we were domi-
clled here to receive card from Mr.. John
Forbes, butnona came. Finally, becoming
impatient, asked one OF NV fellow-so-
w Nlrnl,
girl, If she had ever heard of him. Now,
my dear, l do not intend you and Jim to
be allowed to propheSy my speedy retreat
unless an attractive man is forthcoming
for | am perfectly absorbed in Aunt Mary
and my boys: and, besides, | came here to
escape the sex. But L digreSs.
She had heard of him; her brother had
dined at his ranch when he was here, but
Mr. Forbes was not his host. He was in
Europe, and his partner, Mr.. Wyndham,
was in command. OF course this led to a
discussion Of the ranch, which my pretty
girl tells me her brother rayed over, and
then to mention of Mr. Wyndham. His
name is Brantlv--did you ever hear any
thing more swell-and the brother afore-
mentioned described him as the best of
good fellows-but dashed his sisters hopes
by the cheering information that he was
never known of his own free will to speak |
to woman. Naturally after that | gave |
up all expectation of seeing a ranch and |
devoted myself to the boys and learning to |
leap four barred fence.
This, my own dear sister, is descriptive |
prologue. As the curtain rises on the |
comedy itself, picture a country road
mountains as a back-and seated on a |
stump a woman dressed il a riding habit |
and gazing anXiously in every direction.
a stanhOpe suddenly comes into view bv a
turn on the road, and the solitary woman
leaps to her feet, prepared to attract the
of the driver. The signal is
made. The horses are stopped, and de-
cidedly good-lOOking young man, arrayed
in white-flannel suit and East India hat,
leaps to the ground.
Young Man removing hat)-"I fancy I
ian be OF some service to you by your look
Of distress as [ was passing"
ForlOrn Female very hot and red)-
You are very good to interpret my signal
correctly. l fOolishly started from the
lotel for ride alone this morning"-
marked disappr0val expressed in young
mans eye-"and getting Off my horse 10
gather some flowers, he broke away from
ne and left me as you see, at least six
niles from home"
Y. M-''Certainly shabby trick to serve
-ou, but if you will allow me the pleasure.
am going to the hotel and will he most
appy to have you occupy the other seat !
q my cart"
F. F.-"YOu arc extremely kind, and 1
lady accept"
Thereupon the young man assists the F. !
. into the cart, his face bearing decided !
7 bored expression and determination to :
e frigidly polite nothing more. DeSulto- !
Y conversation on each side-the weather '
)uched upon-the beauties of the Park
a long silence. Young 7
ian gazing into space. Young woman Y
astlng about in her mind how to find ont
er protectors name. 4 sudden inspira- r
on! 1t must bet is-BrantIy Wynd- q
am. The woman's name is Harwood, and Y
lie has been called good-looking, but no C
o time is to be lost. They are reaching q
lie hotel! 1t is now or never! She turns a
nd says: 81 wish to thank You for so h
ndly bringing me out of my dilemma. | h
link l was getting quite hOpeless-so far h
way and alone" Culver in voice Young +.
an turns, evidently fearing Mysteries r
rand coup d'etat. 81 am Mrs Harwood,
New Y Ork, and should like to know the Y
lme of my reScuer." "
There, it's sheer nonsense for me to trv Il
nj keep up this farce! l beg leave to |;
'Op all dramatic form. TWAS Mr.. WIND IL
am, ami he is the best looking man | ever "
w. He pulled himself together after nv
tile iinesse had wrung from him his name Y
nd told me that his friend Forbes, who
|
seems Mr.. Forbes had sent Captain Prem
ce's ietter,wh followed him to Europe, r
lex 20 his partner asking him to take his L
ace i'll what il asked. Mr.. Wvndham
III that, being no lady'S man, he had hes ,
tie. to call upon ma in his friends steal, =
1t was grateful for this meeting" ETC., ~
=. All boSh, because | knew he was | u
girg inwardly. We reached the hotel, s
nj asked him to pay me the visit now T.
lis he declined to do, but would, with ID
rs. Harwood'S permission, drive over
on to further All acquaintance 50 charm IA
ely begun" So he bowed himself away, =.
Ill never expected to see him more, for "
looked anything hut happy over the Z
-uatlon. But the fa5eS have determined u:
bring US together. l was sitting 81
| the veranda this afternoon waiting for ~
e mail when he appeared before ma OF y,
urse he stopped and tried to Dravaricata d.
lthont looking conscious. HE was lust -
'out to send me his card; would | not ac- -
pit a call here" / think made ouite a On
'od impression, for, gauging NV man. I "
ed no little feminine arts to attract him "
as calm, diGnifed and collected. We ~
scusSed the WeSt-ChineSe Cord on-aad u
laily his beloved mother country He -.
Id me that he was Scotchman. and that VI
S family lived at Inverness. While we 8,
ere chatting Aunt Mary joined US, and %, u
r. Wyndham Staid on until the stage ".
me in, bringing friend, whom it seems =. At
was expecting-when he left US and in ~ ~
moment bowled off toward bis ranch in CG
swell stanhope as graces Bellevue av- III NJ
ne.
Here, sister mine, ends the first chapter II ~
as pretty tale as | can write you from IT. #,
cadia, and most probably You in the -
lirl of your Newport season will have no % %
ne to interest yourself in it. have sue
eded in covering a number of sheets with ~
: nonsense, and my watch poinH to the 81 O.,
7stic hour of midnight. With love to Jim, ~
lose chief perfection in my eyes is his ~ ~
cd taste-so beautifully displayed in the so so
Ster" he chose for me-and with a homo al