The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-23

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first arbutus; he who took her on
sleigh rides; and walked home with
her from church and the village tea
parties. Milly absorbed these services
not ungratefully, but as a matter of
course. She had been used to them
from her babyhoOd, and could have al
most as well dispensed with sun or air
out of her life; but sun and air being
never withdrawn, are rarel y noticed
or alluded to. "Dear good old
Stephen" she called him. Now it is
not well for man to lavish himself on
a woman who thinks of him only as
''dear old Stephen.
And now Stephen was doomed to
stand by and see a stranger appropri-
ate the object of this lifelong devotion.
He had sown, and another was to reap
his labors. Day by day all that sum
mer long the glamour grew and deep
ened. Captain Hallett's leave of abb
sence seemed of the most elastic de-
scription, permitting him to stay the
entire season at Baymouth. His morn
ings. his evenings, his moons, were
spent with Milly. Stephen sickened at
the inevitable gold-banded cap that
met his eyes whenever he entered the
house, and proved his rival in posses
sion of the field. Mlly greeted Ste
phen kindly always; but there was
sense OF interruption; he felt himself
third party. Then he tried staying
away; but that was worst of all, for
his love did not notice his absence be-
yond q careless What age it is since
we saw YOU, Stephen" This state of
affairs. of course, set people to talking,
but Milly was blushingly indignant.
1T was hard, she declared, ''if Il girl
couldn't have a pleasant friend without
having such things sud" But her
pretty poutings and protestings made
little difference, and it was generally
understood that the affair, if not an ab
solute engagement. amounted to IAN
understanding, whatever that may
m can.
At last the long, lovely summer
came to an end, as summers will.
Scarlet bOughs famed in the forests,
golden-rod burned along the brook
sides. the birds flew, and with them
Captain Hallett prepared for flight.
His orders had come to report in Gal
weston, Texas, and his leave-takings
were hurried. The last moment was
Milly's, and though no one knew the
exact situation of affairs, it was taken
for granted that another year would
bring orange blossoms and a wedding.
MilIy's own expectations were not SO
definite. No definite promise had
passed between her and her lover,
but she trusted him and waited
brightly and hopefully. Letters
came and went; the scarlet bOughS
burned into ashes and fell to the ground
in pale heaps; then came snow and the
winter, to be in turn scourged away by
the whip of the fierce New England
spring. Still Milly waited; but not so
brightly now, for the letters came less
regularly than at first. BY and by they
ceased altogether. Weeks passed with
out a word. MiIly, with visions of yell
low fever and Indians chasing each
other across her tired brain, wrote
and wrote again; but no presage of the
real danger which threatened glanced
over till one day, opening the news
paper. this met her eyes:
At Galveston. Texas, by tine Rev. Pierre
St Cloud assiste b. the Rev. Thomas DIX.
Captain Edward Ha!lett. Q. 5. A, and Blanche
Emily. only daughter OF the late Pierre st.
Cloud, of Pilat1i, Florida No cards.
Mrs. Graves upstairs heard no sound.
but when she went down Milly lay
on the sofa, white and rigid. the news
paper still ciasped in her cold fingers.
1t was long before her senses came
back. Her mother famed with anger,
but the girl hushed her with weary
sob.
1--WE were never really engaged, you
know"
Not engaged! o, Mlly!"
But Milly turned her face to the wall
and said no more.
Bavmouth was stirred to its depths
next day by the news that Captain
Hallett was married to Southern lady.
and that Milly Graves was down with
typhoid fever. Every one wanted to
help to nurse, above all, to know the
particulars. Such masses of blanc
mango and jelly were sent in that poor
Mrs. Graves was at her wits end to
know how to dispose of them. But no
one could readily aid, not even poor
Stephen. who scarcely left the house
day or night. or ate or slept, till the
crisis passed. and Milly was pro-
nounced out of danger.
Out of danger, but it was weeks be-
fore she could sit up, and weeks longer
ere she came down stairs, thin, white,
shrunken-a mere shadow and wreck
of the blooming little beauty who
walked so gayly up Love lane at Ned
Hallett's side not quite year ago.
She was patient always, and uncom-
planning, but she did not often smile.
Perhaps Stephen Won these infrequent
smiles oftener than any one else, and
he counted them as precious payment
for all time and all trouble spent in her
service. Only once did he see her shed
tears. This was when, hoping to give
her pleasure. he brought in the first
wild roses of the season and held them
before her. Suddenly spasm passed
over her face, she gave a gasp, turned
aside, and struggled for composure.
Stephen dropped the flowers as if they
burned his fingers and hurried out of
the room. A hot anger shot through
him. '.He has ruined every thing for
her." he thought. even a rose re-
minds her of him. Coward that he is.
They hang a man for poisoning the
water springs; why not hang him?
though hanging is too good for such a
villain as he.
Natures processes of cure are secret.
1t is in their depths that wounds begin
to heal. Gradually as months went by
the renovating principle worked in
Milly. She resumed her place athome,
the little duties and pleasures, and
took up again the burdens of life. She
was pale still. but the paleness infolded
sweet serenity which was no less
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