Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-10-14
AFTER MANY DAYS.
James Gardner Did Not Become
an Enoch Arden"


on fathers farm down there in Con-
necticut. You've seen the place. The
church was near the tavern, and be-
hind the church was the parsonage;
and there lived Dominic Wheeler and
his daughter Dolly. On Saturdays.
after | had my supper, used to dress
myself and tell my mother that ]
meant to call on Dominic Wheeler's
folks. Mother generally answered
that l couldn't do better, that the
dOminie's conversation was sure to be
improving, and that Dolly was not
''hity-:lty, like some gals she could
mention
Father would add: "And a pretty
little critter, too" And armed with
parental authority l would go to the
parsonage.
1t was good time to 60, for the
sermon had to be finished, as gener-
al thing, on that evening, and Dolly
and had delightful long talks in those
solitary moments, and one evening l
proposed to Dolly and she accepted
me. The dominic gave us his bless
ing, father and mother said they could
not have chosen a daughter-in-law to
suit them better, and all they asked
was that we should wait little while.
my daughter is not seventeen years
old yet, said the dominic. "You must
not be in a hurry to take her from
me-"
''Wait two years and you will be
Internationally. and I'll give you the
river farm and build you house., !"
said father.
Our course of true love seemed to be
running very smooth indeed, and l
would have staked my life and soul, a
pretty heavy stake, on my constancy,
but somehow, | think Satan thought
We were too happy, and laid trap for
me. Doctor Robins widow, a manag-
ing woman with a big house, was in
the habit of taking summer boarders,
and every year lot of city strangers
wandered about the place from June
to September. When Dolly and had
been engaged about a year and half,
the widow had thirty boarders in her
house. and Ike and Edwin and all the
male help slept in the barn.
There was one young lady there, a
Miss Sally Gray, so pretty that every
one who saw her was talking about it.
And l was introduced to her Some
women have a way of making a man
act against his better Judgment. She
was one of them. | did not mean to
flirt with her. but / did l did not
mean to meet her in shady lanes, and
in the quiet wood paths, but we met.
She knew q suppose Ike Robins had
told herr about my engagement. and
she teased me about being afraid of
my sweetheart.
''Such a good, prim little thing"
She would say. us she dreadfully
shocked ut me? Does she think am
a fiirt? Does she pray for me in meet
ing?"
l felt angry, but yet was piqued
into proving myself free to do as
liked. At little evening party. to
which we were asked, l danced five
dances with her. and when, at last,
my conscience smote me, and l went
to look for Dolly, found she had gone
home.
''She said her pa wanted her." said
Mrs. Robins; .'but tell YOU plainly.
Il ooif l. UChitNc
for my part. don't see what people
can find to admire in that impudent
New York girl. If my lilly behaved
like her, I'd shut her up on bread and
water until she reformed"
l hurried away, but the parsonage
was shut up when l got there, and
spent an hour walking up and down
before the house, staring at the dark
windows. The time seemed very long
until the next evening. and l went
over to the parsonage very early; but
Dolly not there.
''She's gone to spend the evening
somewhere" said the dominic, kindly.
Il suppose she forgot to leave word for
you to come for her. She isn't very
well, either; cold. suppose. l know
! generally caught cold at party
when was young and attended such
entertainments hope she'll be care
full Her poor mother died of con-
SUMPTION
Ny heart gave a great leap l
thought of Dolly ill, dying. even dead,
and went out into the kitchen to ask
the servant if Dolly left any message
for me.
''Sbe said she wouldn't bs hcrse to-