Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-04-24
A WILD GOOSE CHASE.

A WILD GOOSE CHASE.
Is was lovely day in January of 1880
rpon which I stepped into a compart-
nent car of the Pennsylvania road at
jersey City, after having purchased a
ticket for Baltimore, and was in fit
name of mind to enjoy it to the full.
In fact, if the truth must be told, I
was going to the Monumental city upon
. very pleasant errand. There was GER
hin Miss Alice Taliaferro pronounce it
Tolliver, my reader, if you wish to be
locally accurate-in whom was deeply
interested, and I was reasonably well as
sured that there were sufficient evidences
of a reciprocal feeling on the part of the
young lady to justify my visit.
One can never feel absolutely certain
Of his ground, however, in matter CT
this kind until the momentus and en-
harrassins question has been asked and
answered satisfactorily, and even then, I
was about to say, he will, in some cases,
not feel certain until the marriage cere-
raony has cemented the bond. This is
particularly true if the party of the 9th
or part happens to be an attractive
southern belle who has counted offers by
fhs dozen and who constantly has a
large following of devoted admirers. En-
tertaining such views as these you will
not wonder at finding me with travel
ing bag in hand on the way to the home
ofmy inamorato fully determined to set
tie the question of my happiness or dis
comfture.
It was only the summer before that l
had first met Alice and her sister Winl-
fred at Saratoga, and having been pre-
scented by mutual friends had at once
been taken captive by the fair Alice,
whose mental endowments and charms
Of person had appealed to my heart in a
way that it had never been appealed to
before. had no doubt then, nor have
7 any now, that the peculiar attraction
which SO powerfully drew me toward her
was directly due to an affinity or cores
pondence OF soul between us. And this
hopefully argued was the heaven-ap-
pointed indication that in the great book
OF destiny we were intended for each
other.
Probably had I known how many 9th
ar younp men who had fallen in Alice's
pathway had been allured to their undo
ing by precisely the same hallucinatior
NV ardor would have been considerably
dampened, but it was well that I did moi
know this, for am strongly of the opin
ion that it is better for young man te
follow out loves quest to its Legitimate
conclusion, whether it be yea or nay
than to weakly take counsel of his fearl
and shrink from the encounter.
The few days we were together a
Saratoga were occupied with round O
pleasures, and I was completely dazet
bv the destinations of the bewitchine
Miss Taliaferro. So when we parted
she to Lake George and to return
home-I was only chiefly conscious OF
throboing pain in the region OF tn
heart and sensation of deep less.
To console myself I had only tn
recollection of tenderly regretful Loo
On the face of the fair girl, as we bad
each other farewell, slight, almost i'm
meoeptible return of my rather too ar
dent pressure Of her hand, and an ap
parently sincere and cordial invitation t
call upon her in Baltimore if I ever visit
ed that city. Her sister and mothe
Joined in this invitation with equal Col
diality, and in a few moments the grea
tide Of travel had separated MS.
Did I say I had only these Sigh
tokens of regard to console meY Vel
to me, at that time, they seemed wonder
fnIly expressive and encouraging, an
the more 1 thought them over from da
to day, the more significant and impol
tant they became, until, month or tw
later, spurred OF by my consuming pa!
s;on, I sat down and indited q friendl
letter to my divinity least she might TO
yet the fact of my existence and yield
persuasive eloquence Of some new wooe
or lest she should imagine that with n
her image was but q passing fame.
and that being out Of sight she was all
out of mind.
In due time-but what seemed to m
lowered imagination very much overd'
time-a reply came couched in We.
friendly and even cordial terms, pleasant
overlooking my presumption in writir
and gossiping gaily and familiarly,
though we had parted but yesterday, al
the impression was conveyed that Il
adorable creature considered this but Il
opening to regular correspondence,
which, in truth, I had broadly limited
my own letter. ;,
I don't mind confessing to you frank
that la dignifed professional man
INDUCED in the most reprehensible al
boyish antics on receipt of this letter, a,
YES. I actually kissed its smooth viii
pages at least twenty tinaes.
Other letters past between us frequen
". and although I was burning to d
clare myself there was q maidenly reser
md lust touch Of dignity IN all b
writings that made It ssem a trd