Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06

1
ride out of the garden, perched on top
of the clothes-basket-
"Is she right about the old manp'
asked Fannie.
"a remem brance of certain old Mr..
Parker, who had sent ME several bou-
quets, caused me to redden foolishly,
and, of course, she leased me after that.
But had had no thought of marrying
old Mr.. Parker, even if he asked me.
My mother had written to me that day,
rather insisting on my speedy return.
My sisters and brothers missed me. l
was going home very soon, but, of
course, that might be said of almost
any girl who was on visit and on
good terms with her relatives. Still,
rs had never been in love, it seemed
to me that it would be delightful to be
so; and when after I had gone into my
own room Fannie knocked at the door
and handed me glistening white lump
of sugar, l did not reject it with scorn.
On the contrary, after undressing /
actually tied my shoes together by the
strings. and hung them by two pieces
of blue elastic to the handle of the door.
and putting out the light laid myself on
my pillow, and laughing at my own
folly popped the sugar into my mouth.
In moment more Fannie knocked
on the wall of the partition between
our rooms.
Have you done it?' she asked.
81 made no answer.
81 know You have, because you
don't dare to speak, she cried.
81 threw a book at the partition
but | would not open my lips and
break the spell. In q few moments l
was fast asleep. Now, what l am
about to tell you is perfectly true.
every word of it. l Weakened about
one o'clock, as l believe, and found
the room perfectly dark. The house
was still; the street was still. | began
to think of my promised apparition
with little thrill of terror. l did not
wish to see my future husbands I'M
real likeness at that moment, and l
sincerely hoped old Nanny lilly was
wrong, and that the night was not de-
voted to the appearance of such
wraiths; but even as l harbored the
hope in my heart a strange light be-
gan to glow in the midst of the dark
Mesa round spot OF crimson, that
seemed to approach me more and
more nearly every moment. Then the
shade flew up, and the blue moonlight
streamed into the room. l saw a
figure near me-a man, tall, slender,
graceful.
"'Who is that9' 1 gasped.
Only I-Hal!' replied a voice.
Good Heavens!
"Then there was silence. The
shade was pulled down again. Then
an awful sound or report of some
sort, a shout and a scream some
where, and a smell of gun-powder. l
lay bathcd in cold perspiration for
long while. Then l found strength
enough to beat on the partition feebiy.
Fannie was with me in moment.
".Tve seen him! I've seen him. l
gasped, and don dare to stay alone.
Come, sleep with me-
''She came, but slept no more that
night. My dear, assure you that the
face l saw was yours. We've been
married two years now, but I've never
told you before. l saw you; and you
know your name is Hal, or, at least,
people always call you SO, if you were
christened Henry"
l had been laughing softly for full five
minutes. Then said:
That was in 1862"
Yes she answered; that is when l
visited Fannie
I'm Baltimore. No. - street,"
l went on.
"YeS, dear"
'Then." said l, Gas the lamented
President Lincoln used to say, that re-
minds me of a little story. never was
tipsy but once
You ought to be ashamed of admit
ting even that said my wife.
80 am said l. '.But the only
time l ever was tipsy was in the year
1869, when was a young law student.
l was in Baltimore for few days, and
l was visiting my friend, Tom Lennox,
who lived at No. 8 street,"
Next door to Fannie" interrupted
my wife. ..Oh, l knew Tom Lennon
very well"
well, on the 20th of july" pro-
ceeded l, Il was invited to Il supper
a stag party entirely-and really did
drink very much too much. Tom Len
nox did not go with me. He did not
know the fellows who asked me. And
when got home at one o'clock l found
the house shut up. and had no latch
key; and being very much under the
influence of that champagne | resolved
to mount to the balcony (there were
balconies on all the floors) and enter
Toms room by the window. Mine
opened out of it, SO l would be all
right Up the supports of the veranda
l went accordingly, jumped into the
balcony, with my cigar in my mouth.
and stepped in at the window. l tried
to find my way to my room door. but
lost myself. So pulled up the shade
Instantly l saw sight that frightened
me out of my senses-a girl. with her
eyes wide open. staring at me.
d" Who is that?' she screamed. tuck
ing the Counterpart around her ears.
".Only Hal, l answered. Then
l realized that | was in the wrong
house.
Il pulled the shade down, go. out
on the balcony, climbed to the next
one, made my way in at the right win
dow, and whiz! bang! went bullet
mast my ears. Tom. who ALWAYS slept