Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-04-24
A WILD GOOSE CHASE.

It was a lovely dayin January OF 1880
upon which stepped into a compart-
ment car of the Pennsylvania road at
Jersey City, after having purchased a
ticket for Baltimore, and 1 was IN a tit
frame OF mind to enjoy it to the full
In fact, if the truth must be told, I
was going to the Monumental city upon
a very pleasant errand. There was a GER
tain Miss Alice TaliaferrO pronounce 1t
Tolliver, my reader, If You wish to be
locally accurate-in whom was deeply
interested, and 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-
barrassing question has been asked and
answered satisfactorily, and even then, 1
was about to say, he will, in some cases,
not feel certain until the marriage cers-
mony has cemented the bond. This is
particularly true if the party Of the 9th
er part happens to be an attractive
southern belle who has counted offers by
the dozen and who constantly has a
large following OF devoted admirers. En-
tertaining such views as these you viii
not wonder at finding me with a 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.
1t was only the summer before that I
had first met Alice and her sister Wini-
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
I any now, that the peculiar attraction
which so powerfully drew me toward her
was directly due to an affinity or CORES
pondencs Of soul between us. And this
I hopefully argued was the heaven-ap-
pointed Indication that In the great book
of destiny we were intended for each
other
Probably had known how many 9TH
er young men who had fallen in Aice's
pathway had been allured to their undo
ing by precisely the same hallucination
my ardOr would have been considerably
dampened, but it was well that did not
know this, for am strongly of the opin-
ion that it is better for a young man to
follow out loves quest to its legitimate
conclusion, whether it be yea or nay,
than to weakly take counsel Of his fears
and shrink from the encounter.
The few days we were together at
Saratoga were occupied with a round of
pleasures, and 1 was completely dazed
by the destinations of the beWitching
Miss Taliaferro. So when we parted
she to Lake George and I to return
home-I was only chiefly conscious OF a
throboing pain in the region Of the
heart and a sensation Of deep loss.
To console myself had only the
recollection Of a tenderly regrettul look
on the face OF the fair girl, as we babe
each other farewell, a slight, almost i'm
preceptible return of my rather too ar
dent pressure Of her hand, and an APP
parently sincere and cordial invitation to
call upon her in Baltimore If 1 ever visit
ed that city. Her sister and mother
joined In this invitation with equal cor
diality, and in few moments the great
tide Of travel had separated US.
Did say I had only these slight
tokens Of regard to console me2 Well
to me, at that time, they seemed wonder
fully expressive and encouraging, and
the more I thought them over from day
to day, the more significant and impOr-
tant they became, until, a month or two
later, spurred on by my consuming pas
sion, i sat down and indited a friendly
letter to my divinity least she might for.
get the fact of my existence and yield tC
persuasive eloquence Of some new wooer
or lest she should imagine that with me
her image was but a passing fancy
and that being out Of sight she was also
ont Of mind.
In due time-but what seemed to my
fevered imagination very much overdue
time-a reply came cOuehed In very
friendly and even cordial terms, pleasantly
overlooking my presumption IN writing
and gossiping gaily and Familiarity, al
though we had parted but yesterday, anC
the impression was conveyed that the
adorable creature considered this but the
opening to a regular correspondence, a
which, in truth. i had broadly limited II
my own letter.
I don't mind confessing to you frankly
that Ia dignifed professional man
indulged in the most reprehensible anc
boyish antics on receipt Of this letter, ano
yes, I actually kissed its smooth white
pages at least twenty times.
Other letters past between us frequent
~, and although I was burning to de
clare myself there was a nnaidenly reserve
and Just a touch Of dignity IN all hel
writings that made 1t seem q trift
dangerous to commit such an important
matter to cold pen and ink recital, wher
the magnetism Of personal presenc'
might so much better tend to accomplish
the object sought.
Barring this thin disguise Of maiden
ly reserve there was every evidence, t.
my mind at least, that our correspond
ence indicated a clear understanding
that It was to lead up to something O
serious import, and, therefore, as soon az
could arrange my law business de
cided TO 60 TO Baltimore and remain
there until this, the most interesting O
all my eases, was decided
had intimatad to Alice that I expect
Cd 70 present mysei N person at he.
home So very few days. but 70 no on'