The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-11-09

shade of a small grove, before sitting
down on a rock by the wayside ant
tearing open the letter.
1t began with a prettily-worded
apology for the writer's neglect caused
| by his absence on business, and pro
ceeded in glowing terms to describe
the pleasure her letter had given him
He had singled it out from many hun
dreds received $50 he wrote) for the
| truth and earnestness revealed In
every line. In her he was sure of find
ing a congenial spirit, and henceforth
his life would be bound up in her let
| tiers.
There were many more pages filled
with similar phrases, will. lofty sound.
ing passages from the poets. and senti-
mental repinings over the destiny that
had so long separated them. But to
Jessie's unsophisticated heart every
word was as prerious as gold. 1t was
, the one perfect letter ever written; re-
storing it to its envelope she resumed
her homeward walk. hardly conscious
that the way was long and the heat
oppressive.
That evening, when Rodney Leare
made one of his customary unceremo-
NOUS calls. he could not but perceive
that there was new barrier between
them. Jessie sat silent and absent
minded. and gave no heed to his witt
est sallies. Finding her in such an I'M
amiable mood, he at once directed his
conversation to her father. when, max
ing some trifling excuse. she arose and
left the room to return no more that
evening. After perusing Hugh Man
nering's tenderly set words and smooth
ly flowing phrases she could not pa
tiently endure the clashing discordance
of her sometime lovers rougher speech.
Rodney waited patiently awhile for her
return, and at last took his leave in as
much of fret as his sunny nature al
lowed him to indulge in.
Autumn came, and the mellow days
and golden evenings were imbued for
Jessie Crofton with the glory and splen-
dor of loves young dream. Never had
the hand of the Great Artist tinted the
woods and hills with such gorgeous
dyes; never did such a vail of beauty
overhang the dells; never did lakelets
lie in such dream of peace. Earth
was a new Eden, and reversing the an
cient order of things, new Eve await
ed the coming of her Adam; and it
dimmed not the brightness of her glory
that the one friend of her lifetime, dis
heartened by her frequent rebuffs,
troubled her no longer with his pres
ence. Rodney Leare, grown trifle
silent and sad. striving to conquer
love which his better Judgment as
sured him would never bring him con-
tentment or peace, went his own way:
and if sometimes his strong hand
warded the heavier burdens Of life from
her weaker shoulders, she was still I'M
recognizing and unthankful.
In the late fall the little household of the
CroftonS was surprised by the receipt of
a letter from an almost forgotten cousin
of the family. whom the tide of fortune
had driven into the little harbor of
Glen Haven. The letter contained an
earnest request that Cousin Joe or some
OF his family should pay the writer
visit Only by the strongest force of
will could Jessie retain her calmneSs
until in family conclave it had been de-
cided that she should be the fortunate
one to accept the invitation. Her father
could not spare the time. and Aunt
Ruth was only too glad of little re-
spite from the niece's fault-finding
and general discomfort; and so the
week found her safely
on the stage coach, her face
bright with anticipation, en- route for
Glen Haven Hugh Mannering.
There is something inexpressibly sad
in the utter ruin of young life's first
romance. However unstable the foun-
dation. it was reared in touching faith
and purity OF purpose. Happy the soul
that
Rising on its wreck 1t last.
To something nobler may attain"
Anxious to surprise her correspond
ent. in the letter mailed the day before
her departure Jessie had given no hint
of her intended visit to Glen Haven,
and the earlier part of her journey was
whiled away in happy dreams of their
meeting.
Towards noon the sky became over
cast. the wind rose in fury, and few
flakes, the vanguard of the forces the
Frost King held in reserve, came flying
through the air. As the wind became
colder and keener, Jessie was aroused
from her happy dreams by sudden
neuralgia in her face, which continued
to grow worse and worse. until by the
time she arrived at her journeys end
she was almost frantic with pain. Civ
ing the driver her cousins address,
with directions concerning her baggage,
she stopped at the first apothecary's
shop to obtain an opiate.
The low building which bore on its
front in huge gilt letters the sign
DRUGS & MEDICINES, boosted also
smaller one, PosT-OFFICE; and as Jessie
reached the door, a man carrying
bundle of letters brushed past her. She
drew back with an instructive feeling of
disgust. To her sensitive soul there
was something inexpressibly loathsome
in his presence His shabby black suit
was soiled and torn. his face was coarse
and sensual, and the bold blue eyes
seemed to stab her with their insulting
stare.
Striving to conquer her repugnance.
Jessie lowered her veil and following