Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-09-01

while that lady, no early riser at the best
of times, still nestles among her pillows,
| read this!" and she seats herself on the
bed in state of great excitement, while
Mrs. Dalton languidly peruses the letter
| thrust into her hands.
Il call it great impertinence, she re-
| marks, returning it to Dolly.
@Impertinence!" with wide open eyes.
Certainly"
And Mrs. Dalton, taking it back, quotes
from it:
Though cannot pretend to offer you
the one great passion of life-sad pas
sages beyond the ken of other mortals
have furnished the pure luster which once
surrounded my soul as with a halo-yet, if
you will take heart weary with the
doubts with which an intimate knowledge
of humanity clouds the spirit, take me to
.<cur tender breast, and let me find shelter
there from life's griefs and disappoint-
ments What recompense heart blight
ed as mine has been can bestow, will
strive to make to your angelic sympathy
and goodness.
is it not beautiful" cries Dolly, in an
ecstasy. Il wonder what he means? I
suppose some horrid woman threw him
over once"
Il think it is exceedingly impairment,
and hope you will resent it."
Resent it," almost shrieks Dolly.
why, it's declaration"
Get me my plotting book off that ia
ble," commands Mrs. Dalton resolutely.
Now" she says, beginning to write, you
will answer it in this way, or I wash my
hands of you, and tomorrow he will have
reduced you to abject misery again.
She writes hurriedly for few minutes,
and then, with heightened color, reads
the draft aloud.
DEAR Mr.. LAsCELLEs-I have re-
ceived your melancholy letter, and am
truly sorry for all you seem to have suf-
fered. But, for my part, I look upon the
world as very pleasant place, and have
made up my mind to enjoy myself as
zach as possible; SO, as could not con-
sole you, and you, with the ideas you ex-
press, would make me miserable, l think
you had much better look for somebody
whose temperament is more like your
own. l suppose you mean me to under
stand that you have been much more in
love with some one else than you have
with me, which, to say the least, is not
very fattering. MOI I must have an IN
divided heart or none at all. Your sim
cere friend, D. S."
There is desperate fight between Mrs.
Dalton and Dolly before the latter can be
persuaded to copy and forward what she
considers heartless and fippant missive.
In the end Marian triumphs. Mr.. Lascelles
does not appear at breakfast, and Dolly,
though her soul quakes within her, laughs
and talks to Dick.
Later in the morning, when they were
playing lawn tennis, Clement Lascelles,
feeling much smaller than he has ever
done in his live, seeks counsel from Mrs.
Dalton. With ON angelic smile, she alter
nately pricks him with daggers and makes
him gulp down bowls of poison; but she
does him an excellent turn by taking q
good deal of the nonsense out of him. He
confesses that he adores Dolly. How, oh,
how, is he to win her? Has he the ghost
of chance?
Mrs. Dalton, looking solemn, declares
her inability to reply to this. She hints
at Dolly's youth and love of amusement.
She hints, too, at Dicks tnflagging good
spirits and temper. And the upshot of it
is that when Dick returns crestfallen from
his afternoon ride with Dolly, having
spoken and received his answer, Clement
Lascelles carries off the young lady to her
boudoir on pretense of wanting to be
shown something, and, replacing the mel
ancholy of Hamlet by the conquering air
of young Lovelace, takes her in his arms,
swears he has been fool and has never
really loved anyone but her sweet self,
and that if she accept him her life shall
be one round of pleasure.
Twenty minutes later, Dolly has passed
on all his embraces and more to Marian.
How clever you are, darling!" she
says, admiringly.
To which Mrs. Dalton replies, Nov
you know how to manage him, make
good use of your knowledge. London
World