Western Kansas world., 1888-02-18

life OF ours very vain and empty.
And she: "You look like q man OF
will and endurance. You would be
adorable in dress coat. What truth
full, candid face you havel But it Is
almost too earnest. We're you ever
guilty of frivolity in your life !?
Billiards, cigars, fast horses, firtations,
operas, what do You know of them? Ii
you would only fall in love with me,
how you would love me, I am sure.
/ Trevor's mother, clad in widows
weeds, met them at the door. and well
coined them. Her bearing, like that of
her son. was one of courtly grace and
dignity At times a slightly hesitating
air betrayed her distrustful state of
mind, which not unfrequently accom-
panies those whom misfortunes have
overtaker, and where adversely usurps
the place of prosperity.
Her pale, quiet face bore marks of
sorrow, but the expression was one OF
sanctifed loveliness.
II jes tell you ole missus was q
stump-down beauty befo' de wah, ;" said
the old black butler one day to the
girl "She amt got ugly yet, neither.
Mastah got shot in the war and all de
niggers went, and de old plantation
went to ruin too. But when young
mastah cum back from the 'Versity he
took holt on things and him and me is
going to build the ole place up again.
He don't pear to tink bout nofn only
the place-and ole missss1ss. He treats
her iist like baby, and her wish is
law, I tell YER"
The gentle-faced, gray-haired lady
said to her guests, with that soft,
liquid ace mt which distinguishes the
best Souti ern pronunciation:
"You are the first boarders we've
ever had, but insisted on your coming.
thought 1t would be pleasure to my
son, and be-well-he said you would
be company for me. 1 don't know
whether we can make you comfortable,
but we will do all in our power to make
your stay pleasant
The young girl thought she had
never seen sweeter face, and it grew
kinder and would light up in marvel
GUS way when Arthur's name was
spoken, or he came near.
"He is devoted son, my DEAR" she
would say "No mo ,her could wish for
better"
And now a new and sweet experience
began for the master of the plantation
on the Sunfower River. In it's rapid
growth of deliciousness and joy it made
secondary thing of his one great pur-
pose; that of building up the old plan
tation to its former self
That evening he came into tea with
white rose on the lapel of his cordu-
roy coat; and there was only one left
on her breast to kiss the dimples
of her pretty chin where there had been
two before.
His sweet-faced mother noticed the
likeness of the two buds and smiled,
family, perhaps in memory of long
gone time when he, whose portrait hung
in the front parlor, and she would
sometimes wear twin roses from the
same bush.
Arthur Trevor was in love already.
"Books?" said the old butler to the
darky audience in the kitchen.
Books Lord sakes, eff de gall amt
iist conjured him, suah! since she's
come, it's forebber books, and de plan
tation is bein' left in detrimental sar-
cumstances"
EYES," responded the hostler from
the chimney-corner, "and outside O.
dem books he's more perticklerish
about de hosses dan he eber was afoah.
Dey nebber was so fed, or dey nebber
has been kept so clean, and specially
de one Miss Marston rides"
The girl herself saw the change in
him, and it tfattered her she saw it was
her work. At the same time she be-
came conscious of change in her own
nature scarcely less marked than the
alteration in him. She only laughed
joyously when her mother bade her
not to trifie with Trevor's heart,
though she thought, "He's too honest
for trifing." But she knew it never
could be anything else, for she was
plighted to man in the North.
The days went by in summer idle
ness. There were horseback rides
down the river road, and moonlight
excursions on the river. Thus it did
not take her long to learn that the
touch of her garments filled him with
delight; and if by any chance her hand
touched his!
Still, sore struggle was waging in
her heart, through all the rides and
moonlight boatings-a struggle be-
tween awakened conscience and strong
inclination. How could she escape
from the tolls she had woven about
herself.
"He is so kind to me-" she would say
in self-communion, "and so gentle, and
yet"-and her thoughts would fly to
the almost forgotten North, and to one
who had always been the quickest to
claim her hand in the dance; to dimly-
lighted conservatories, whose exotic
plants exaled subtitle odors, and where
was forever the faint, lulling fall of
water in the marble basins of tinkling
fountains. Then her troth-plight would
rise before her, and she felt vague
dread of what-she could not define.
Go che ofkoy, hrmmod tho old Fronch