Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-21


the people were Those two old danes on
the settee in the corner are kinswomen of
the host, and their tongues have not ceased
since came in No doubt they are discuss
ing some dainty dish of scandal That tall
stern man moving about with an air OF au-
| thority must surely be the son and heir.
But there is a couple that more than all the
rest excites my curiosity The man is small
and slight and fair; be is dressed in the ex-
IRENE Of fashion, in pale pink satin, with
! diamond buckles on his shoes His rapier has
q, a jeweled hilt, and through it is drawn an
embroidered handkerchief. He stands near
the top of the room, and is evidently guest
of Importance, for the host pauses now and
again to smile and say few words, which
! the young man answers carelessly in thin,
| bored voice His partner is much more in
| teresting study She is very young-not
more than 17-and has delicate, fragile
look Her hair is piled loosely on the top Of
| her head and blue ribbon runs through it.
1t is the only bit of color about her. Her
white silk sacque falls in full, graceful folds
from her shoulders; she holds a dropping
cluster of white roses in her hands, which
nervously arrange and rearrange the flowers;
her face is very colorless and her deep blue
eyes have strained, nervous look The two
do not seem at ease in each others company;
from time to time the gentleman pays the
lady vapid compliment, to which she re-
spends family or not at all.
Now there is general move toward the
top Of the room. and the musicians cease.
The company gathers round square oak
table; on it are pens, Dk and several large
sheets of paper. A man in plain black gar
nlents, evidently notary, takes seat.
Father and son stand near each other, and
on the farther side the young couple who have
SO interested me; then / see the likeness be-
tween the girl and the two men opposite, and
it flashes across my mind that | am assisting
at that betrothal scene had heard of few
days before The notary begins to read, the
document tells Of the dover of thu bride and
the settlements made by the bridegroom,
calling forth many EXPLANATIONS of wonder
and signs of envy from the assembled guests
The father and son listen with stern satisfac-
ton; the bridegroom pretends to pay no at
tention; the bride, poor little thing, gets
paler and more nervous.
Now the reading has come to an end, and
amidst the buzz of conversation the host
rises ard signs the papers The witnesses on
his side follow, then the bridegroom and his
witnesses. The notary turns to the bride,
and, smiling, offers her the pen. With trem-
bling fingers she takes it, then hesitates
Her great sad eyes are lifted appealingly to
her brother, and seeing no hope there she
looks at her father, and a piteous murmur
that is half sob breaks from her: "Fatherm
But no softness comes over the stern face.
ut is your turn to sign, my daughterr is
all the response she gets Despairingly she
bends over the table and her name is added
TO the rest
The business being over, the ladies crowd
round her with congratulations on the splen-
did match, and surrounded by them she
moves away. Presently she begs them to
leave her by the window. She fees a little
faint, she says, but few moments quiet viii
soon put her right, and they leave her i'll the
deep embrasure Once alone she rises, and,
watching her opportunity, slips out into the
night I, too, step through my window, and
see her fit across the terrace in the moon
light. At the foot of the steps a man starts
out of the shadow with a low "At last, sweet
hearth" and catches the slender figure in his
arms for a moment. Wrapping large,
dark cloak over her white garments he draws
her arm through his and leads her few
suddenly on his shoulder Turning, be sees
the dark face of his ladys brother
With a cry the girl starts from him and
filings herself between the two men Her
brother thrusts her aside "Stand back!
have to deal with MIN, not you!" But she
clings to him, and, sinking on her knees.
promises anything if he win only let her
lover go safe Re shakes himself free, and in
L., ., 4. =
wondering crowd to the windows No one in
terferes or attempts 10 go to the poor child
holding the back of seat TO keep herself up
right. Presently heavy fall and shrek
from the girl tells what the end is. The white
figure flies TO the prostrate man and the little
hands try to lift the heavy head. kiss me,
sweetheart" murmurs the dying man; Il
wish could have saved you," and then all is
still
For few minutes no one moves. The
lovers lie as if both, instead of one, were
dead; the guests gaze at them with pale,
scared faces, and midway between the two
groups, half way up the steps, father and son
speak IN a low whisper. The moon sheds her
calm, silvery light over all, as she would were
Ghe scene she illunined happy instead of a
most tragic one. Suddenly see the girl lift
her head, nOlseleSSiy she rises to her knees /
then to her feet. The two men on the steps
notice nothing, SO deep are they in their
whispered conference. With swift, !
stealthy movement she ghdes down TO the
waters edge, and before her father /
and brother, warned by cry from
their guests, can stop her, she has
stepped into a light pleasure boat moored
there, and hes pushed of into the lake In ,
vain are the cries to her TO return. She floats
slowly away in the moonlight, asd as a solemn
hush comes over the spectators The sound of a
low crooned song comes across the water.
Then it stops and the white figure rises to its .
feet, sobbing cry reaches US, and, with lifted
arms and upturned face, it siTks--sinks-and /
disappears. a scream bursts from some one .
in the crowd-and the figures vanish.
was sitting alone among the roses, the old .
house stood silent and deserted behind me,
the crazy boat was quietly noored at the .
little landing stage, but the moon had disap-
peared ard an owl in the trees near by was
sending forth his melancholy cry on the still .
night air.-London Society.
why He Was Saved.
'Dirteen of my friends were drowned by
de upsetting of de pote; I was de only one
saved" said Dutchman And how did /