Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1889-11-23
TAKEN By SIEGE.

dreds; and she may be engaged to that
West Hastings now, for all know. Peo-
pie say so, and people always know more
about your friends than you do yourself"
Such thoughts as these few through
the young mans brain as he bent over
his desk at night and piled the pen, or,
blue pencil in hand, boiled columns
of copy down to half or quarter columns.
Again he argued with himself, II owe
her an apology for flooring that rascal in
her presence 1t was very i'll bred of me
and must ask her pardon"
So on his next might off, he put on
his dress suit and walked up to Twenti-
eth street The very thought that he
was going to see Helen excited him so
that he could scarcely do justice to the
capital Italian dinner set before him at
his old restaurant. He had dressed him
self with the utmost care. II never
want to appear in her presence except
as a well dressed man." he said to him
self; and this not because he was a
dandy. but because he had heard her
say that she liked men to dress well and
give their personal appearance sufi-
cient amount of thought
81 cannot bear dowdy man." said
Helen one day in Rushs hearing, speak
ing of clever fellow of their acquaint-
ance who was very untidy in his appear
ance. II prefer a man to care less for
Greek and more for soap and water. !
shudder whenever he shakes hands with
me- Such nails! there is no excuse for
it. There is nothing like more than a
well kept hand, and nothing | dislike
more than one that is let to run wild"
Rush looked stealthily at his strong,
shapely hands, and wondered what head
they came under. On his way home
that night he stopped at a drug store and
bought box containing all the para
phernalia of the toilette des ongles.
From that time forth he took care of his
hands; and he had his reward; for one
day, in shaking hands with him, Helen
said, what nice hands you have, Mr..
Hurlstone! they are SO well kept. / like
to see it," She didn't know that it was
her own doing. Helen's friends used to
say among themselves that she was too
particular and spoke her mind too freely
on these subjects; but the effect on her
admirers was instantaneous The mo-
ment a man came to know her, he began
taking care of his hands and looking
after himself generally. Uncle Light
foot Myers used to say that "the colts
who trotted around Helen Knowlton
were the best groomed youngsters in the
city," and SO they were.
When Rush inquired at her door if
Miss Knowlton was in, he was in such a
state of nervous excitement that his voice
sounded unnatural to him. She was in,
and he was ushered into the drawing
room, where she sat with Aunt Rebecca
and Uncle Lightfoot Myers. They all
seemed pleased to see him, and for while
he felt supremely happy. Uncle Light
foot and Aunt Rebecca fell to chatting
about proposed trip to Europe, while
Helen devoted herself to Rush. He made
his apologies for the episode of the mask
ed ball, and she readily forgave him.
Then she asked him why he had not been
to see her. and she was evidently SO un-
conscious of having given him cause for
offense that he began to think that per
haps he had been unreasonable. AS they
talked about one thing and another, Rush
said, by the way, this is an aniver-
sary."
"Of what?" inquired Helen.
Strange that you should not guess"
answered Rush. "Twenty-one yearsago
tonight was born" And he drew him
self up to the full dignity of his years.
WHAT" said Helen, laughing; "are
you only 81? Why, you are a mere
boy!" And she seemed SO much amused
that Rush felt rather annoyed. He was
a boy as boards go; but he was much
older than his years; and yet again he
was very boyish. II am every bit as
old as she is, in my feelings" said Rush
to himself; but, then, Helen was very
young for her years.
Your aunt and Mr.. Myers seem to be
discussing very weighty subject" said
Rush, anxious to change the converse
ton.
"Yes, they are," Helen replied; "they
are talking over my London engage
ment."
Are you going to London?" asked
Rush, with undisguised surprise
"Yes; it is all settled except few pre-
liminaries. | am to sing at Drury Lane
the coming season, and Uncle Lightfoot,
who gives us SO much good advice in
business matters, is arranging the details
with Aunt Rcbccca. don't want to
have anything to do with the business.
If have any of that on my mind can't
sing, and | dislike it anyway. Fortu-
nately Aunt Rebecca likes it,"
This gave Rush time to recover, for he
had been quite stunned by the blow.
London seemed to him to be at the end
of the world. How he wished that he
was Monte Cristo, that he might say,
"What do you expect to make by your
trip?" and if she should reply,"A hundred
thousand dollars" he would say, "Stay
at home, and here is two hundred thou
sand" But, alasi two hundred dollars
would be almost more than he could
command. Oh, why was she so kind
and why did she look so beautiful on the