Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-05-17

/ Carlton. but waited for him to just hap
pen In as usual. had not to wait long
however, for the following morning, as
we sat examining the blocks Of my
crazy-qu-lt, and mentioning the old
schOOl-friends suggested by some
Of the silk scraps, heard the
front door open, and know
ing it could not be my husband. was
prepared to hear Cartons familiar rat
a-tat-tat at the sitting-room door.
"Come, answered careIessIy.
Why? oh. is 1t you? excuse me. Miss
Swift, my cousin, Mr.. Westly. Have a
seat, Carlton; you did not know Pau
line had come, did you?"
I ratified on after their brief and some
what constrained salutation, "YOu know
she was my dearest friend at R..
You have often heard me speak of her.
If Pauline had dressed to make an
impression she could not have made
more effective toilet. A simple Prin-
cess of some soft black goods set of
her straight, graceful figure and threw
into perfect relief the pure white Of her
complexion. There was no color in her
face save the pretty red lips, and deep
fringed brown eyes. She wore neither
bangs nor frizzes; but the abundant
brown hair rippled in, natural waves
back from the white forehead, and lay
in heavy coil low on her neck. She
would not have been Pauline
Swift had she looked or dressed
like any ore else. She was one of the
few who make a signal success Of being
a law unto themselves.
When Carlton went homeI followed
him to the outer door.
"Isn't she lovely?" I said. eff she
hadn't lover already-or at least Isus-
pect she has-I would advise you to
abandon your complicated love affair."
and go in and win.
He Iaughed-a trife nervously, I
thought-and went away.
He came often, but he always had,
and through him many Of the young
people called on Pauline.
why don't you give party, or some
thing, Sis?" he asked one day.
Because Pauie is not in society since
her mothers death" I replied.
ooh, he said, but I could not tell
whether his tone was one of regret OF
relief.
We four-my husband, Pauline, Carl
ton, and myself made fair quartette,
and almost every evening found us prac-
ticing new songs OF singing familiar
ones.
Once I mischievously remarked to
Carlton: "YOu must be trying to forget
both your lady-loves at once.
He bIushed actually blushed--as he
said pettishly: swell, no need to twit
a fellow when he's taking such heroic
treatment
I escaped from the room to laugh.
My friend came to us in February.
Often she spoke of going away after the
first month, but I would not hear of ii
until early in May when she received q
letter requiring her immediate presence
at home.
I at once dispatched a note to Carl
ton, telling him to be sure and spend
the evening with us as Pauline would
leave on the morrow. He sent back by
the messenger a request that she take .
farewell drive with him that after
noon.
When I told her, a most becoming
color mounted to her cheeks, but it had
often been there of late.
They went, and were out long
while. It was growing twilight, in fact,
h
her room.
During the evening she looked pale
and worried and much to my surprise,
Carlton did not come, though several
other friends dropped in. Pauline went
away in the morning, but my cousin did
not call to say goodbye. I asked no
questions, feeling miserably uncertain
and perpIexed about the ultimate success
of my cherished plan; but trusting
that Carlton would eventually tell me
all.
He did not come near for three days,
and I began to be actually alarmed +;
when late one evening he burst in in his
old unceremonious fashion. Twas frigid
for of course his conduct of late had
been very. exasperating. I did not hold
out long though when I saw how cut up
he was.
The amount of it all was, the expert
ment had been a success in that it
proved to him that his supposed love for
Bessie and Laura was the merest in
fatuation, and had vanished, like dew
before the sun, In the presence of the
real fame enkindled in his heart Ilv- my