Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-08-15
TAUGHT BY FATE.
The Lesson Was CHASTITY; It's
Results Were Priceless.

1t was four o'clock on a depressing
autumn afternoon.
The railway station at one of our
most popular watering places was not
so crowded but that the noisy mirth
OF a group of yachting men, Assem- bled
to take leave of one of their number
attracted considerable attention among
the passengers, porters and lOiterers
collected on the platform.
In one instance this notice was
wholly of a condemnatory kind.
Opposite the spot where the young
men stood a gentleman sat alone in a
first class compartment, from the win
dow of which he cast frequent chances
of contempt and disapproval at the
1oud-vOiced men outside.
These last We're typical Englishmen;
four tall, well-built young fellows.
with fair skins burned red or copper
,colOred, gathered round a fifth, still
taller than they, and evidently older
a yellow-haired giant. with a fine fig
ure that was beginning to tend toward
stoutness. a good-looking, red face,
and manner that was at once genial,
Whether from instinct, or from the
fact that he was Numerically opposed
in type to this particular individual.
the solitary traveller before referred
to took an especial dislike to this pom
derOus fair man.
Great bumptious brute! he said to
himself. Fancy being married to
such a man,
With this second reflection. the
face.
He was rather under than over the
middle height. with slight, boyish-
looking figure. face rather interest
ing than handsome, and delicate. rest
less hands. with which he necessarily
stroked his mustache. His nerves
were strained to their utmost tension:
doubt, uncertainty. pity and passion
ate love were blended in his mind
with great desire for solitude; and,
in this phase of nerve tension. the
noisy laughter of those four bronzed
yachting men. and the self-complacent
platitudes of the fifth. irritated our
traveller almost beyond endurance.
Suddenly the door of his compart-
ment was burst open. The yellow
haired man jumped in, directed a por-
ter where to place his portmanteau in
a deep bass voice, suitable to his large
frame. tossed the man sixpence. with
an air of princely patronage. then rat
tied down the window. and leaned on,
for few valedictory words to his
friends.
II shan't go northward until to-mor.
row." he observed.
At which there was laughing cho.
rus of:
Tomorrow. Teddy?'
well. they don't expect me yet
he went on, smiling, with a radiant,
superior calm. 81 say, boys. we really
have had most excellent time to.
gether!'
pity you didn't keep up that diary.
Might have interested them at home, -
suggested one of the four.
You might compile an amended
edition in your spare time in London
Gilpin!' put ir another.
81 can't make you boys believe it
out shall only stay in town long
enough to see my lawyer"
And then take the next express
back to the bosom of your family. We
know, Gilpin."
land. afterwards" the big mar
went on. imperturbably. 81 shall per
manently settle down in the North anf
put together my experiences into book
form"
The train was moving off by thi,
time. The four yachting men rar
alongside OF it. waving noisy goodbye.
!: until it steamed more quickly out of tn,