Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-09-29
mo. she'd better not" said tho chorus

mo, she'd better not" said tho chorus.
Then they groaned together.
"You win have to know at last, Mis-
jaime" said Harry Ashe. $50 we might a
well tel you ct once. Charlie Garden Is
down the we'll"
'sThat's not particularly bad news for me, !"
said Gladys, not believing them. sits worse
for him He'll get wet"
Its true, Gladys" said Fannie Green.
And they al called out: sit is true"
ut was because you LEFT him in that way, l
Think said Tom Hope Indeed, Miss jaime,
he caught hold of the bucket chain and went
down"
"Why, there is the bucket on the grass.
said she.
"Yes,' said Dick Breeze. ST thought he
had been down good while and drew it up;
it's empty"
Gladys looked from ore to the other.
"This is very amusing to you, no doubt, "
said sha 81 want the truth"
Hes down there, 1 assure you, Miss
Jaune," said VIII Roth.
What have you donea Why don't you help
him outE" asked Gladys
Mrs. Goodfellow has sent over TO the Per
kins' place to see if they are done with her
ladder said VIII. "And when it comes"-
when it comes" cried Gladys-''oh r'
She ran to the well and bent over. "Mr.
Garden" she called, Mr.. Garden.n
Doesn't he answerz7 cried Rose.
"Charlie, speak, Charlie-ohl Charlie n
gasps Gladys. she is drowned or insensible
'May be he doesn't hear; it's very deep
well" said Dick
eff he could go down on the bucket you
other men can" said Gladys. "'Why don't
you-you, Charlie Roth-one of youl Obi
are you men, to sit here like that,"
eve won't let them CO." cried the girls,
each elinging to the arm of her sweetheart
Meanwhile Gladys danced about in al ecstasy
of terror.
.'You are all towards" she cried at last,
adjusting the great bucket II am going
down myself" And actually she went The
chain creaked slowly We all crept forward
and crouched close beside the well brink
Charlie" she was calling, "Charier Then
she gave sQueal.
When she got down some distance awful
ly afraid of the water, but not yet coming 70
any-some one caught her by the hand
what is thata" said she.
ut is l." said faint voice
~, CharHe! she gaSped- gu Gre not
drownedl Are you hurt!"
mot too much to hepyou," said he. "Step
out of the bucket 1t is safe here-a sort of
ledge. Don't stir. Let me hold you. Why
did not some of the men come down for mel
How did you happen to comes'
81 was not cowardly enough TO let you
die without help" said Gladys. There goes
the bucket"
YES" said Charlie 81 should have held
it. Don't stir. The well is very deep, and
believe the water rises at sunset"
"How horrible" said Gladys.
81 don't think you will be left here" said
Charlie. 'The ladder will come down in
time for you"
''Why not for both of usT' asked Gladys
"Too late for me-" said Charlie But /
don't care. ! had as soon die. You don't
care for me. You were noble. You came
to save me, but you never would have mar
ried mel"
80, Charlie" said Gladys, show can you
knows Perhaps l would "
''Say it again. Gladys, sighed Charlie. II
am going"
Don't go. CharlieI" said Gladys. "Live
for mel"
She was crying bitterly
IF could live would you marry me"
sighed Charlie. Let me rest my head on
your arm. There, kiss me-"
She did it.
Il may have only few moments to I've"
said Charlie, but will you not let me feel
that we are engaged for that brief timer
''Oh, yes, yesi | always liked you, Char
lie; l only meant to tease you," said Gladys.
"Oh, where are you hurtl What can do9
Yes, l am yours. Oh, Charlie, where is the
painp
''In my heart" said Charlie. kiss me-"
She kissed him.
Il am little better, he said. "Are we
really engaged, Gladysi 1 b. % taken that
ring from my watch cham, Gladys-tny
mothers, you know. VIII you wear It'll"
YES" said Gladys. She was bling as
she slipped it upon her finger Don't die,
Charlie" said she, II will new, you
again; will never pretend do not love you.
1t was all pretense. Live, Charlie, for my
sakeln
IAN right, Gladys" said Charlie, and on
the instant he jumped to his feet, embraced
her twice, and kissed her twenty times
This well is only ten feet deep, and has been
dry fifteen years." said be. Boys, let down
the ladder; she has accepted mer'
They had ali been sitting on the ladder TO
hide it, and now the brim Of the well was
filed with laughing faces, and shouts Of
laughter came down with the ladder
did you suppose" said Fannie Green, as
she held out her arms to Gladys, when she
had jumped from the well brink to the
meadow grass, that you were 10 be the only
one to go home without being ensagedl And
is it not nice, after allF'
Well, Gladys forgave them, and, on the
whole, think they have made the happiest
married pair of all that summer party-I do
indeed--Mary Kyle Dallas in the Fneside
Corr,1narinr,