The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-10-24
DO LISTEN TO REASON.

Smoking TRANQUILITY in an easy chair Cne
evening in June, Major HartwelI was reused
from the deep and painful reverie into which
he had fallen 10y a step in the hall and q
knock on his parl0r door,
"Come!" he said. and a smile lighted up
his grave. handsome face, for both step and
knock were f9EniIiar TO him, and if there
was any man on earth whom he held near
and dear, that man was he who now en-
tered.
Il was beginning to wonder what had be-
come Of you, Arthur" stretching out a well
coming hand, which Arthur Hazard took in
warm grasp.
Il have been unusually busy" and Arthur
threw himself into o chair. I've been get
ting ready to leave town for d few weeks,
ind haven't had time to even think of my
friends"
Then you've come to say an reroj:."
Yes; Ina off tomorrow by the early
Cyril"
Il can't leave the city now. Besides.
shouldn't enjoy having nothing to do
haven't taken a vacation since / let the
army. Where are you gOing?7
To a piece called Westholt, down in
buckingham County"
The Major started. and a shadow crept
over his face-the shadow OF past sor-
row the memory Of which was very painful
t. him.
I am going TO visit the big man of the
blace-SQnre DraytOn," continued Arthur,
carelessIy. i made his acqU& ntance a few
months ago by the merest accident. He
was pleased to take a fancy to me, and in
Tite@ ME TO his place. Some one was tell
ing lie the other day tn at the Squire had
che Of the prettiest daughters Imaginable.
SO you can prepare yourself for anything
in tho way of news when / come back"
He paused, laU hing, and expecting some
facetiOuS reply; but Major HartWekl was 81
lent. Tie shadow had deepened on hisisace
into q look of pain.
whats the matter. Hartwell? You look
as If you had seen ghost. Are yOuenyylng
me my good luck?"
NO; I have no desire to go TO Westholt
shall never go there again.
All! You have been there before me,
then?"
Yes: I was once engaged to be married
You were? Excuse me, Major, If had
known th at would never have spoken as /
did; but no hint of anything of the sort had
ever reached me. Are you willing to tell me
about it,"
Yes: hal I not been. would not
have mentioned it at all 1t isn't a very
long story, ,1ut ] think it very unusual
one. I met Lois DraytGn when my reGi-
ment was stationed near WeSUholt and we
were engaged Tor a year. I know she loved
me; nave never doubted that, though
what followed would have led almost any
man to believe her utterly wanting in any,
thing approaching affection. We were to
be married. on the 10th Of October, and the
wedding was ito be a grand affair. All the
Drayton relatives far and near we're invited
and the Squire had prepal ed for bOnfireS
fireworks and general enthusiasm. ] went
down to Wesbhodt on the morning Of the 9th
and had no fault to find with the welcome ]
received from Lois. l thought had never
seen her in q happier mood, and we had a
long talk about OUR future and made all
sorts OF plans, which little thought were
never to be realized. We spent q very
happy afternoon in the great dHsky parlOr,
and after supper the Squire took me out for
a icb ~ ma i'm
prOvementS he had made in drainage and
parking. We lett Lois III the hall. talking to
an old woman who had come to get some
medicine for a sick child I remember that
I looked back when reached the yard and
waved my hand 10 nv little girl, thinking
how sweet and fair and gentle she looked
as she stood listening to the description of
the child 5 illness! Ah, me! l did not
dream that it was our laet parting-that
was never to see her a ain!"
Never to see her again ?" echoed Arthur
Hazard. as his friend paused
No: [ have never seen her since that
evening When the Squire and returned
to the house, a couple OF hours later, we
found that she had gone to administer the
medicine herself to the child. and on reach
ing home again had retired at once to her
room, and had sent for her aunt, Mrs. An
drews who had taken the place of a mother
20 her for many years. Mrs. Andrews
found her prone on rug, her left hand
grasping it in her agony.
Gently raising her. Mrs. Andrews endeav-
ored to learn the cause of her pale and agi-
bated condition. but she would explain moth
ing, simply stating that great sorrow had
come over her life. She simply wished, she
said, to send a message to me. lit was that
sho absolutely refused to marry me- Yes,
on the very eve Of our wedding she had
changed her mind. And she would give no
reason for the change, nor would she cOu-
sent to see me. Her father and aunt rea-
soned and argued with her in vain. She
simply wept and maintained her mysterious
silence And the end of it allwas that lett
Westholt the next dav, together with my
best man and the haif-dozen bridesmaids.
The affair created a great deal of gossip.
but no one has ever been able to get TO the
bottom OF it.
Perhaps Miss Drayton heard something
against you, suggested Hazard.
NO; that question was askedh her, and she
insisted that she had not.
And YOU do not think her merely fickle9"
"IknoW her too we'll to think that"
And there was no other lover?"
mo. She had other suitors, of course.
but l was the only one for whom she had
expressed any regard.
And she has never given any explanation
of her singular action?"
Never 1 see her father occasionally,
and he has repeatedly assured me that she
maintains her mysterious silence. They
never mention my name to her now. She
requested them not TO do so.
I wish, for your sake, could get at the
root OF the matter, Major. Suppose try. l
VIII nave go0u opportunity, you se0.
You can try, OF course. Ihank you Tor
your interest But there is no reason to
think you will succeed. No; I must bear
my. sorrow as best can. must not hope,
for hope would end only in despair.
Ia the train the next day, on the way to
Westholt Arthur Hazard remembered the
story he had heard. and he felt great
curiosity TO see the heroine of so peculiar a
tale.
Squire Drayton was the richest. landed
proprietor in the large and fertile county in
which Westholt was situated. His house
was a handsome, rambling building, sur
rounded by trees, and overlooking beau
tiful gardens, rich pastures. and we'll titled
fields.
His family consisted of his daugher Lois.
a widowed sister, and a nephew. the son Of
mis- only brother.
Arthur liked Lois at once. She was
reaned-lo looking girl OF about twenty-five