The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-11-08
DO LISTEN TO REASON,

boUTH Wis
DO LISTEN TO REASON.
Smoking TRANQUILITY in an easy chair one
evening in June. Major Hartweli was reused
rom the deep and painful reverie into which
ne had el!en by a stop In the hall and q
knock on his parlor door.
GOMEZ" he said. and u smile lighted up
bis grave. handsome face. for both step and
knock were familiar to him. and II there
was my man on earth whom he held neur
and dear. that man was he who now en-
tered.
Il was beginning to wonder what had be-
come of you. Arthur" stretching out u vel
coming hand. which Arthur Hazard took in
q warm grasp.
th /, Ihq S;m sssp UNI, unusually y busy 3d., and s.! Arthur thur
ting ready to leave town for a few weeks.
friends"
Then you've come to say az ,evotr.-
yes; I'm on tomorrow by the early
tram. L wish you were going with me.
Fl can't leave the city now. Besides, I
snouldnt enjoy having nothing to do. I
haven't taken u vacation since I lett tho
$40 a piece called Westiolt. down in
buckingham County,"
The Major started. and a shadow crept
0ver his face-the shadow of u past sor-
row: the memory OF which was very puinful
Il am going to visit the big man of the
place-Squire Drayton." continued Arthur.
carelessly. Il made his acqua ntance q few
months ago ny the merest accident. He
was pleased to take a fancy to me. and in
ing me the other day that the Squire had
one OF the prettiest daughters imaginable.
80. you can prepare yourself for anything
In the way OF news when I come back"
ne paused. iau thing. and expecting some
facettous reply; but Major Hartwell was ST.
lent. The shadow had deepened ON his face
into a look of pain.
What's the matter. Hartweli? You look
as II you had seen q ghost. Are you envying
me my good luck?"
No: / v no desire to go to Westholt.
Il shail mover go there again."
AM! You have been there before me,
Yes; was once engaged to be married
You We're? Excuse me. Major. il I had
known that ! would never have spoken us I
did; but no hin of anything of the sort had
eyer reached me. Are you willing to tell mo
"Yes; had I not been, I would not
have mentioned 1t at all. It isn't q very
long story. but I think it q very unusual
one. 1 met Lois Drayton when my reRi.
ment wa stationed near Westholt. and we
were engaged for q year. I know she loved
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
Drayton relatives far and near were invited,
and the Squire had prepared for bonflres.
fireworks and general enthusiasm. went
down to Westholt on the morning Of the 9th
and had no fault to find with the welcome /
received from Lois: I thought I had never
seen her in a happier mood. and we had q
long ak about our future and made all
aeogts Of plans. which I little thought were
q Ter to be realized. We spent a very
b ns ,sn w.. afternoon in the great. dusky parleor.
q long walk. wishing to show me some i'm.
provements he had made in drainage and
parking. We left Lois in the hall. talking to
an old m who had come to get some
looked back when 1 reached the yard and
waved my hand TO my little girl. thinking
how sweet and fair and gentle she looked
as she stood listening to the description of
dream that it was our last partine-that /
was never to see her a.ain!"
Never to see her again?" echoed Arthur
Hazard. as his friend paused.
No; l have never seen her since that
evening. When the Squire and I returned
to the house, o 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
drews. who had taken the place Of a mother
TO her for many years.. Mrs. Andrews
found her prone on a rug her left hand
grasping it In her agony.
Gently raising her. Mrs. Andrews endeay.
ored to learn the cause of her pale and agi-
ing. simply stating that a great sorrow had
come over her life. She simply wished. she
said. to send a message to me. It was that
she absolutely refused to marry me. Yes.
on the very eve of our wedding she had
reason for the change. nor would she con-
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 I left
vWestholt the next day. together with my
best man and the half-dozen bridesmaids.
TIL 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 askedher. and she
insisted that she had not"
A n you do not think her merely fckle9 -
.lknow her too we'll to think that.
a n there was no other lover2'
mo. She had other suitors. Of course,
NVNS AAO OAb WV AVk WAVAx6 AO AhA
expressed any regard
o her angular action?s
sNever. I see her father occasionally,
and no 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"
7 wish. for your sake. I could get ct the
root of tho matter. Major. Suppose I try. I
will ay have can q good ssSl q o}Pp con1.a r ;Sons e ss,,, ..
think you will succeed. No; ! must bear
my sorrow as best I can. Unjust not hone,
for hope would end only in despair.
In the train the next day. ON tho way to
Westhoit. Arthur Hazard remembered the
ts lits.''' = 80 - : ~ l''1'A' .
Squire Drayton was the richest landed
proprietor In the large and fertile county in
Which Westholt wss situated. His house
WA . handsome. rambling building. sur
rounded by trees. n overlooking beau.
tiiui gardens. rich pastures. and weli-tilled
Hia family consisted Of his daugher Lois.
widowed sister. and q nephew. the son OF
his only brother.
Arthur liked Lois at onee: She was .
eisned.iook,ng gisl OF about twenty.ive
. olive complexion. an abundance OF
chestnut hair. and . 1.-THE and graceful flg-
ure: but she was shy.and reserved, and
talked little. even to her father.
Arthur rather .prtded himself upon his
understood that Of Lois. and the fact that
ehe had been able to keep aecres for three
years her reasons for refusing to marrytho
MAJ. che loved puzzled him very much.
s1he does not look like Q woman who
eoald keep : sssret:. he thought; Il should