Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-10-10

turning the page, she reads s'sell the
three black Berkshires," when she
unwillingly comes to the conclusion
that the mutilated words are Mem.
on the old sty;" whereupon in fit of
disgust she pronounces her brother to
be utterly uninteresting and heartless.
Miss Vivian's aunt, Mrs. Maitland.
remains apparently blind to the con-
slant meetings in meadow and glen and
pursues her daily round of self-pralse
and Standardization with vigor and
energy that cause her to be the mingled
terror and delight of all the young
people in the neighborhood. while
Bingo lives in fairyland-and Miss
Vivian?
Miss Vivian is shy and sweet and
seventeen. King Midas touched her
hair when she was born, and turned
its luxuriant wealth to FURNISHED gold.
aud the Elf of the roses famed her
cheeks as she slept, until the snowy
surface blushed. Very dainty and
sweet she looks in her white dress with
its black and white ribbons, and with
the great bunch of white roses at her
throat. Very dainty and demure. very
fair and bright and girlish; but, ah!
Bingoi Bingo! are your eyes blinded by
the intensity of your love that you fail
to miss one charm of budding woman
hood?-that you fail to note that to
Efie's cheek comes neither paleness
nor color when you address her? She
is sweet, Bingo, and very gentle; but
her sweetness is not to be your portion.
Many miles away there is a certain
Prussian officer who won the girls
heart while she was still at school in
Germany, and if Fife were not such
pitiful little coward she would tell you
quietly one day, i'll her half-frightened
Tone that that long-legged Uhlan's
photograph is stitched inside her dress
and worn there from morn till night.
But Fife is a rare coward, aid like all
such, she temporizeS. She draws out
the photograph at night when she is
alone and talks to it and cries over it.
tells it with a piteous culver of her un-
derlip that she is so. so unhappy, and
oh, why does he not come here at once
and tell her for the hundredth time
that he loves her? She is sure that if
only he gets chance of tackling Aunt
Maitland, that lady will be worsted.
and will flee away before the all-con-
quering invader.
81 can not tell Mr.. Bingo," she con-
| fac-oz 20 4ha phAfApr,.aYa nh ,.,i+h
sobs. He is so nice, but if tell him
about you, Wolfrath, he will go away,
and will never walk again in the
meadow with me. And then Aunt
Maitland will find out at once that l
have sent him away. Oh! WOlfrath
dear, she would be so dreadful She
has never seen you, so she can not be-
lieve how noble and perfect you are
you always admired me, always
so she says that she will never let me
marry foreigner. She drags me about
with her from place to place, and she
says that if l ever mention your name
again to her she will make me marry
that horrid Mr.. Trelawney, whom |
can not endure. She has left me in
peace the last month because she thinks
that Mr.. Bingo likes me. And l do
feel so unhappy ABOUT it all. Wolfrath,
come to me! do come to men'
This is all very well, Miss Fife! All
the world knows that when two young
people determine that in spite of all
opposition they will marry each other,
they are sure to obtain their hearts
desire. Therefore, in spite of all your
present woes, 1 say that is all very well
for you, and also for the long-legged
Uhlan, though at this moment he is
existing in a state of deepest gloom
because he can not obtain foreign leave.
But how about Bingo? Has he not
also his hearts desire? Is he too old
to indulge in that blissful pastime en-
titled castle-building? And is it not
hard that his fabric should be shattered
in order that you may mount a little
higher by aid of his goodly pile of ru-
ms? 1t is not too late even now to
confess all to him. and you know that
he will forgive you for the pain you
have caused him.
But at these prickings of conscience
Fife only buries her face little deeper
in the pillows and cries yet more,
moved thereto by an overwhelming
and enervating sense of self-pity.
The summer days pass by, and
autumn frosts set the woods on fre-a
fire of color without heat. Still Bingo
builds his airy castle. adding tower
upon tower in the golden light of il
fusion. And still Mrs. Maitland blows
the loud trumpet of her own great
and good deeds, turning the while a
deaf ear upon the low. piteous sobs
which echo each night in her neices
room and refusing te be touched by the
mute unhappiness of the white little
| face that is turned each morning so
pleadingly toward her at the advent of
the post-bag.
Johnny and Alicia still adore and
renOunce each other on alternate days,
taking small notice of Bingo and Efie,
too wrapt up in themselves to notice
the feverish intensity which burrows
Bingo's face, and lends unnatural
brilliancy to his eyes. And the seven
small MacTavishes still skirmish round
their elders, eat. drink, sleep and fight
from sunrise to sunrise.
At last there comes a glorious Octo-
Der afternoon, the air crisp and bright.
+ba e,,pSI;pa Aoeb;,r +I,o,,-l a.