The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-11-15

MnMAa have no hesitation in youch-
mi1yM ing for the truth of.
WW8tfE& The scene is in a pretty
Hf@tN town of about 5000 inhab-
@A itants, whicl, ncstles costly
szNN i'll a broad valley between
the foothills OF II of the mountainous
Western States, pierced ly one of the
great iron arteries of commerce of the
Gould Southwest system of railways.
The time was the month of May, 1SS-.
At the period mentioned l was ASSOC
ciated with my brother i'll the publica-
tion of a small weekly paper in this
furnishing little town of D.. l he
in town, and was always ready to par
ticipate in such of the social pleasures
as the limited population allowed.
The roller-sEating craze had seized
the town during the preceding winter.
and of course all the girls and boys
learned to skate. The society boys and
girls of D. were like all boys and
girls of small towns, in that they di-
vided themselves into sets" orcrowds.
and it is with the members of the set
to which l. belonged that my story has
to deal. For present purposes we will.
know them as Maggie REYNOLDS and
William Byron.
Maggie Reynolds Il the ac-
knowledged belle of the town. and she
carried her llonors with becoming
grace. She was IL slender, delicate
little lunch OF nerves. of the brunette
style. The only daughter of wealthy
parents, she was spoiled, petted and
wil.ful. She WAS both vivacious and
pretty, ard of course Il most agreeable
companion.
William Byron. who, by the way,
was IL close friend of mine. was a train
dispatcher in the service of the rail
way upon which N--- is located. Ae
was Il good mate for Maggie. and from
the time The pair became close friends
at the skating link everybody Thought
ii would be IL match.
Byron was also OF small stature. T.
had e a deal OF the world and wa 1t
ready Wit, very much of IL gentleman,
and exceedingly woll thought of by
The girls. rs we'll as Ivy the public gen
orally. He was temperate and indus
trious, which. taken in consideration
with the fact that he was an excellent
Dispatcher, established him in the con-
iidence of both his Chief and the super
intendent OF The division.
William Byron and Maggie Fey
nolds were both graceful. finished
dancers, and, as they learned to skate
together. made the mosi accomplished
and best appearing couple that fro
quented the rink. They were together
so much that the rlrmor of their en-
gagement was finally accepted as ~
fact.
The rink was to close for the sum
m,er with ~ grand masquerade and
skating contest. numerous plies be-
ing offered. 1T was known that Mag
gle end Will Intended TO contest for
the first prize, and everybody said
they would win it. never knew the
causes Which led hi, to a change OF
this programme. but the change was
made, and it vas all expensive one-at
least 1 always thought il had very
strong bearing on the events of the
succeeding hours.
am u c believer in premonitions,
Int 1 can recoilect very distinctly that
l never looked ulon the friendship he
tween the two with even the smallest
degree of favor. and l knew Maggie
disposition and feared that she was
merely hasinga little rastime ut Will's
expense, and ! felt equally as sure that
Will was deeply in love with her.
When the night for the contest final
ly arrived. the whole town assembled
at the rink, and from my position in
the gallery l could see every one in
the hall. Maggie had arrived, accom-.
panied by her mother and brother. and
Will was on the floor n few minutes
before she arrived. She went i'm.
mediately to the gallery with
her mother, while Will remained
OH the floor below, mingling with the
merry throng of maskers, and / no.
ticed that lie was not in his usual
spirits. He looked and acted i'll at
case. He was nervous, and acted as
though he knew he was being scruti-
nized. Maggie did not wear her usual
bright, happy smile, and did not net a.
though she intended to skate.
AT the last moment before the con,
test began, a wcll-dressed, dappe,
young mai, a passenger brakeman EN-.
ployed OH tho road, who passed q
good deal of his time in d. and
whom j had often seen ut the rink
and noticed as M excellent skater, as
cended the gallery stairs and sought
Miss Maggic'ss side, and they exchanged
n few words, and Maggie arose, accom-
panying him to the floor below. In {
moment they appeared together i.
full view of the audience, which di
yined in q moment the meaning of til.
move. Maggie and Will had quarreled
and she was going to skate for the
prize with Mr.. Sander, for that wa.
the name of the good-looking and ac
complislled young skater.
VIII left the rink before the confess
was over, without exchanging q wori
with Maggie.
The next day was IL beautiful one
When Will entered tho trainmaster'
Office ut the depot at 8 o'clock q. IN.
end relieved tho mar who had been OF
since midnight, he looked badly, AM
the other dispatchers noticed that h,
was nervous and unsteady. He sa
down at his table, took the key in
mechanical way, end commenced work
He was handling the north end Of th,
limo between st. Louis and D.
: forty-two milcs of rond.
. II was q busy day. Besides the tw.
or tLrec freight trains each way, vii
had TO handle me north-bound accom-
m~tA'.on, the eouth-bound through
exprcss, and the branch mail line, an,
added to this. two work-trains wer
put ont between 81. Louis and : poin