Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-07-11


ruined you"
II wish. sir. there were half-dozer
moro old aunts to continue my ruin
In the same way. It is of no use get.
ting angry. father. You can't keep il
up. FIJI take to any thing you say
law. physic. or divinity; sell my
horses, drop my club. read by the
cubic foot. but to marry-excuse me- .
'.See here. Phil" exclaimed the
father, who by this time was at white
heat, '.you never knew me to break
my word. Imerely ask you to marry
for your own good. point out a wife
in every way suitable to you. Marry
to please me, and ] will not only start
you fairly in life now, but leave you
all have when 1 am gone. Marry to
suit some foolish fancy of your own
and I'll-yes, I'll found an asylum for
idiots. Now you understand me- T"
And Briggs marched of, leaving his
son to his meditations.
IF stay here" said Philip to him
self, "father and will quarrel. Bet
ter give the dear old gentleman a
chance to cool off. I'll ruralize a
little"
That afternoon Philip packed port
manteau, and with fishing-rod and
mineral hammer started off to Mont
gomery County, where an old college
mate of his had married and settled.
one whom he had long promised to
visit. When he arrived there he
learned that Boudinot and his wife had
gone to Long Branch for the season.
and their servants with them. the
house being in charge of a care-taker.
Philip heard of good fishing in stream
four miles of, and concluded to try it.
He found lodgings at farmhouse
near the place, owned by a man named
Seth Cooper.
His quarters were quite comfortable.
The house was an old stone building
of ante-revolutionary erection, and
was roomy. He was assigned cham
Der upstairs. looking out on a trinity
kept garden, in which old-fashioned
flowers and pot herbs were grown side
by side, and which sent a pleasant
fragrance through the open window.
The room itself was adorned with
pictures and knick-knacks showing
feminine taste, and the bedstead was
furnished with hair mattress, and
not the bag of feathers of the vicinage.
Decidedly" said Philip to himself.
there is another female on the prem
ises, than the substantial Dame
Cooper. and with some refined taste"
But neither that day nor that week
did he see any woman other than Mrs.
Cooper or the hired girl. However,
the cooking was good, the country air
and his walks round about gave him
an appetite and he was content. He
fished the stream closely, he rambled
here and there, hammer in hand and
bag at side. leaned on fences and
talked with farmers about "craps"
and the weather.
In a weeks time the thing grew
mOnotonous. The fish were not al
ways inclined to bite, good specimens
in quarries and in sta grew scarcer
and his stock of talk on farming was
nearly exhausted. He began to think
of going to the Branch and hunting up
Boudinot. As he sat upon the veranda
one afternoon debating the matter. a
wagon was driven up the lane and
stopped at the door. Lightly out
stepped a young woman in a neat trav-
cling dress, and the driver followed
her with large trunk. under which
he staggered, burly as he was. Mrs.
Cooper came from the kitchen and ex-
claimed. why. it's Gwenny. I de-
clarer'
'You dear old Aunty Ruth" said
the newcomer, hugging and kissing
the farmers wife. Il came to have a
good time for q month";
land SO you shall. my DEAR" was
the hearty reply.
Philip took an ocular inventory of
the looks. dress and manner of the
newcomer as he took off his hat. "a
sweet face and graceful figure and pre-
sentable anywhere" was his internal
comment. Here's luck. I shall not
visit the Branch yet"
You have a boardcr, aunty," said
the girl, when up stairs with Mrs.
Cooper.
Eyes. He's a Mr.. Bee." said the
OLner. III QOn look as II he had any
call to work for his living, judging by
his white hands and his fx-ups, and
he's plenty of money"
bee? Then he isn't a busy bee.
But he's good looking; if he be agree
able he'll do for a walking-stick
Mrs. Cooper's mistake as to Philip
was natural enough. When she had
asked his name on his coming he had
said. in his airy way, philip B., at
your SERVICE" and she had taken the
sound of the initial for his surname.
After she had called him Mr.. Bee sew
eral times Philip saw the blunder,
smiled at it. and, as the naval officers
say. made it eos" and when Gwenny
came to the table she was introduced,
''Miss Gwenny, Mr.. Bee" As she
was the niece, he concluded her name
to be Cooper. but as the farmer ad-
dressed her as Miss Gwenny. and the
farmers wife as Gwenny. Philip chose
the more respectful of the two.
As Philip was a gallant young