Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-06-13

L ey0HmY0 Gu0I0S VV0A0 O~sO -
ceived? Could she grace q scene OF
payety; be q belle amid bellies; be
what q Deaker's wife should be-; like
well, like Sophia Emmert the fash.
ing daughter of the junior partner?
..No," he decisively answered. Is be
pulled the bell at Annle's humble
home.
Easily detecting his mood. Annie
was not unprepared for the words he
soon spoke:
annie. my position in life win be
greatly elevated tomorrow"
"You will become tho junior part
ner," she quietly replied.
'.Yes; but you don't congratulate
me, Annie"
Eyes, 1 do. Dick; but will you let me
be frank with you? l see by your
manner that the time for plain speech
between us has come Will your"
Eyes; if you wish"
''Well. then. I've seen great change
coming over you. You're not the same
Dick used to know. Your bright pros
poets are always in your mind. driving
out much of the kindness and friendli-
ness of my old friend. Dick. you are
being dazzled by your anticipations OF
social distinction. business prominence
and increasing prosperity"
"Well, Annie?"
SWELL. Dick-I'm to be frank. you
remember-don't you think heart
made cold to ones old and tried
friends a high price to pay for these?
Have you ever thought of it that way.
Dick?''
mo, haven't; but then other men
rise to these elevated positions. Why
can't /? My old friends wouldn't want
to keep me back from prosperity,
would they?"
mo, no, indeed, Dick, it isn't that
There's no change in your old friends,
but they are sad to see success chang
ing you. You have brought yourself
to believe that the friends you will
make in the higher plane will be bet
ter than we, and there have sprung up
the wish and the purpose to turn your
back upon us. You feel that you'll be
ashamed even of your good, blessed
old mother, and-and, Dick, Of"
"Well, Annie?''
ssOf me-"
Memory placed beside this truth the
feeling once fondly cherished-the
anxiety that she should reciprocate his
many secret VOWS of constancy, and
the contrast pierced him. But not
deeply; he had too long nursed the
belief in her ''incompatibility." and
the old affection faded as stars at
dawn.
If you feel, Annie,' he replied,
that life in the fashionable world
that will soon enter is distasteful to
you, L"
There, there, Dick. don't finish it.
know now how you feel. / speak
kindly. but please don't say it. Spare
me at least the plain statement that
I'm too common for the plane you are
rising to. Don't go away thinking l
don't wish for your happiness and sue
cess. do, Dick. You can't wish for
them more than 1 do. 1 will always
be glad to see you. Goodbye. God
bless YOU"
He had attained his wish-was free
from this lovely girl-but where was
the feeling of relief? Walking home
ward he felt cast adrift, not like hav-
ing himself loosed his bark upon de-
sirable tide. As in a battle. success
meant something slain. But youth S
fairy fabric has few threads of regret;
the flying years soon weave them into
the heavier wool of life.
Next morning the customary for
malities made Dick junior partner,
and Tom Wilgus chief book-keeper
The dinner always given on the even
ing of this day by the retiring partner
was announced by Sydney Deaker, and
Dick, with his mother and sister, was
cordially invited.
Words fail to describe Dicks lavish
preparations for this important intro
duction to society. Highly delighted
Herewith, sharp misgivings as to his
mother and sister pricked his refined
soul as they rode dinnerward in the
coach. The former was too plainly
dressed; the latter entirely too demure
and lacking in that dashing grace of
Sophia Emmert His giddy fancy pict-
ured her cold, critical glance upon
them, and her turning haughtily away
and forever ignoring him.
The celestial creature did drop such
a glance upon the plain widow and
daughter, but she did not turn haugh-
tily away. She was exceedingly gra-
cious; Dick feared patronizingly so;
but he repealed the base thought, par
ticularly when he saw that such. too,
was his mothers impression. Sophia
was angelhigh above such pettiness.
What cordial congratulations! What
queenly dignity! What loneliness!
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