Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-10-16
MATCHMAKING.
A Plain Little Story with a Per-
spicuous Moral

furnished, where tete-d-tete was q luxury
not TO be despised She had q positive
genius for effacing herself and all other su-
berfuous people when John and Jane were
to be brought to understand each other, and
she was constantly on the watch for Johns
and James to benefit.
1t can not be denied that Willstown, like
the proverbial republics, often proved I'M
grateful. the wrong Johns being frequently
being paired with the James of their special
adherence, and II had been more than once
whispered by disappointed wooers that they
"wished Mrs. Ferguson would mind her
own business"
But nothing would ever convince that be-
nevolent old lady that II marriages were
started in Heaven, she was not q special
agent upon earth to forward them.
It may therefore be imagined what
!'thorp In the flesh" it was to this scheming
lady TO have under her own roof, daily at
her table, nephew who, at the mature age
of twenty-eight, was, IN spite Of her cease
less endeavors Il had almost written perse-
cution) still bachelor.
'Poor Charles - his aunt would sigh, che
Is so shy, so reserved He will never have
the courage to WOO his wife, and 1t Is ny
positive duty to help himP'
But the more persistently she drove him
into her coolest hooks and corners with the
prettiest girls in Willstown, the more he
avoided her parties, be they luncheons, teas
or evening gatherings.
It was not entirely the fault Of the pretty
girls either, for Charles Barker was man
to whom women naturally incline, gentle,
dreamy, poetic and exceptionally handsome.
Had he lived in tho present rage for the
sesthetic, he might have been accused of
affectations, of posing for admiration; but
Il was with him a sincere alteration OF art,
a dreaming poetic temperament, that could
lift itself out Of the commonplace surround
inQs of his life and dwell in an Ideal world
apart.
Wealthy, and not very strong physically,
Charles Barker devoted his life to his books,
his pen and his pencil, never attaining to
the highest excellence in poetry, music or
painting, yet possessing talent above the
average amateurs. And into his dFeam-lifs
there crept q reality that filed his heart and
brain with new visions and hopes. He fell
In Lowell Rather he softly, tsnderly floated
along upon the music OF a sweet voice. the
light Of fair womanly beauty, till, scarce
Iv conscious OF his own infatuation, he gave
to Bertha English the whole love Of a heart
a. yet untouched by woman's charms.
That she was an heiress, weoed by others,
the gentle belle of more than one SOCIAL
q.
He scarcely asked il she loved him, content
TO worship her. Thoroughly impractical,
full of visionary, ideal dreams, he did not
try 70 plan future; seeking his love in her
home when he was sure she was alone, join
ing her In woodland rambies, filling his port
folio with sketches Of her face, and writing
poems to her out of the fullness of his heart.
And therein he erred, for Mrs. Ferguson,
declaring up his rubbish" one mornings
tasE che never trusted to a servant-upset
his portfolio and plunged into the very
heart of his secret. She was delighted !
Bertha English would have been her
own choice from all the world Of women.
Shahad been so afraid that Jennie Ralston
would succeed in her brazen-faced endeav-
ors to captivate Charles that she had fairly
trembled for him. IL was true that he
seemed to be serenely UNCONSCIOUS OF that
pretty, saucy damsel's endeavors TO win
him, but there were times when Mrs. Fer
Quson feared his own absent ways might
draw him into some avowal that his sensi-
tive honor would compel him to repeat.
Having made her discovery, Mrs Fer
Ruson next attacked the victim. How he
Shrank and quivered when his oheris he'd
secret was dragged out aud spread before
him could never describe; how every
nerve shuddered and recoiled as Mrs Fer
guson urged upon him the necessity Of i'm
mediate action, can never be told. 1t was
like tearing open the petals Of moss-rose
bud, and then bidding it to bloom to full
beauty as il It had been suffered to softly
unfold itself in the sunlight.
''You must propose soon or you viii lose
her." Mrs. Ferguson had declared. "Why,
she has dozen adorers. Do you suppose
thew will all shilly- shally as you dot"
She worried and badgered him until he
actually wrote his proposal, which she I'M
dertook to deliver. II was as unlike the
counting Of which he had dreamed as moon
rays to gaslight, but he did ask to have his
love returned, and begged Bertha to be
his wife. Only instead Of Bertha" being
once started with a pen in his hand, he
wrote darling" and dearest" and "my
own sweet love"
Once possessed Of this document Mrs
Ferguson became poetic, resolving that It
should not be delivered in q common place
envelope, but, as suited such natures as that
other nephew, In a basket of flowers, buried
in roses and smothered in perfume.
The basket was a marvel Of beauty when
Mary, Miss English's maid, brought 1t to
her room.
MRS. Ferguson left it, miss, and had not
time to call. She did not get out Of her car
riAge."
Now, Bertha had her dreams, too, where Of
the hero possessed Charles Bankers vel
vety brown eyes, his waving brown hair
and Vandyke beard, his classic features and
low, musical voice. Heiress as she was,
courted, flattered and petted, she had .
pure girlish heart, full of romance aud ten.
derness, and she had given it in its first
sweetness TO Charles Barker Loving him,
she, too, had visions of day when he
would whisper his heart's secret into her
ear, and in soft, tender accents WOO hen Ia
be his own.
She looked carelessly at the flowers.
then attracted by their beauty, admired
and petted them.
MARY" she said, put on your hat anC
take this TO old Mrs. Worth with my love
L had intended to cut her some flowers 70
day, but this Is prettier than l could ar
range"
Mary obeyed, and Bertha took up thu
thread Of her musings.
s'Deary mel" old Mrs. Worth SAID, mis-
Bertha Is very kind. Thank her for me
Mary"
Then she, too, fell to admiring the flow
ers, until she suddenly remembered that
was her sons birthday. What could sh
give him that would delight him more thar
these pretty floral treasurcsl She put he
card and a line, with mothers love an,
birthday greeting" on the top of the fra
grant heap, and sent the basket to Mr.
John Worth's bachelor apartments. Itwa
late in this afternoon when that gentlema
found his present, without the Sard, whic
had slipped on. The landlady; however, ir
formed him that they we're left by 'hi
mas girl," so he wrote note Of thanks
and sent the basket, now losing its trs
freshness, to the lady Of his love, intendin
20 call in the evening to inform her VINO wa
the donor.
The basket duly delivered 70 Miss Jepn