The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-18
but never a word of Aleck Gaze.

nihcant, and he rode home vexed. He
had thought to order his small world &C
cording to his own Will and pleasure, and
now he found it fast slipping from his
grasp-his son an alien, the niece whom
he had hoped to make his daughter ready
to marry one whom he had not chosen,
and his own little daughter Indifferent to
him.
But when Flora came, two days later,
to say that she had promised TO marry
Aleck Gage in December, the colonel,
perforce, resigned himself to her choice
with digni6ed philosophy.
81 had allowed myself to expect diff
ferent marriage for you, Flora, as you
know" he could not resist saying, nor
could he say it without sigh; but he did
not say it harshly.
1t was the first expression he had ever
given TO his disappointed hopes, and
Flora. eager to console him, exclaimed,
with the indiscreet enthusiasm of youth
"Aleck hasn't fault in the world,
Uncle Jasper; he will be the best of sons
to you, if you will only let him."
The colonel did not say that he had no
desire to claim Aleck Gage for a son.
He broke away from her abruptly and
stood looking out of the window some
little time, struggling for command of
himself. He was still pale when he re-
turned; but he spoke with courtiy dig
nifty:
Il claim the privilege Of giving the
bride away"
THAT is just what I wantedT' cried
Flora, and with sudden impulse of
gratitude, affection and sympathy she
threw her arms around his neck and
kissed him and cried a little.
The news of Flora's engagement threw
Miss Elvira into great futter. She de-
Clared that it was just what she had al
ways expected, and that she was never
more surprised in her life, and then she
looked helplessly at her brother.
"Flora will be married in her mothers
house, of course" said the colonel; but
Thorne Hill must honor the occasion
with merry making, and all our friends
must be invited"
''Yes, oh. yes!'' Miss Elvira responded,
with sigh of relief Her brothers dis
approval Of the match would have been
a sore embarrassment: the entertainment
the colonel wished give was a trifle
in comparison, though it meant three
weeks of incessant work at seeding rails
ms, washing currants, blanching almonds
and frosting cakes; but those burdens
were to be borne by Glory-Ann and
CLANCY and Dicey, Toll Quash and Grit
fin Jim.
"And since Flora is such a favorite,"
said Mrs. Henry, when she heard of
these great preparations, why doesn't
she put in a good word for Nicholas?
The arrant little coward, she knows very
well that it was to save her from embar-
rassment, while she was the colonels
guest, that the boy ,elayed his confess
sion, and SO made MATTERS verse. The
colonel is pining for 4 reconciliation with
his son, though he won't own it, and
Flora might do something to bring it
about. As for me, I've only meddled to
mar, SO there's an end of my efforts"
Mrs. Thorne was very angry with
Cousin Myrtilla for this speech.
81 don't see how you can talk of rec
onciliation with Methodist said she. 81
am surprised at you' AS il we Thornes
ever could consort with a Furnivalr'
20 which Mrs. Henry made the exas-
perating retort that Njcl 5 wife was
every i rs much a Thorno as Mrs. Leon
ar herself.
For al Ibis, however, Mrs. Henry was
not Omitted in the list of invitations,
either to the wedding or to the merry
mailing at horne Hill; for the colonel
had aHnOu ed that every connection Of
the family, far and near, should be in
vited to the entertainment he meant to
give in honor Of his nicces marriage.
"Ani amt Brer Nicholas and his wife
kinfolha:' asked Missv, with bold signif-
canoe. She did not fear her father, and
yet her poor little heart futtered wildly
when she put this daring question.
The colontl's only answer was a dark,
frown, and Missy betook her
self to q corner.
Don't you fret bout dat, honey"
Nom Bee, ''now don't you;
fur de is gNan Ice de fiddlers en- de
dancin', en- plum cake a-plenty."
Don't want none" sad Missy, who
had gwen herself an Indigestion by the
SURF ptitious gormand.zingo OF raisins and
citron.
En- besides all dat, proceeded Glory
Ann to her overwhelming climax, you
gwan be dressed so spruce en- gay; yo'
cousins. Miss Lofty en- Hiss Bess, in pink,
en- you in hebenlg blue
Poor H.t,e Missy, who was fond of
dress. dried her tears and reconsidered
her determination to abstain from the
wedding festivities for her absent broth
ers sake.
But not even the companiOnship of
Lottie and Bess, not even the dress of
''hebenly blue" nor the sound of the
music, nor the sight Of the May dance,
could shut out the memory of Nicholas.
oh, Lottie. amt them fiddles just
DREADFUL she lamented. They're al
ways sayin', Nicholas, Nicholas, whey's
Brer Nicholas no matter what the
chune they play"
"Why, Missy. what funny child you
are" said Lottie, with GiEgle; but
presently Bess declared that the fiddles
did say Just what Missy thought; and if
the truth were confessed, they said very
nearly the same thing TO the colonel and
Miss Elvira; the name that no guest
dared mention rang in their ears, no
matter what tune the fddles played.
CHAPTER XVI.
RoXANSA BELLATRIX.
:, a