Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-09-20

"What is II, thenP Has any misfort-
une befallen you?"
"Yes, q misfortune indeed; or at
least 1t seems to be now. Doubtless 1t
is all Tor the best"
"What are you talking about? Why
don't you tell me what troubles you?"
II came for that purpose; that j
might tell you. After this evening we
must not meet again"
''Not-meet-again?" Nellie Sharpe
repeated the words, slowly, as II she
could not grasp their full meaning.
The color surged to her cheeks and then
receded, leaving her very pale.
"What do you moan, Walter? What
has happened? You can not be in
earnest" ..
"But am in earnest; I have brought
myself to this after the hardest mental
struggle man could possibly undergo. 1
must DO in earnest about this; 1t is my
duty; would be dishonorable If / did
otherwise. But am talking wildly, at
random; ! hardly know what ! am say
ing or what to say or how TO say 1t. /
heard some advice to-day; 1t came from
your father; am in honor bound to
follow 1t. This Is what he told me-"
Walter rather incoherently recounted
what Judge Sharpe had told him Of tho
case OF Lewis versus Lewis, and the
comments he had made on that case.
'And is that ALP" asked Nellie, when
he had finished. She smiled little cs
she asked the question, and close OBJ
server would have noticed that sigh
Of relief passed her lips.
"All? Is it not too much? Knowing
that your father holds this view, can ]
do otherwise than give you up?"
81 thought you had more pluck" said
the young girl, with just q suggestion
of scorn in her voice.
1T is not matter Of courage, but OF
conscience, OF honor. Can 90 to the
man who gives me such advice as have
received, who tells me never to marry q
woman who is beyond my station finan-
cially, and ask him to give to me his
daughter who is dearer to him than all
else? am poor; have none but the
most problematical prospects; while
you-well, l need not say more; you
can readily see my position"
"But can't see 1t in the light in
which you place 1t. I thought you had
sufficient faith in me not to believe that
would do as that dreadful woman did
of whom my father told you. Your
prospects are certainly better than you
represent them. Furthermore, my
father would yield to my wishes"
81 do not lack faith in you; Heaven
knows how strong that faith is; it is
because would feel that had acted
treacherously toward one who has been
my best friend II 1 held you to your
your promise, that have decided to do
that which will take all happiness out
of my life."
Probably It never occurred to you
that the happiness Of any one else might
suffer; it seems that I am not consid-
cred at all"
"You will soon forget; you will be
happier than could ever make you"
'Oh! certainly, we women forget so
easily; it is only the men that remem-
Der; only the hearts Of men that are
broken. However, since you wish it so,
1t is not for me to object"
at is not what wish; 1t is what /
must do"
'sBut suppose / should refuse to accept
your decision; suppose i should assert
my rights. Suppose should insist at
least on your trying for term of years
to bring your financial condition up to
what you consider the proper standard. P"
sit would be wrong to keep you
bound by promise to one who would
have to. struggle perhaps for years and
might fail at last"
81 see IL is vain to reason with one
who is unreasonable; it snail be as you
wish" ...-
Just then Judge Sharpe entered the
room, and the painful meeting was
abruptly ended. ,..
= A few months later, Judge Sharpe's
clerk came into Walter Lossing's Office
one day. and told him that the Judge
wanted 10 see MIN.
1t seemed to Walter that the judge
looked unusually stern, when he re-
sponded to the latter's' su mmons few
minutes later. ''Come in here, ] want
to talk to YOU" said the judge, as he
motioned to Walter to follow him into
his private Office.
''Sit down. / will come to the point
at once. am instructed by client OF
mine to bring suit against you. We
have the clearest kind of acase and
should certainly win in the courts; but
we desire to give you an opportunity to
the matter. You may wish
to escape the notoriety."
"a suit? Why, who could want to
sue me? L owe nothing; there is no
cause, noground-you must be joking"