The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-12-17

them to the hungry knife of the first
revolution-"Tom Jones, | will 60 Of
course. But, Tom, pray do not use that
horrid abbreviation of your cousins |
name, There are some subjects too
sacred for the proclamation of slangy con-
densation. and your cousins name isl
"Bullyl You'll so then" interrupted |
the irrepressible Boomerang. "T'll wheel |
'em round the block and bring 'em in
cool, you-Bet."
He bounded down the stairs, sprang
into the sleigh, seized the reins, and, as
the men jumped from the horses heads,
was off with furry of snow and u
hurrah from the crowd,
am not dab at the classics, so will
not say how, having plunged like Cur
thus into this gaping sleigh ride, now
sat like Marius, amid the ruins of my
wardrobe. But did tumble all its con
tents into the middle of the floor and
then sat among them, hopeless of cram
ming into my small valise half enough
for this all important Xmas visit! But
she wanted to gol i was to risk my
neck for her sake-by her side. Delicious
thought SO just as the bells again
jingled at the door u jumped upon my
distended portmanteau, sprung the lock,
and answered Tom with yell as wild
as his own.
Now, perhaps | should explain that
Tom Jones and had always been chums.
Residents of the same village and chill
dren of intimate friends, we had thumbed
the same algebra, robbed the same or
81 rl hN-t hn
pedagogue. In fact, we had never been
two weeks apart until his appointment
to West Point, five years before, had
separated us. Toms persevering industry
in running bounds to "Cozzens," and his
assiduous course of Benny Hayens," had
scarcely been thoroughly rewarded, for
his graduation-thirdi in his class count
ing from the bottom-made him a brevet
second lieutenant in the United States
Boomerangs. 1t had found me dignified
but patient lawyer in the incipient me-
tropolis of Piketon. Happy chance had
thrown Tom at the arsenal near by, and
had introduced his chosen friend to the
family circle of his Uncle Blythe.
There | soon became ami de maison.
Mayor Blythe-he was the revered chief
magistrate of Piketon-was brother
lawyer, and man of high social and
literary renown. He had capitally
chosen library, a warm heart, cele.
brated cook and rare assortment of
such wines! And then-hem!-lik Jeph-
thah of old, he had lone fair daughter
and no more"
But such u daughter!
Bette Blythe was just turned of 10,
and the most perfect mold of female form
divine. OF medium height, just plump
enough for perfection of rounded outline,
and with the tiniest models of feet and
hands that ever fell to the lot OF woman
her face was still her chiefest charm
Not regularly beautiful, with scarce u
feature in it that would have been pro-
nounced fine under critical analysis, there
was yet an indescribable witchery in
that face, orin the character reflected by
it, that bound me hand and foot from the
first week knew her. Those rich, dark
oval lines, with heavy bands of glossy
hair, seemed to command, rather than
ask, a second look. And who could look
twice and forget?
There q merry devil in her eye
large, anu DldCh tS SlOt-tlldl
drew timid mans heart right up into
his throat and kept it kicking there with
forty-horse power. And then the face
was but an index of the sprightly but
sound and well stored mind her father
had seduously cultivated during a long
widowerhood. And the steady, tender
CLEAN that sometimes replaced the mis-
chievous twinkle in those eyes could only
have been drawn from the well spring of
pure heart.
With the first month of our acquain-
lance began to believe cared for Bet
tie Blythe; with the second / believed !
loved her, and with the third l knew
it for certainty. On the fourth month
I had told her I adored her wildly; and
for three subsequent ones had come,
again and again, to the very threshold
of repetition. Gentle and womanly,
she had at first told me gravely-the rest
of the face demure, while the eyes danced
a very witches dance to the tune of sup
pressed merriment-that, though we
We're very excellent friends, we were still
almost strangers. | could only acknowl
edge the truth of what she said, so
prayed for forgiveness and for hope. Sht
gave the pardon, the pardon gave the
hope, and wandered on in FOOLS para
disc. But though we became better ant
better friends, though she let me mean
der unchecked through the most exten
sive fields of rhapsody and lay the TALES
flowers of sentiment as her feet, yet the
first outright word / spoke carried up tn,
taper forefnger in arch warning, and tn,
ripe lips formed the one word, "Remem
bert"
/ could not believe Bette Blythe wal
flirting with me. There was something
too genuine, too womanly, about he
whole being for that
She could never stoop, | said to mysel
for comfort, to little triumph in thu
misery of the heart she knew to be her
in all honesty and ardor. No! Either
she was trying to make real friend
of me, or-delicious idea!-she was be
ginning to love me without admitting i
to herself. | was willing to take thu
chances of the first SO long as | saw 1
possibility of the second. And besides
! either gave me so much of her delightful
society.
Though no spoken word ever passed be
tween us ON the subject there was ye
that mute converse of kindred souls,
and Tom Jones apparently sympathized
With me most completely. Bette and he
were fast friends, and Mayor Blythe per
United her to go anywhere under protec
tiou of 80 ,ousin Tom ~ i'm whom he nlacpf