Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-02-05
A TEXAN ROMANCE.
BY EVELYN RAYMOND,

The epidemic of prosperity which had
visited that portion of the Lone Star
State favored by the protection of the
Nugget Improvement Company had, in a
measure, abated. The receding wave
which had floated hundreds of delighted
voyagers to havens of rest and richness
had temporarily stranded upon the shore
of idleness two clerks of the said com
pany.
For the tide of business had ebbed,
that afternoon, from the office at Ell Do
RADIO, and the young men in question
had no choice left but to await its flow
with what patience they could.
"Strange," remarked Carlyle, chow
everything goes in waves. Cold and
heat, crime and charity, stagnation and
activity, divorce and matrimony-wish |
was scientist enough to explain the
theory"
"You'd need an audience of scientists
to comprehend YOU"
Mccarthy moved his long legs from
his colleagues desk Whirling around
in his chair, he opened drawer of his
own typewriter cabinet and took out a
letter and picture.
rings of smoke he was lazily putting, and
sighed:
Hang it! Don't you ever tire of
that businessln
"You bet don'tw Mccarthy spoke
apparent truth. Given a half hour Of
leisure, the typewritist was certain to
produce the same velvet-framed photo
graph and the last underscored epistle of
the photographs original. 'Ah-h!
don't l wish that could see herr' He
held the picture at arms length and sur
veyed it through half-closed eyes.
Carlyles mustache began to turn up
at the corners, but his friends infatua-
tion was so sincere that he rarely let his
sarcasm go to the length of words.
Slipping so far down in his own chair
that his head rested against its leather
cushioned back, and throwing his own
long legs upon the desk which had lust
been relieved of his fellow toiler's, he
observed:
Speaking of girls they're a queer
animal
Mccarthy was deep in the letter. He
vouchsafed an asserting, cultural
"Ughw and read on to the end.
'Confound it-you! Talk"
''Be calm, Jack. Is it Shakespeare
who says that speech is silver, but silence
is golden'2"
Shakespeare? Cornelius, did you
ever go to Sunday school?"
'In the days of my youth-yes."
You should go again. But-speak-
''You'ye said that once
'Tll say it twice. Speaking of girls,
/ hate your mannish, strong minded
sort. Do you know the kind I'll fall in
love with"
''No. Nor you"
81 do. She must be poor-awfully
poor. She must be deucedly pretty, too
and babyish. Blue eyes, yellow curls,
pink cheeks; timidity, clngingness,
hero worship-for me, her hero-and ali
that lot. She must know nothing more
OF books than their covers, and she
must exist but for-and in-ME.~
"Boshl Better go drown yourselfr
Thanks. | can't, on account of nv
'beggar maid"
you'll marry a rich girl. Dark, in
dependent, learned. She'll boss YOU
from the start.
"Never.n
"Sure. I've observed that one always
marries the opposite of his ideal.
shall. said I'd never love a girl who
was fat and had red hair; but KITTY,
here is as round as a SQUAD, and her
hair is auburn"
"Epitaph: Cornelius Mccarthy,
seer, Aged four and-twenty. Died Of
wisdom on the brain Oh-ugh-a.ahl1
Jack Carlyle gave vent to one of his
lndescribable yawns-a combination of
shrek, steam whistle, and the dulcet
notes of burro. He stretched his six
teet odd of length to about ten by rails
ing his tenacle-like arms upward, but
was brought to sudden COLLAPSE bv the
andlng OF an unabridged dictionary in
the pit of his stomach.
The silence which prevailed while the
confidential clerk" of the N. C.
gathered his anatomical fragments to
gether was ominous. 1t was broken
unexpectedly. A cough and a smoth-
ered laugh, both feminine, fell on the
hush with startling distinctness.
Thunder! there's somebody in the
Office, gasped Carlyle and rose. Glow
ering at the typewritist and reserving
that assailants punishment for more
convenient season, he became at once the
bland, dlgnitied gentleman whom the N.
l. c. had honore with their trust.
There was somebody in the office. A
very tangible somebody-trim of figure,
dark of eye, alert, and self-reliant, Her
face was grave and quite as dignificd ms
Carlyle's own; but the shadow of smile
still fingered around the deep corners of
the pretticst mouth in the world.
81 want to examine three of the
ranches the Nugget Company have for
sale She opened map that she drew
from the natty little satchel at her side,
and spread 1t ON the table between them.
''This, and this, and this she said in.
dicating each by her dainty fore fngcr
"Onc Of the three will, | think, suit
wish to visit them Immediately" There
was not wasted word, movement, nor
instant of time.
Carlyle felt himself as sharply aroused
from his afternoon drowsincss as if he
had suddenly stepped into Wall street
Just before closing hour
"Well, yes; We have those ranches for
sale. Glad to show them to YOU to-
morrow, but it is now rather late in the
day to start. Any hour you name in the
morning l will have carriage at your
disposal"