The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-02-26

| was under the table there was the sor-
row, sober as judge. But I'll tell you
something. Hadley, it won't stand fool
ing. The proper thing TO drown sorrow
in is mutton chops and fried potatoes.
Suppose we put it to the touch.
Maiterr
( "HoldV' said Hadley, who burned to
stop this bandinage. 81 am not hungry
not in the least. Let me sit down a
moment aud think
/ He sank into vacant chair and gazed
at the other with sudden, haggard in
i tentness.
A thought had just occurred 10 his
distracted mind. Why not this man, so
! bright, so versatile, so self-contained, en-
rapport with the great world and its
usages-why was not he the very man
of all men to give him counsel in this
predicament?
ASHTON" he said, 81 am in distress.
viii you give your adviceP'
Ashton smil grizzly.
! "You have come TO a good shop for
advice he said. My whole life is more
or less of a warning. However, if 1 can
be of any service to you, blaze away.
Out with it, my boyr
But Hadley did not find the story so
easy to tell.
81 am engaged to be married." he said
ut length.
"Ho! ho!" cried Ashton, 81 forsee a
stern parent with a strong prejudice
against literary characters. Then some
| thing in the others face checked him,
and he dropped his tone of levity.
Forgive me- he said gently. "What
is this trouble of yours? You need not
mention the lady's name, of course.
Make it a hypothetical case"
"Oh, nol' said Hadley, 81 can confde
in you. She is the best girl in the world.
Her name is Alice Taylor"
= Ashton was leaning over the table toy
, ing with glass, but at the words he rose
+ involuntarily and fixed his eyes on the
{ other with strange and challenging re-
gard. Hadley paused for moment, with
l dim and troubled consciousness that
l he had touched some hidden spring; but
r only for moment, and then slowly and
4 incoherently, he told his story. Ashton
sank back as he proceeded and heard
{ him in silence to the end.
! DO you know this man?" he asked
] when it was done.
! mo" replied Hadley gloomily
"What does 1t matter, who he is?"
| Ashton did not reply; he seemed los
= in thought.
| 'Hadlcy," he demanded, suddenly
5 "do you really intend to marry this girl
? But pshawl" lie continued, ''you are toe
I honest to be tritler And this fellow
why thousand to one he is amusing
$ himself looking for new sensation, anC
@ has no more use for wife than he would
have for a bishopric. You must hay,
b saved some money, have you not?n
z Yes said Hadloy, rather surprised
v 81 ave few thousand dollars in thu
0 bank"
g "Well," sighed Ashton, "this is I
q world of fact but we can't all grasp it
4 Some men are made for homes and sOmC
n are not might have ten times you
{ income, and the last chapter would fine
/, me vagabond. tell you, Hadley, yo'
}, Ihaye no real rival. This is q shadow
: that has already passed, and shadow
c leave no trace"
Hadley felt vaguely comforted.
+ "What shall dO?' he asked.
4 500? Why, do nothing, For heaven
+ sake don't distress the girl with ques
n lions. tell you this belongs to the past
n Forget it. Bury it. Act as if nOthin;
Y had happened, and all will come right il
i the end, If were you | would make i
I convenient to be away for few days
I She will miss you, depend upon it, ant
Il you can begin where you left off. Cam
:. you arrange to go away"
Y 81 think So" said Hadley. ''Whe
e had | best go?"
e SEQ tomorrow. You will come bacI
/ a new man and find her eager to we'co n
n you"
r, Hadley reflected a moment.
il 81 will take your advice" he said.
Il When he returned home, at the clos
Y of the week, from brief visit to
noighborimg city, he mounted the stair
S with an eager step, but paused, perplexed
q in the open door. The room was dis
Il mantcd OF much of its furniture, an
,. looked bare and unfamiliar, He entere
e almost timidly, and read this legen
V chalked upon the looking-glass
e KEEH WHAT TRAPS OF
i MINE you FIND. HAVE
= MIGRATED. GONE WEST
3. GOOD BYE, GOOD LUCK
Il TO YOU. j. A.
d SIT was an extraordinary thing" Ii
s used to say in after times, when he an,
/ Alice were happily mated. Here was
brilliant, successful man, with the worl
n before him, one might say, who pulls u
s stakes all of a sudden, goes out West
goes to the dogs, and inside of yea
e winds up in dancehall fight with bul
\ let through his head. No, can't sa