Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-29
JOHN TEMPLE.
Mary Gay Humphreys in Romance

There was cry, and hands flung up to
seize the card, which he quickly restored
to his pocket.
''Who would have thought you could be
so sly!'
what q base advantage of innocent con-
fdence.'
Well as knew him, that he could so long
and secretly cherish such little scheme
was revelation.
He disentangled himself from them and
came 20 me. After a few languid whirls be
said:
''Let US leave this
And, as usual, we went out on the gal
lery, where we sat down on a bench be.
meath the vines.
John Temple had never made love to me,
He treated me with an air of proprietor
ship, as one might care for a rare vase, or
something too delicate and precious for
common use. 1t was so different from the
free and easy relations of young people
even when they are in love, that it had a
unique and most agreeable value
You will always be young to me,
Kitty" he said, as we sat down s.In nv
thoughts you are still fiery little child
Are you going away tomorrow" he
asked after a silence.
Yes"
you must not CO. 1 cannot let YOU go.
You always stay so long. All, Kitty, you
won't go2''
There are others.''
There is only you, Kitty. Did you ever
know that years ago made bet about
youf"
Eyes, / heard of it."
1.-The time is up, Kitty, the gage was q
ring. l have 1t here. But | want you to
wear it. Where is your dear little hands
Yours? Mine. / can't rem ember the day
when / did not claim it
/ began nervously TO pull off my glove,
warm and clinging from his strong grasp.
''Where is the rines put it here He
began to probe the traditional waistcoat
stripping 1t from my hand, now half re-
vealed. I'VE GODS he laughed loudly, 81
had forgotten; Laura Golden wears that
ring. Ii is Laura's hand that is mine"
She was the Southern girl.
How, | know not, but diamond bauble
changed its place and l tore off my glove
The ring danced in the moonlight, but my
heart stood still, stunned by the brutal
blow.
You never wore that ring before" he
challenged.
81 only got it to-day"
"NFhat does it meanl'
THAT there is someone at home wanting
me back"
'.you said you were going to Maysville"
~
''YOu have out;vltted me-
NV heart had grown steadier. l could
now ask as well as answer.
Now tell he why you have taken the
trouble, during all these years, to play this
little game!''
when you were little GIL you humili-
ated me. NiggerS, scum, tainted me for
years on account of you. l said then l
would be revenged and never relinquished
my purpose
My inability to understand such vindic-
tiyeness brought my head to the aid of my
heart. DO you feel satisfied" / asked,
not without malice.
you have outwitted me, I said before
he answered sullunlv; and | could have told
him but for an instant's miscalculation he
had had the reward of his years of effort.
Enough of this l said. sYou have
had your little game and l mine. Let US go
in"
kitty, you are not going; you canaot2"
He bent upon me all the fervor of his elo-
quent eyes.
"Oh, can't I!'' got up.
'There is that between US which has
never been s.id.''
The rest is silence" answered. ana rly
airy gown Slipped through his hands.
[ saw him after went in, with his head
bowed in his hands.
Take me home, Aunt Betty, Pm tired"
pledueu Will my gay IudlQen duNL- AS we
went out saw John Temple come in by the
window. and as we closed the gate his blond
head was dropping over Laura Golden's
shoulder.
Here is your ring, Aunt Betty, it hurts
my finger. But you can't tell how | enjoyed
wearing It just once"
Il didn't know you were SO fond of dia-
monds, Kitty
Il am on occasion. This was an occa-
sion"
well, III leave it to you N my will to re-
member it by"
"Neverr' shrieked 'Never! never
want to see it again" And l sobbed my
self TO sleep.
The next day 1 went to Maysville, ten
miles away. The third day John Temple
came up and drove by the house, waving
his hat out Of the carriage window. 1t was
''protracted SPREE" Aunt Bette wrote
me.
never saw John Temple again. When
ever heard of him, he was still treading
on women's hearts, and being fed by their
devotious We never either of US married.
Last week ] learned that he was dead.
He had been thrown from his horse on the
plains and was killed. he had been drink
ing.
Long since I lost the power to care. can
only wonder at the prodis atty of nature,
which can create bodies like that of John
Temple, so beautiful, so gracious, so full of
charm, and then leave them to perish as
should misshapen creatures, by neglectinS
to provide them with a soul