Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-12-31

the Besants are?'
"But, Mark, there are no Besants
but Mrs. Besant," Mrs. Burrows
pleaded.
'She is widow with some means, 4"
her husband explained, ''who lives in
the best house in the village, and is de-
cidedly the person of the place, as you
will find ont before you have been here
very long. She has only one child, a
son, who is now covering himself with
glory on the battle-felds."
Yes" Henderson interrupted. 81
spent the evening with him few nights
ago at Sedalia."
what" Mrs. Burrows calculated.
''You have been all night in the house
and never told us this. Why, Mrs. Be
SAINT will be wild to see you. Get ready
to go with me at once, sir, or l shall
never be forgiven for having kept her
so long from seeing you"
81 object" ruthlessly declared DR..
Burrows. Mark is an invalid and
wants rest" Then, seeing the pout on
his'wife's pretty lips, headed: but I'll
propose an amendment to your propo-
sition. We've never attempted to give
party since we were married. Now,
suppose you go to the Walnut House
and invite Mrs. Besant to tea tonight
You can then trot round to the parson-
age and ask Mr.. Brentwood and his
women-follz, and"
won't that be perfectly splendid"
Flossie Burrows cried, and as Mark la
lilly accepted the plan it was forthwith
carried out.
But Mark Henderson was fated to
meet Mrs. Besant before the evenings
festivities, for in the early afternoon a
note came round from Walnut House
to say that that lady's niece had Just
arrived from Chicago, whereupon the
accommodating officer was commits
stoned by his sister to call and induce
both ladies to honor them with their
presence.
"You know didn't dare to say that
you were friend of Franks this morn
ing, or we should have had the widow
down here long before this, interrupt
ing my immense preparations for sup
per-simply an army officer, my dear
boy-so while you're there you can
just let the aood-gates of your informa-
ton flow, or you'll be boringus to death
this evening with it ALL" the volatile
little lady suggested.
"And this niece-do you know any
thing about her?"
"Oh, ] suppose she IS a lazy who was
visiting Mrs. Besant two years ago,
whom met at the Brentwoods, when
first made Harry's acquaintance-not
at all good looking and rather passe-
not bit your style, my dear; but, as
she'll be up to her eyes unpacking, you
may rely on having the fair widow all
to yourself"
Henderson was a fine, handsome fell
low, with distinguished military bear
ing, and had often been the cynosure of
admiring eyes on the battle-ground
and in the drawing-room, but he had
never known what it was to be stared
at as he was by the gaping rustics on
his way through the village, and well
they might feast their eyes on his gal
liant figure; for Meltonburg was one Of
those delightfully."- primitive villages,
where, if you had an egg for breakfast,
there was not an old maid in the place
who did not know which end you had
broken it at before dinner-time, and
consequently Marks arrival had been
heralded from house to house.
His doughty deeds had been carried
on the wings Of gossip from fireside to
Preside, and the patriotic editor of the
Weekly Advertiser had primed them
with double-leaded description of the
glorious cavalry charge at Springfield
''in which the brother-in-law of our
talented fellow citizen. DR.. Burrows"
took so noble part. Nay, not half an
hour ago, the new edition of the paper
had come out with the announcement
in bold type that 1.-THE hero of the bat
tie of Springfield is among us, visiting
Doctor and Mrs. Burrows. 1t is pro-
posed to give him public reception be-
fore he goes back to gather fresh
laurels," piece of information which
Marks sister religiously kept out of his
sight, for she felt sure if he saw it he
would be off to Dayton by the first
train. So the villagers stared their fill.
Women ran to their doors to gaze after
him as he passed, men gathered on the
to discuss his martial bear
ing, anu more Jnan once the little boys
9o4 up a feeble cheer, which was sup
pressed by their elders. If he had only
entered a store, how they would have
in after him and solaced them
selves in true rural fashion with q
hearty hand-ahalle, but he kept right
On up the main street till he reached
the garden gate of the Walnut House,
where he was lost to the gaze of his adj
nirers.
A neat maid servant, all bushes and
yiggles, received him. Yes, Mrs. Besant
was at home-would he be pleased to
walk right in, and she would call her
mistress?
Mark had time notice the pretty re-
inement of the .Uom, which bore 50
many traces of feminine taste and had
such home-lize airabout it, before his
hostess made her appearance.
Yes, Mrs. Besant was decidedly hand
Iome, he declared to himself, as she
swept into the room with a grace Of
so fascinating in beautiful
women. There was a charm of man.
Ter about her, too, which put him at his
,ase before he had been five minutes In
Ter presence, and, oh! what a welcome
he gave him, when she found that he
lad been boon companion Of her boy.
low she loaded him with questions;
low she reveled in the stories Of her
,oy's adventures on the battlefield; |
low her color came and went as he told |