The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-29

case. which had left there. was de-
tanned by friend whom Imet there and
left the car just as the train was starting
again after having stopped at a small
station. CHANGING to look to one side,
saw my new found ideal and her party
just getting into carriage, which had
apparently been waiting for them. Aunt,
just one thought filled my mind that l
could not afford thus to loose my ideal SO
soon, and that unless followed her she
was lost. This was rather an impulse
than thought-there was no time for
that, and piled off after her.
1.-THE carriage had started, and there
was only one man in sight-the depot
agent. l spoke to him and asked who
the people who had just left were. He
said that he did not know; that he had
never seen them before; but l believe
now that he did and that he must have
taken me for lunatic; my appearance
was outlandish enough and | suspect my
manner was excited. l tried to hire a
horse, offered him a large price for the
use of one an hour, but the fellow told
me that he had none and there was none
in two miles. The carriage was now al
most out of sight, and still hoping to
find out something about it started out
after it.
"But did not go far before realized
that pursuit was hopeless and that by
such conduct l was making myself
ridiculous, and returned to the station
then for the first time | remembered
that | had left all my baggage, which
was very valuable, my umbrella and
overcoat, on the train, and even my hat,
as at the time of the incident was max
ing myself comfortable in skull cap,
which was all now had TO protect my
ambrosial locks from the elements.
81 was now sufficiently disengaged to
find out something about the place
which had so unexpectedly visited. 1t
consisted of the railroad station and one
store, which was unfortunately closed
the agent informed me that its owner
was attending camp meeting six miles
away. / questioned the agent again
about the party 1 had pursued, but
gained no further information. l tele-
graphed to the conductor on the train l
had left to take care Of my effects,
which he was kind enough to do, and
after twelve hours in this neglected spot,
spent sitting on a barrel, realizing my
ridiculous conduct and bemoaning the
loss of my ideal, took the next train
and finished my journey in safety"
"Well, that is quite a story" said
Mrs. Henderson, and you have seen how
l have enjoyed it. Who but you would
have fallen in love in such way, and it
is too bad that you lost her. But it can
not have gone very far, even with you,
and you will soon find some one else"
eve shall see about that. don't
know whether it is love or not, but be-
lieve that / shall find that girl again
some day, and l am not going to marry
until do"
Two years passed during which George
had been true to his resolution, and used
often to say that he was waiting for his
ideal. Then he was transferred by his
house to the west and took up his abode
IN Texas.
Not long afterward Mrs. Henderson
received from him letter giving the
following account of his experiences:
81 have another story to tell you, and
as before think had best begin at the
beginning. Hampstead is a nice place
10 live in, and l have had a pleasant
time here and have made many friends.
You know that 1 am not society
eIo 81 4ha
sional Four Hundred which we find
in every city. But the larger class
of cultivated people like, and go when
can to their occasional entertainments.
Three months ago went to one-it was
given by musical club, and combined
programme of the best amateur talent
with social features-that / am likely to
remember. For one of the Last pieces
was song by Miss Ethel Lyndon 1t
was well sung; l noticed that, but my
chief interest was in the singer-in
whom | recognized my ideal
Il traced the resem blance in each par
ticular, and tried to discover whether
she was the woman | had seen in Ten
nessee. She was so like her / thought
she must be the same, though l could
not determine, but there was no doubt
about her being the woman in your pic
ture, and so my ideal.
Il asked my friend about her and dis
covered that her father was prominent
business man of Hampstead and had
lived there for years, and that she was
very popular among those who belonged
to her society, so much so that half the
young men of the town regretted her
announced engagement and approaching
marriage to a gentleman of Dallas.
II was already in love, and you may
imagine that this was discouraging in
telhgence. But my motto has always
been nothing venture nothing have
and l Immediately determined to try the
fortune OF war, knowing that | had
nothing to lose-having so completely
lost my heart already-and that might
win. So when the musical programme
was over / was introduced by my friend.
l cannot tell you our conversation, or
what she thought of it, but if l can be
entertaining was then; and l found her
al hdu eAPSCtS0 hOh " Oc LASAi AOA
face, and became more in love than ever.
| told her that | was a stranger, having
recently come to live here, and she was
kind enough to invite me TO call.
Il had no time TO lose-I could only
attempt to take the fortress by storm, a
dangerous thing TO do, but there was no
opportunity 10 try the safer plan OF 8
masked seige and stratagems. had one
&hino IN INV favor. 7 was on the SDOt and