Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-05-14
FOR AUD LANG SYNE.

"What n foolish little woman! MY
bctrothed wife ought TO have more
faith in me than to become jealous
every time happen to look at a pref
~ face"
Beauford angrily. "You are very
much mistaken If you think | would
stoop TO ~jealously, but when you so far
forget yourself as to flirt outrageously
with every handsome woman who
crosses your path it is time that l
should protest"
Really! Then / presume that | have
orders not to speak to Mrs. Gresham
when ! meet her, Notwithstanding the
fact that she is an old flame of mine?"
"If you are DESTROYS of re-establishing
your friendship or love for Mrs. Gresh-
am | will not stand in your way. You
are at liberty henceforth and forever
to please yourself. Here is your ring"
you don't mean TO say, Nell, that
you wish to break our engagement on
account of a trining misunderstanding
ing?"
81 wish you distinctly to understand
that | release you from letters that
evidently gall YOU"
As Eric Thorne did not attempt to
take the ring from angry little Miss
Beauford she sent it spinning across
the piazza.
With n smothered exclamation he
picked it up, thrust it into his pocket,
and strobe away in a towering rage.
"An old flame Of his, am II" queried
Mrs. Gresham, as she slowly rose from
the lounge on which she had been re-
clining. This lounge stood directly
under the window outside of which
Capt. Thorne and his anianced had
stood to settle their dispute; thus
Mrs. Gresham had been an uninten-
tional listener. His old flame! l
wonder how he recognized in the
wealthy widow, Edith Sprague, the
poor music teacher of ten years agoP
His old flannel"
Through the open window came the
sound Of sobbing, and upon looking
out Mrs. Gresham saw Miss Beauford
weeping as though her heart would
break.
"Miss Beauford!"
The widow laid her hand lightly on
Nelrs bowed head. The girl sprang
TO her feet and Mrs. Gresham resumed:
Miss Beaufort, allow me to intro
duce myself am Mrs. Gresham"
Nell bowed.
"You will forgive me for intruding
upon you when / confess hat | acct
dentally overheard your conversation
q few minutes since with Capt. Eric
Thorne!"
"Indeed!" replied Miss Beauford,
drawing her small figure TO its most
dignified proportions.
"Yes, / overheard him tell you that
i was an old flame of his, and Thought
you would be benefited if | narrated
the whole story of that little affair of
ours. Ten years ago, when ] became
engaged TO Eric Thorne, | was earning
my living as a music-teacher. He was
then, comparatively speaking, q poor
man, but just one month before our
wedding day his uncle died and left
him sole heir to all his property. Then
Eric asked 10 be released from his en-
gagement, giving as his reason for do
ing so that il would be ruin for him to
hamper himself with a wife who had
been bred in poverty. A year later |
married Mr.. Gresham. Now as his
widow | am richer than Eric Thorne
will ever be, and I've come to New
port TO settle my old score with him"
did you love Eric very much, Mrs.
Gresham" asked Nell, after a mo-
ment's silence.
IL thought so then, but l found out,
later on. that had been mistaken"
"Ahl then it was not SO hard for you
as it is for me to give him up. for l.
oh, Mrs. Gresham, | love Eric Thorne
better than my life"
"And yet he is that most detestable
thing-a male flirt!!" said the widow
scornfully.
mo, no! Eric Is vain, and admires
pretty women, but at heart he is good
and true. / admit he is something of
a eoxcomb," said Nell, ruefully; "hand-
some men are apt to be, you know"
"Still, for fear that Eric Thorne might
flirt with me, you broke your engage
ment with him?'
I'll knew that you were wealthy,
beautiful and fascinating; l was afraid
you would win my lover from me, and
and"
Miss Beauford could get no further
with her defense; indeed, when she
came to look at it calmly, it seemed a
very childish piece of business alto
gether, and she was heartily ashamed
OF it.
miss Beauford," said Mrs. Gresham,
kindly. "let me take this matter into
my own hands, aud l promise you that
within three months Eric Thorne will
be at you feet again; and ! think l
may also promise that he will be eff
fectually cured Of his flirting pro-
pensities."