Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1892-09-17

uCSS. lIt AIlIitS hfhF aNNNabP4sAS "a
great output, and all branches OF in
dustry were prosperous and paying
well. New buildings were going up
a courthouse, a city hall, a big sehoa
building and last, but not least. a
church, which was to be in the hands
OF a real, permancntly-abiding minis
ter. De Leon was really coming with
in the pale of civilization, everybody
agreed And so, about this time. quite
anumber Of the boys went to the
states for their families, and several
more, who had no families. went back
to get the girls they'd left benlnu mem.
Among these was Ben Corliss. / had
known him in New Mexico several
years before. and vc had been in sun
dry tight places together, SO it was only
natural that. when | drifted to DeLeon
at the time of the rush and found Cor
liss there. a certain degree Of that init
macy born of previous association
should spring ~ between us, although
in our tastes and iHclinations We were
miles apart. But. finding ourselves
among seye'al hundred total strangers.
that spring had drawn and kept Us
close together for three years. and. of
course, was the first to learn of Ben's
matrimonial intcHtions-whlch. by the
way, were declared only about a week
before he left for Iowa TO carry them
ont, at which time / learned. also. that
the new house at the head of Main
street was the + perry Of my uncom-
mnnicative chuT.
They returned in about a month and
settled down comfortably IN their new
home, apparently the happicst coa<lc
in the world. They certainly ought to
have been, for they had waited for each
other nearly eight years, after a
romantic boy and girl courtship and a
stern father episode.
was charmed. ] had never deamed
that Ben would show any more taste in
selecting u wife than he had shown in
some other matters which had come 10
my notice. and was, therefore. entirely
unprepared to becomingly greet the al
together charming and pretty Young
woman TO whom Ben, after assisting
her from the train with honeymoon
Sallantry, presented rue.
At tea that evening tnothing would
do but | must, after having made all
the preparations for their home-com- ,
ing, share their first neal ! was vet
more forcibly impressed with Mrs.
Corliss personally, She had a quiet.
but effective taste in dress; her man.
ners were unobtrusively perfect: she
talked well, yet modestly, and added
to the charms of face and voice was ,
that atmosphere surrounding her which
made one feel at ease and perfectly at
home in her presence.
took occasion, later. to remark to
Ben that he had obviously held the
winning tick t at the grand drawing.
"She's IN cagle-bird," affirmed her
spouse, vulgarly, but approximately.
go, then, and do like
But at this point the subject of our
conversation reappeared, and Ben
desisted.
l look back at the year following
Ben Corliss' marriage. as one of the
happiest / ever knew. For me, a
nomadic bachelor, who had known SO
little of comfort, and still less of
feminine society, for more years than /
cared to think of, to be admitted as
n OF the family to the comforts and
.enjoyments of that delightful home,
seemed a veritable ~sojourn in Paradise.
and was the envy of half a hundred
less fortunate chaps in De Leon.
The next year / was obliged to go to
Montana and Idaho on business. | had
only expected TO be gone about three
months, but time went on and on, and,
immersed in my work, out of the
world half the time, it was nearly
three years before / returned to De
Leon and civilization. In all this time |
] had passed no word with Corliss. We |
had no natural business interests, and
shared at least one feeling-that of
deep-seated antipathy TO writing let
tiers.
The night reached DE Leon it was
too late TO call on Ben and his wife,
but Is early as possible after break
last next morning, ! fastened to their
house. IL looked strangely unfamiliar. |
The yard was neglected; a pan Of ashes
stood Just at the end OF the portico; a
small boy was digging in the dirt under
the bay window; a frowsy-looking |
woman, with a mouth full Of clothes
pins, was hanging out a washing on
lines stretched where tire croGuet
grounds had once been, She looked ]