Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-05-19


@~I 1t was Stanley Bur-
roughs, with u sarcastic smile on his
handsome face. who made the above
remark to his friend Rick Wilson.
Both men occupied free-and-easy
positions OH the piazza, smoking their
afterdinner cigars.
cold fellow, Tom Moore must have
been hard to hit i'll his day, or he
never would have written those lines.
In fact, I never saw any one except q
disappointed man so dusedly hard on
the fair SEX" replied Rick Wilson,
who always said what he thought.
"Humph! that's one for Moore, and
two for ME, suppose" grinned STAN
ley.
You may take it that way, if you
like" answered Rick laughing "1've
always thought, Stanley, that you
must have been Tilted some time or
other"
"Shouldn't WONDER" and Stanley
took his cigar from between his lips
and laughed carelessly. Yes, I've
been Tilted" he added, replacing his
cigar and speaking slowly. II don't
mind telling you about it. It hap
pened nearly five years ago, and rs
time is q great healer, you know, I
can look back on it now as q foolish
affair, and talk about it without feel.
ing any disturbance in that organ
near my left side.'
And you think all the women are
alike?"
Eyes; as I said before, they RE all
the same, "a jilting, smiling, cheating
throng."
GLOW about your cousin Margaret?
asked Rick, coolly.
Stanley Burroughs raised his hat at
mention OF her name.
"My cousin Maggie is an exception.
-Four years ago would have gone to
perdition had it not beer for Mag,
and she has been my good angel
ever since. No, there's not u woman
living to-day whom have any faith
in, except Margaret, said Stanley,
earnestly.
"Then you don't think they're all
the same. There are a great many
more like your cousin, if you only
took the trouble to discover them"
II can hardly swallow that, Rick"
replied Stanley with an expressive
shrugh OF his broad shoulders.
"Well, if Margaret is the only one
you'll ever have faith in, why don't
you marry her?"
MARRY Margaret? I meyer thought
of such a thing!" and Stanley eyed
his friend in astonishment.
"Any one can see that she loves
you, Stanley"
II hope not, in that way
"You hope not in that way" mi
micked Rick. "You are not fool,
Stanley Burroughs; you know how
your cousin loves you!'
"Well, then, can't help it; I'm not
inclined for matrimony. I'm perfect
~ content as am, and I know Mag
will never marry. She finds happi-
ness in being near me-"
"Stan, you're the compound ex-
tract of selfshness! You won't marry
her yourself, and you are keeping some
other man out OF a good wife," said
WHAT" said Stanley, laughing,
care you interested in that direction?
Well, I don't know how I could get
along without Margaret, but I
wouldn't mind making a little sacri-
flee for such an old friend as you,
Rick. If you are in love with Mag,
why"
STANLEY, you're incapable OF MAX
ing sacrifice interrupted Rick. II
am not in love with your cousin, but
l know somebody that is"
CHOW, Rick, can't stand lecture,
you KNOW" laughed Stanley. "Sup-
pose we have a game of chess; it may
keep us from quarreling."
Both men rose, and as they did so,
heard the rustic of q woman's gar
ments at the window behind them.
Stanley turned hastily, and drew
aside the curtain, but no one was Wis
ible, so they concluded they had been
mistaken.
Little they dreamed that Margaret
Burroughs had been standing there
and heard every word that had been
said about her.
Ten pinutes before, she had been
about to join them, when she over
heard her name and stood still within
the window, though every word
pierced her heart like dagger.
She teat q hasty retreat from the
window when her cousin proposed the
game OF chess, and hurried to her own
room, where she buried her pale face
on her pillow and murmured:
"My God! have mercy! give me