Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-09-08

ness. The mines were developing a
great output, and all branches of in
.dustry were prosperous and paying
well. New buildings were going up
a courthouse, a city hall, big school
building and last, but not least,
church, which was to be in the hands
of real, permanently-a minis
ter. De Leon was really coming with
in the pale of civilization, erybody
agreed And so, about this time, quite
a number of 1.-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 behind them.
Among these was Ben CorlisS, I had
known him in New Mexico several
years before, and we had been in sun
dry tight places together, so it was only
natural that, when I drifted to DeLeon
at the time OF the rush and found Cor
hss there. certain degree of that inti-
macy born of previous association
should spring up between us, although
in our tastes and inclinations we were
miles apart But, finding ourselves
among several hundred total strangers,
that spring had drawn and kept US
close together for three years. and, of
course, I was the first to learn of Ben's
matrimonial intentions-wh1ch, by the
way, were declared only about week
before he left for Iowa to carry them
out, at which time / learned, also, that
the new house at the head of Main
street was the property of my uncom-
municative chum.
They returned in about month and
settled down comfortably in their new
home, apparently the happiest couple
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. I had never deamed
that Ben would show any more taste in
selecting a wife than he had shown in
some other matters which had come to
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
gallantry, presented me.
At tea that evening nothing would
do but i must, after having made all
the preparations for their home-com-
ing, share their first meaD was yet
more forcibly impressed with Mrs.
Corliss personally. She had quiet,
but effective taste in dress; her man
ners were unobtrusively perfect; she
talked we'll, 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 at the grand drawing.
''She's an eagle-bird," affirmed her
spouse, vulgarly, but appreciatively.
$50. then, and do like"
But at this point the subject Of our
conversation reappeared, and Ben
desisted.
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 I
cared to think Of, to be admitted as
one 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 90 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 I returned to De
Leon and civilization. In all this time
\ mad passed noword with Corliss. We