Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-02-16
mate, watches the entering group half care

| iesSly.
That is the Weston party" his compsn-
| ion informs him. You remember Wes-
ton3 he is our Mayor, you know. That
lady in the black lace and diamonds is q
cousin of theirs, Mrs. Atherton, the rich
widow who is taking US all by storm this
winter Beware. lest you add to the al
ready long list of her admirers"
Perhaps the list is too long now.
should not care to enter a field where the
odds were all against me-
| But a new conner may be more favora-
bly, received than the others. We poor
fellows may only admire her at q dis
tance"
Then poor soldier may not be per-
| mitted TO admire her at ALL" laughs
Capt. Hilton, as he goes to obey sum
mons from his mother.
Mrs. Hilton whispers a command to her
son that he is to open the ball with Mrs.
Atherton, to whom she Immediately pre-
sents him. and Capt. Hilton. with an in
ward smile at the memory of his friends
words, gravely solicits the honor of Mrs.
Athertons hand for the first dance, and
leads her away to the ballroom in triumph.
Probably young Ashley's warning has
quite as much to do with Capt. Hilton's
devoting himself to one of his mothers
guest more than the rest, as that guests
own personality. although Mrs. Atherton's
reserved demeanor rather interests him and
he is, after all, somewhat gratihed to find
that accept his Attentions carelessly as she
, may, still she accepts them.
But he only smiles at young Ashley's
last words as they part for the night.
well. my boy you have made a good
beginning, and | do not think it will be
safe around here for you long, If you con
tinue in Mrs. Atherton's favor. We shall
be sending you back among the Indians"
The season is an unusually gay one. even
for =, and Capt. Hilton, without whom
few gatherings are complete, congratu-
lated himself upon his good fortune and
eSultantly wrote his old comrades at the
fort about the good times he was having,
extending to them his sympathy because
they were lying Idle at the dreary bar
racks, with only the regular routine of the
dav for excitement
He remembered his promise to Rose Ar.
mold, and wrote her long. interesting let
ters at first, which-though eagerly re-
ceived and treasured by her-grew more
and more brief and disappointing,
Everywhere Capt Hilton goes he meets
understood that II the presence Of one Is
required the other is 10 be invited al
SO. To the on-lookers 1t seems rather
matter of surprise that the wealthy, tai
ented widow should so decidedly prefer
the society Of the young soldier to that OF
Others apparently more desirable. 1t is
true that he Is making s. name for himself
with, perhaps, sufficient rspidity, but he is
by several years her junior, and j. without
fortune, his mothers income dying with
her. Il certainly is not for lack of opportu-
nifty, for Mrs. Atherton has many sutors
who would place her in q prominent posi-
tioh a. lHcIi "llt- Dut sue HAS HtIu htI-
self 50 aloof from them that only few
have courage 10 make her acquainted with
their hopes, save by their sssiduous atten-
tions.
1t is not little 10 their chagrin that the
seltpossessed young soldier shou d find
the way so speedily into Mrs. Atherton's
good graces, and the captains keen eyes
would have speedily discerned the fact
even if his friend Ashley had not made it
known to him.
1t is mere amusement for Capt. Hill
ton al first, who keeps his heart true 10
the little girl in the west, but all at once
he finds himself interested in the lady
to a greater degree than he had thought
possible.
There is no thralldom complete as
that which a woman of Mrs. Atherton's
age can hold over one if she chooses
There are no chains that seem so light, but
are in reality so heavy and bind so closely,
as those she can weave about her victim
Roger Hilton was not a susceptible or
sentimental young man, and his heart had
remained undisturbed until the afternoon
when Rose Arnold, with her innocent and
childish grief, touched the spring OF sym
pathetic emotion, which was not at all like
this later passion that so completely en-
crosses him
l.