Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1894-12-29

ask the question that TIRE -nbled on
my lips At last ] ventured, trying
to speak carelessly.
.'Dues Fluffy know you are going?"
He interrupted ME with sort of
scornful Impotence.
ssKn0w3 OF course she knows.
Do you remember my asking you if
Fluffy COLD ever assert herself?
! Well, she has answered the question
for me"
sYou don't mean to say" I said
slowly, in utter astonishment that
she has refused your"
GU put iG correctly, my friend, ;"
he answered with the same bitter i'm
patience in his tone. 'sThat is pre-
cisely what has happened. Fluffy in
forms me that our characters are not
suited to one another: she is not my
affinity, in short, and nothing l can
say will alter her opinion"
'sBut she cares for you?" I said,
mystified by the turn of affairs.
.'She can't care for me-" he an
swered roughly.
/ stood thinking it all over for
few minutes, and then courageously
81 believe Fluffy is right" l said,
sand am astonished at her penetra-
tion and decision. You are not
suited You are pleased now at her
pretty ways, but all the time you are
saying to yourself that, intellectual
ly, she is not your equal If that is
SO now, how will it be when time has
stolen the smiles and dimples and
clipped off the bright curls? Now go;
and thank Heaven that Fluffy has a
wise heart as we'll as loving one"
1t was hardly TO be expected that
should at once win over the disap-
pointed wooer to this middle-aged
and rational view of the case; al
though knew that there was within
him an unwilling conviction, that /
was right.
For the present Tresham left
Rome, disguised with me and, l am
afraid, with Fluffy, too, at first, tor
refusal is one of the hardest things
for vain man to bear gracefully.
When he had gone l went to find
Fluffy. At first she sent word that
she was not WELL and could not see
me; but presently she came down.
and disfigured with vehement crying,
her hair was tumbled in wild disor-
der, and a more doleful face [ never
saw.
why, Fluffy, what is all this?" l
said in my most fatherlY manner,
taking her hand. 81 thought you
cared for Tresham F"
''And $3.50 / do" she said, be-
ginning to CRY afresh.
Then what is the meaning of it,"
1 asked.
'Iknew," she said, that really at
the bottom of his heart there was
just little contempt for me. Of
course he liked me: / amused, him. I
suppose he had got tired of grand,
learned ladies, and l was a change,
but-but that could not last. He
would have been unsatisfied. And
then" she looked up with sobbing,
historical laugh you must not
think me selfish over it. I shouldn't
have been happy either, should al
ways have been trying to walk on
stills, and should only have
tum Dled. l can't be clever when 1
try; it worries me and makes my
bCdQ dCHO. anu 81 ~ 10 Vel y Ill UCu
better for US both that we should
have the courage to be a little un-
happy now, rather than be more I'M
happy afterwards. Oh, know he is
thwarted and mortified, but he will
be easily cured. And as for me, l
can't cry for very long TOGETHER
haven't character enough to make a
tragedy"
She stopped and looked at me with
such pIaintiye, quivering mouth
that l stopped and kissed her
Indeed, Fluffy" said L, II think
you have great deal of character
-Waverly.