Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-04-01

lands to the North or across tho park, strctch.
ing like picture OF sylvan beauty to the
south.
The day being delightfully."- pleasant the
windows were open. and tho air seemed
drowsy with the hum Of bees and the odor OF
the orange and almond blossoms Thesound
OF music behind a screen OF tree ferns and the
murmur OF happy voices, breaking at time
4 into rpplee and peals Of laughter, perfected
this picture OF loneliness and satisfied eyory
sense.
When Ralph Holmes was flying over the
continent, he shared in his unoes hunger
for Justice it might be for yeugoance, but he
was Intensely in earnest, and there was moth
ing he could imagine, but death, that could
move him from his purpose But as he
changed his dress aud prepared to SO down,
he forgot the reason for his being there. for
! goteyorythlng, indeed, but that vision Of love
liness that had flashed before him for an in
slant and was gone.
He was no more ~ 10 reason than II he had
been drinking wine, nor did he tIy to reason.
1 He was IN the atmosphere Of Eden, why then
should no think OF the serpent, or give
thought TO the great busy world OF fraud and
failure, OF ceaseless strife and bitter disap-
polntmcnt, which It seemed to him was for
ever behnd9
The lunch 10 which he sat down with the
Colonel and Doctor Ellerton, was in keeping
with everything else about the place, Chi
nese servants, silent as ghosts and white OF
attire as the proverbial spectre, waited on
the table. Game aud flowers. and fruits and
wines, tho best things Of that favored land,
and Of all lands were there, but Ralph Hol-
mes, as the doctor humorously put q.
"seemed 10 be going back on his leedn
As Ralph did not smoke, when luncheon
was over, the Colonel sent Tor his daughter,
and said
my dear Dora, shall leave Mr.. Holmes IN
your charge He will no doubt feel more at
home with the young people tliau with old
chaps like myself and Doctor Enerton."
OF course, Ralph protested that he was
happy where he was, and that the Colonel and
the Doctor were anything but sold chaps"
but even while protesting, he ielta light hand
on his arm, and he was led out on the broad
yeIandah. and down through the shaded
grounds.
Dora introduced him to scores Of pretty
girls, and other scores Of handsome, stalwnrt
young mon, all Of whose names, as is ever
the case, he forgot as soon as thoy were
uttered. one man, however. no distinctly
remembered. This WAS swarthy Spanish
American with 1.-THE tigerish iolm, heavy
black mouatnche and dusky blacl; oyos, Cap
tain Almodo."
The Captain bowed IN a cavalier way, but
did not attempt to shake hands, and there
was that in the expression with which he re.
garded Dora TINT reused Ridph's anger at
once, and made him feel that he and tho Mexi-
can We're not going to be friends
BY tho way" said Dora, as she led Ralph
on, "you must know Lord Pelham; he IS
such an odd character, and 50 entirely differ
ent from my preconceiyed notions OF an Eng.
lsh noblemnn"
Lord Pelham, short, fodd, fnll-beardod
man. with single eye-glass, dress rather
siovenly in cut and loud in pattern, was found
seated on rustic bench, smoking n briar
wood pipe aud playing with centlpede,
which he was keeping out Of rs tunne-liko
burrow
Am glad to meet You, Jim Shore" was
Lord Pelhan's salutation, after he had given
Ralph his hand. 81 know It's bit unsoclal
10 get on IN this way, you know; but can
not 80 the cigars out here, and as l was
almost famished Tor a smoke, thought Id
sneak away.
every WELL" laughed Dom, "nnish your
smoke, and tell Mr.. Holmes what you think
Of this awful country. But don't forget that
for to-day the dinner viii 30 at Ave, and the
dancing will follow sunset.
She waved her dainty hand and vanished
like figure in a phaniasmasoria
"By Joye, don't cher know" said Lord
Pelham, as he pointed his pipe-stem In tho
direction Dora had taken, thnts no end OF
a fine girl"
"shes perfect Hebc7 said Ralph, not at
all displeased with the EnglishmaD, by whose
side he took a seat.
she's a Hebe, aud Juno and Minoryn and
all the Unrest OF tho goddesses boiled down
American girl OF which one hears so much In
Europe and secs 80 littleo 10 America" said
Lord Pelham, between audible pulls ut his
brlarwood.
Anxious to get away from asuhjeot which,
no matter how precious 10 himself he felt 1t
70 DO a sacrilege 10 discuss with another,
Ralph asked his lordship how long he had
been In America.
"0h, ! have been over hero no end OF
| times, was the reply. u nsed 10 come for
the game but the railroads and pot-shootera
have played the deyil with that BY the way,
IS this your FIRST visit 70 California, Mr..
Holmesia and his lordship wiped his mon-
oele on 4 very red silk handkerchief which
protruded from his breast pocket
Eyes my first visit" replied Ralph.
| "And, Of course, you Ike IL; every one
| docs at first, or till the novelty wears onf
| That's the mischief Of travel, don't cher know,
| the novelty leaves no deuced soon
II hnyo not travelled enough TO appreciate
your experience In that way. But have Of
ten thought that II had the time and money
would Keep on the 90 til got tired Of it, Il
that ever came.
"Oh, Il would come, ! assure you. The
fact Is every man worth a snap should mar
ny by the time he is thirty. After AL that d
the only sensible kind Of liie. That Il, Of
course. n he gets the right Kind Of o wife; n
he doesn't. why suicide would be jusflnble
and Hades would be q happy change. But
| what say you 70 stroll Deuced iine box
| the Colonel has here. almost enyy him.
'sHe certainly ought 10 be happy," said
Ralph, as DO walked down 70 the shore beside
the fngiishmHn, land I suppose he is.n
rDut laughed PELHAM, 1T Is safs to say
he isn't"
'Why noif
'for The very good reason, my dear boy.
that there u not, never WIS and never willbe
a aan wilgea Hfa ir grutiuI1iiilN Ahanga
/ After al, the world would ~ q deuecdly mon
otonous place. u there was nothing but hap
| plnrE5 Al the risk Of making o hell IN fily
I that continual nanniu-4a would brfall