Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-04-19

/ stopped the horses. rhe girl was not
thrown, and saw Ashton take
her in his arms and carry her up the
steps of an elegant hotel not far away
Later he sent me n note, telling me not
To CONS over on any account, but TO
stay where | was until he came for me.
lie came, after the races were over, and
made neither explanation nor apology" ."
why, that seems impossible, Nina, -
said her aunt what did you say?"
We'll, | was not very amiable," said
Nina "But could you expect thatp"
The aunt shook her head
He should have explained" she said.
Nina could not bring herself 10 tell
her aunt what the old landlady had
suggested, or that she had actually re-
peated her words. to Ashton. II all
seemed so low and coarse, now that she
thought 1t over.
II suppose he forgot me-" she said.
I'm that case" said her aunt, "neyer
forgive him; / would not"
And Nina went to her no ON in tears
and, during the wakeful night, resolved
70 return Ashton's ring on the morrow.
which she did by express, with scorn-
ful word or two written upon the most
elegant note paper In her possession.
After this she told her aunt that she
would go home at once; and that lady,
who, though delighted to entertain a
niece who was In cheerful mood, had
an aversion TO tears and low spirits.
agreed that 1t was perhaps the best
thing she could do under the circum.
stances to go home to her dear mamma,
who would give her the best advice pos.
sible.
Poor Ninal As, her journey over, she
walked up the garden path leading to
the door of her suburban home, how
heavy was her heart She began to
realize what the old minister and her
grandfather meant by saying "all is
vanity"
She had been SO proud Of Ashton and
OF her engagement to him, and she
was ashamed to tell her friends that
all was over, and then the heartbreak
OF III
Now that there was no going back,
she felt that she could forgive him nj.
most anything. And just as she came
To this there was sudden rush of SIS
ters down the path, a kissing and en-
bracinR and incoherent cries of: "ohl
she's ever so much better; there's not
the least reason TO be anxious. We
know you'd come at once But, obi
how pale you are. Aud don't you feel
proud of Ashton2"
Nina simply stared Mt them.
what has happened?" she cried.
she doesn't know" cried the younger
sister.
ma made Ashton promise not to tell
her until this morning" !" said the eldest
But what did he say TO make YOU
Gomez" said the third sister.
"Ohl you ought to be proud of him;
but for him 1t Is terrible TO think how
we might DO grieving now" said the
middle sister.
You know Cousin Rodney came TO
ask ma to go to the races with him:"
said the eldest sister
And we made her 60" said the
youngest
And ho didn't understand the
horses" sad the middle sister. ''It was
new team"
Wen never speak to him again."
said all three together.
And they ran away.
"Oh, good heavensl Was that mother2
Was Rodney driving herP" painted
Nina.
How noblei he never told d-he kept
his promise" said the elder sister. "Yes,
dear and'Rodney's head was cut open"
Served him right" cried the chorus
And ma tainted away, and the doc
tors thought her dead"
They all began to cry.
when Ashton brought her home we
all shrieked," said the youngest. "But
she is quite well-only we make her lie
down, you know, and she'll be SO glad
we were not frightened"
Ashton is the noblest creature"
chorused the sisters, and Nina, turning
as red as she had been pale before
burst into tears.
And | am the meanest," she con-
fessed. 81 did not know whom he had
rescued, and quarreled with him for
staying away all day, and sent him
back his ring this morning"
"Oh," groaned the chorus, ~ don't
believe he will ever forgive you, and
you do not deserve Ill"
But just then, looking up, whom did
they sec entering at the gate but Ash.
ton Craig. And the look he gave them
convinced them that he was not in a
very angry mood
Indeed. when poor Nina turned her
tear-filled eyes toward him and held
out her trembling hands It was impos-
sible for him not to melt outright, and
the sisters knew that the best thing to
be done was TO leave the two together,
which they did. And shortly after
Nina and Ashton knelt beside the
mothers couch, hand in hand, and on
Nina's finger shone once more her en-.
gagement ring.
Don't cryI I'm perfectly we'll, and
only ashamed Of having tainted from
fright" the mother said
But Nina could not have given a name
to all the emotions that mingled in her
bosom and sent such shower of shin
ing tears down her smooth cheeks.
Only she knew that she was at once
ashamed and comforted, and that for
the first time since their engagement
she fully realized how well she loved
her betrothed husband and how glad
she was that she was soon TO be his
wife. e.-Kansas City Times.
The roller cotton gin was used In
Asia and Africa before the dawn of au-
thentic history. Three-quarters Of n
pound Of cotton, cleaned by means of
this gin, constitute a days work.