Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-01-12
ALABAMA COURTSHIP.

pine trees were bending and waving
| before the sweeping wind. Inside
was light and music and the gentle
murmur of well-bred voices Out
| side, an Alabama forest; inside, the
| comfortable parloTs CT winter hotel
| At small table were two persons,
a man and a woman. While the
music went on they talked, in a care
less, haphazzard way. as if the mat
| ter under discussion were only of the
/ slightest interest; yet when the
music made pause they, too, were
silent
An open magazine lay upon the
table before them. Some one was
playing waltz in bad time, and
IN Ter its cover the young man again
took up the conversational ball
where his companion had dropped it.
Il am sorry you don't like my
story, Eugenla," he said. 81 rather
fancy it is the best thing [ have
done. Ii l could only have had
space TO extend the idea. However
-
1T is Just the idea l don't like, -
replied the girl whom he addressed
as tugenia. ut is too greatly ex-
banded already. AS usual, you have
finished off every phrase. every SEN
tence, every paragraph with the ut
most polish Of which your art is cap
able, and it IS capable of great deal.
1t is as fawlesS. she hesitaten an
instant for the comparison, ''as the
most perfect pearl And it is as
cold.
The young man flushed little
with pleasure at her wo DIS of meas
ured praise, but relapsed into his
habitual composure as she finished.
'"Ihat is what | meant it to be-"
he answered.; 1--WE have had some
what too much of the human pas
sions in our literature. People are
being taught that purely platonic
affection cannot possibly exist be-
tween a man and a woman. / think
differently.
lana so you would have them
marry without Ioving?" She said
this with suggestive gathering scorn
about her mouth.
by no means he interposed; but
just then the music stopped again and
he toYed with the eyeglasses in his
hand. AS he was about tC resume
Eugenia Interrupted him.
''A ct you make your nero, Palmer
Ainsworth, choose his wife as he
would a horse-w tn a calm consid-
Grafton of what was best suited to
his needs"
By this time the suggestion of
scorn had deepened until it indicated
positive contempt, and the flashing
chances from Eugenia Kingdoms eyes
denoted clearly that she, at least,
would not be chosen in that manner.
''That is quite ght, said her COM
panion, with the stubborn persistence
that authors always show in defend
ing their work, whether they are
right or wrong; ''you sec, it led to
happiness-for both. "
I'm your story-yes. In real life
it would have been misery and shame
and humiIiation-to the woman
when she came to know how easily
she had given herself up"
''She should never know" He
spoke with a quiet emphasis that
seemed to invest the conversation
with some personal element that it
had before lacked. Eugenia took ad-
vantage of another lull in the music
to av id an immediate reply.
Some one suggested dancing, aud
che various groups about the parlor
dislntegrated and reformed about a
common center to discuss the propo-
Stion. Eugenia rose to take part in
this, while her companion remained
and turned thoughJfully the pages
| that scintillated with the brilliant
and epigrammatic, but icily cold,
offpourings of his pen.
Suddenly a voice interrupted his
reyery:
"Come, old man, don't sit here
incoming We are all going to the
| dining-room to dance. Let's see If
we can't make noise enough to keep
out the sound of the wind. 1t howls
tonight as if the witches were
abroad"
Aylmers looked up curiousIy into
the bronzed and bearded face above
| him.
'Ah, Featherstone, you are here,
are you? Didn't know you could
leave the mine and the black dia
monds long enough to show In society
even the society of the piney
woods And, by the way, since wher
have you been troubled with fancie:
about witches?"
Featherstone laughed softly.
mot so long as you have about
platonic love l judge, Gordon. A
least / have pot attempted to develop
my fancies into a cult Yes. I've
read il. Deucedly clever sketch, bu
I'm sorry for you II you believe it
EugenI lid come up ana eto0S
listen ug a. Zoe men Talked. At tn
sslfsg Truss III % - Esl5sF
= hall b dance, Gordon" sh
asked.
mo, you know / don't care for it.
1--WE must do something to brea
the monotony of This awful place
You won't refuse, I hope" she sal
with an appealing glance at teatheI
stone
s'Only too happy, if Gordon wi
permit" waslthe ready but half sal
castle answeH
ooh, don't mind me- / will GO on
and look for four wit hes, Hugh
land we v ill discuss your theor