The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-03-29

Ssgghsse and srz VS. nssgss.
ling tas patty. sgnick ssoulsls a sczrss
have teez inoempIefe without Aliss
sho had lsesa skating hand 10 hand ss::s...,
Q devoted yolHs sgsaltegu 10 ths sFlfI.
le.ys and pcor Agnaisage. whose Iseves
unequal 70 skating had heen ruefully
edmiE5ns the scene. Re had persusdsd
Sioat u 90 cut and walk with hir.. snd
Slcat went. but the hollow mockery %
the Whole thing became apparent % hin
after they Rad been H1tching tbs ss.st.
ers awhile, and be got chilled and
wanted ArElitaga to push ahead Ths
captain said be believed his leg was too
stiff fer further trampiug and wculd Be-
the better tor rest, and Sloat left him.
Heavens. how beautiful she was
with her sparkling eyes and radiant cal.
O, glowing with tie graceful exercised
De sat there on an old log watching
the skaters as they few By him and
striving to keep up on impartial inter,
est, or ga appearance Of il, for the other
girls, But the red sun was going down,
and twilight was on them all Of a sud.
den, ana he could see nothing but that
faee-and form. He closed his eyes q mo-
uent to shut ont the too eager glare OF
the glowing disk taking It's last fercs
peep ct them over the western bluffs
and as he closed them the same vision
came hack-the picture that had haunt.
ed his every living dreaming moment
since the beautiful August Sunday IN
the woodland lane at sablon. With IN.
dying love, with changeiess passion, his
life was given over 10 the fair, slender
maiden he had seen in all the glory Of
the sunshine and the goldenroa, stand.
ms with uplifted head, with all her
soul shining in her beautiful eyes and
thrilling in her voice. Both worshipiug
and wcrshiped was Alice Renwick as
she sang her hymn Of praise in unison
with tho swelling chorus that aoatyd
through tho trees from tho little brown
church upon the hill. From that day
she was Queen Alice Ia every thought,
and be her loyal, faithful knight foF
veal or woe,
Boom went the sunset gun far up on
the parade above them. Twas dinner
time, and the skaters were compelled TO
give up their pastime. Armitage set his
teeth at the entirely too devotional at
titpde Of the artilleryman as be slowly
and lingeringly removed her skates aud
turned away in that utterly helpless
frame Of mind which will oyertake the
strongest men on similar occasions. He
had been sitting too long in the cold
and was chilled through and stiff, and
his wounded leg seemed numb. Leaning
heavily on his stout stick, he began
slowly and painfully the ascent to the
railway and chose for the purpose a
winding path that was far less steep,
though considerably longer, than the
sharp climb the girls and their escorts
made so light of.
One after another the glowing fac s
Of the fair skaters appeared above the
enbankment, and their gallants care
fully conveyed them across the icy and
slippery track to the wooden platform.
beyond Armitage. toiling slowly ND
his pathway, heard their bliths laughter
and thought with no little bitterness
that it was a case Of "Out Of sight, out
Of mind, with him as with better men.
What sense was there in his long de.
votion to herr Why stand between her
and the far more natural choice Of q
lover nearer her years2 Like unto
like" was natures law. It was flying
in the face Of Providence to expect to
win the love of one SO young aud fair
when others soyouEg and Comely craved
it The sweat was beaded on his fore
head IS be Deared the top and came in
sight Of the platform. Yes, they had no
thought Of him. Already Mrs Hoyt
was half way up the wooden stairs, and
the others were scattered moro or less
between that point and the platform ut
the station. Far down at the south end
paced the fur clad sentry. There it was
en- easy step from TIE track to the
boards, and there, with much laughter,
but no difficulty, tho young officers had
lifted their fair charges to the walk.
All were chatting gayly as they turned
away to take tho wCcGen causeway from
the station t. the stairs, and LLiss Rem
wick was among the foremost ct the
point where it left tie platform. Eere,
however, she glanced back and hen
about Lcr, and then bending down began
fumbling ct the buttons Of her boot
ooh, permit ne Hiss Renwicl.,
said her eager csco-t 'Iwill bctton it. "
Thanks, no. Please don wait, coed
people. I'll be with you in On ingtcrt I"
; And SO the other girls, absorbed IN
talk with their respective gallants, pass.
-