The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1895-09-14
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER IA, 1895.
A KISS IN THE DARK.

The first error was a distinctly
human one, feminine particularly
that of not being satisfied with a
good thing and letting we'll enough
alone, well enough" being in this
case a first lieutenant of more than
ordinary attractions. There are very
few women who are satisfied when
only one man is the captive of their
charms. They prefer q dozen SOU
pirants to one, ever if they are them
selves enamored of the one.
The name of tho gallant soldier
whose good fortune it was to have
obtained for his promised own the
winsome daughter of Captain Foster
was Appleton. his fortune was his
own good saber and his pay of s125
a month, his character the full ideal
of an officer and q gentleman. As
for his appearance, it was all that
even Miss Foster, who might have
had the pick of some V OF eight
others, could desire.
The only excuse to be found for
the first error is that Miss Foster
was very young, rather spoiled and
not in the habit of being denied any
thing upon which she set her rather
uncertain little heart. Therefore
when a very stubborn second lieu
tenant of the name of SAKE let her
distinctly set that he was not to be
c%aptivated by charms that had allur-
cd every one else she determined
that his pride should be humbled in
the dust, even in the alkali dust OF
the plains. That was the said first
error. What she should have done,
as seer in the light of future events,
was to have been happy in the COM
plete possession of such a man as
Appleton and have let all others
drift with their own particular our-
rent of life. But, then, she was just
IS, and the regiment had made much
of her.
Now, Appleton was not a jealous
man. Even if he had been it is
doubtful if he would have suspected
what was going on in the mind of
his pretty sweetheart, for she was
something of afirt and quite able to
have two strings to her bow. She
certainly gave all the time that he
had any right to claim to Apple
ton, even more perhaps, and i'm
pressed him with the idea that he
was the sun of her universe, which
indeed was the case. only there
were also a large number of more or
less bright moons and small stars
which competed with his glory. For
Kitty was not untruthful In the
least. She was in love with Apple
ton, and if she had not been would
never have made him think 30. The
trouble was that she was just a lit
tie in love as well with a goodly
number of others. And how could
she have helped it? They were all
so awfully nice to her and seemed SO
fond of her. All except SAKE. He
did not appear to a n in the least
and was devoted to no one and moth
ing except his commanding officer
and his troop. Miss Foster was
piqued and meant to "get even"
Which was quite right, according to
her lights.
The second error vas unconscious.
The commanding officer committed
it when he sent Appleton off on a
months special duty and thereby
left Kitty like a kite without a
string, very likely to plunge out of
its proper course and land on some
unexpected obstruction. Kitty cried
"a little and was dreadfully sorry
when Appleton left. She watched
the ambulance with fearful eyes I'M
til 1t wa5aIIlust uat of s.at, Gat Is