Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-16


"Get your horse and come with me:'
and desire you to make careful note of
the data of the problem and then solve it
If you can. l hold no brief from either
side, though l may have my own private
opinion on such matters.
The heroine OF the tale Is a young lady
born in New York. and whose name for
present purposes shall be Imogen. She is
nineteen years old, sensible healthy and
pretty. discrepancy of thirty years in
our ages and some other circumstances
have prevented my sentiments toward her
from proceeding beyond the boundaries of
confidential friendship. but so far they are
satisfactory to us both. l was one of the
very first to be admitted to the startling
revelation of her Partially for Mr. Thorsas
Sedey jr.. the progress of which + had
been observing with interest and sympa-
thy for at least q month before they them
selves discovered it, When. little later.
she coniided it to me. l exclaimed dra-
matically: NO! You can't mean it! Tom
Sedley? Good heavens! how could / have
been so blind?' But the beloved little
creature never suspected me, and then l
congratulated her.
Though essential to the story, and In
himself an excellent young fellow, lately
settled here to see how soon he can make
a fortune in early vegetables for the New
York winter market, Tom does not make
much of a personal appearance here; so l
will only remark that he is manly looking
young chap, steady in his habits, sound in
his morals and Of solid. though not daz-
z,irg, Intelligence. He afford to lose
gCod deal of money on that farm, and yet
be able to keep good wife in comfort
He is an Eng!shman by birth. an American
by adoption and Jamaican by personal
prediction. And now to business
1mogen has been residing here for a year
past. because her father had a stroke Of
paralysis, and he doctor recommended this
climate. They took house near where
| | tf civ r,ic
ture Of the old gentleman, whose affiictior
mas not impaired the brilliance of one of
the most original and powerful minds 1t
mas ever been my fortune to come in con-
tact with He is constantly emitting start
ling but unexpected truth in the most ex-
hiiarating and inimitable phreseology; he
~ wtdower, and Imogen is his only child
1 doubt whether he likes Tom quite as we'll
as do: but it is possible, on the other
fand' that he may like Imogen even little
better than |. With this brief Introduction
releSate MIN with regret to the back
ground.
month ago. at o'clock in the morning,
! was ieahins on my gate looking up and
down the road, and telling myself for the
three bundredth time at least that this
was the most delectable climate and the
NEST exquisite scenery in the world Anon.
hedtu the sound of horses hoofs and
dcwn along the winding avenue of broad
IeaVed' deWy plantains, plumy bamboos
anu ender-towering palms, came riding in
ner Whlte ilnen blouse and habit the charm
Que was on canter, and only smiled and
waved her whip at me in greeting as she
passed knew very we'll where she was 90
lHg, and why she looked so hsnnv r.,
estate was ten miles off: there was a cartain
lour-corners at about half that distance
oFefshadowed by the boughs of an enor
nious iis tree, with green carpet of pimento
sass underneath. and a general suggestion
OF loVemakng and romance From tbara
,hey could ride round by another way to a
IoVely prospect of the ocean and talk nhiIos
hot
second bre akfast was ready. thew wonid I'M
up at lmogen's house. They did this thrice
o. Week-Alonday, Thursday and SATURDAY.
rms was Saturday
lmOSen passed out CT siebt .na -,
manned smoking my cigar in pIea SING NJ al
uitiol. Happy yourh, Glorious era or love
ana hopc' COLLEEN age Of life and libertvi
with a sentimental susptration I turnsi
away from the gate and was bout 70 saIn
yer btck TO my chair on the yeranda when
was arrested by rapid galloninq n,,i.e
up me ROAD whittier 1mosen had lately van
iSheu. IN a moment, 20 my surprise the
slrl reappeared, urging her horse to fulI
speed and with every sign OF agitation ami
alarm IN her face and gesture. Her aspect
coulu hdFd nave more in contrast with the
confident felicity of a few minutes before
She pulled up. pale and painting, at nv gate
Get your horse ana come with me"' she
cried out Something terrible Is hapnan
irg VIII you? Oh. please make hastei He
VIII be killed If We are too late. 1 will tell
You as CO."
OF course l coIll not form the faintest
conception of what was the matter But I
mad no difficulty IN perceiving that some
thing was seriously wrong, and l lost no
s1me in cross-questi Oning. As | started to
rLn back to the noise, | had an idea that
I'm gen father mad had another stroke of
paralysis; but 1t at once struck me that
that was impossible since she could not
have seen him betTeel the time she passed
me and now. In my prcoccupa ton | al
most ran under the legs IF my morse which
was coming down The path with my groom
on his back on his way to the leie hborinp
town with my mail. Here was d stroke o..
luck to begin with!
Down with you, Charles" said I. Get
the mule and go ON with her. l want
Mocha myself"
Charles, nimble but bewildered, dismount
ed. and held the bride while l swung my
self INTO his place. | was not attred IN my
usual equestrian costume, though / had
fortunately discarded my pajamas earlier
than usual this mOrIilg; but this was no
time for trifiing Charles made drive to
open the gate.
"A rope-we must have a ropew ex-
claimed Imogen, whose mare was dancing
about in the road, inspired with the con-
tagion of her mistress mysterious excite
ment.
We had been cutting down trees the day
before, and had used a lOngish bit of rome
to pull them down with after the ak had
done its work Hanging on the peg by the
door OF the coach house. Charles" said l.:
but that intelligent African already
half way up the drive. He had profound
enthusiasm for Miss lmogen. AMI seemed to
comprehend her wishes by intuition.
He was back with the rope neatly colled
before had time to ask what on earth she
wanted IT for; and in another moment We
We're or To my further perplexity We took