Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-06-29

and only waited for the coming enter
tainment to be over. had bought
new supply of the articles had taken
for the boys disguise, and often won
dered what had become of him, not
daring to have any inquiries made
among the sea captains.
had lived in Mauvila many years,
but had come there perfectly unknown
after my parents death. 1 had some
stanch friends. but none as influential
as Mr.. Semple, and / feared / shoEld
| find it difficult to maintain school in
opposition to the one he favored.
Away back in the long ago of my
youth had had my romance-had loved
and been beloved. We had, however,
parted about a question of duty. re-
fused to marry at the age of sixteen
! and leave my parents to seek better
health and fortune in Oregon. So my
love left the town in hot anger, and
shortly afterward we moved west.
My father failed in business there,
and felt the sting of failure so keenly
that he forbade me holding any CORE
spondence with our former friends. We
wandered about for some years, always
growing poorer, until he died, and soon
l.
| less orphan, and, more, a broken
hearted woman, for L had heard that
my lover, the idol of my heart in spite
af his injustice to me, had been lost at
sea. So did not care to return to our
old home, or let anyone know of my
restitution. I tried my luck in several
places with varying success; finally
dritted south again, and settled in
Mauvila.
| Thus it came to pass that a month
after this adventure | was sitting in
my room one evening very blue over
my prospects, when the servant an
nounced: Two gentlemen to see you,
miss
Didn't they give their names?"
NOM
] hurried downstairs, and there, as
suspected, was my boy, who rushed
out of the parlor to greet me.
what must you have thought of me,
Miss Emma, for not writing to let you
know how easily your thief escaped?
Indeed, it was not ingratitude. I'll re-
member it forever, but I didn't know
your surname, though I came near adj
dressing a letter to Miss Emma the
Good When got back, two days after
we parted, found the people of the
| house where l boarded somewhat I'M
easy about my prolonged absence, but
easily accounted for it to them. There
were two letters awaiting me from IA
Their and the president of the college.
Father wrote for me to join him dur
ing the rest of my vacation, and the
president had consented.
| 4
do so / told father all about it. He
didn't scold, but shook his head sadly,
saying that had inherited from him
my hasty, impulsive disposition. He
proposed our returning together to
Mauvila in order to thank you person
ally. Some unexpected business de-
layed him, but here we are. By the
way, what is your other name?"
wilder" l murmured, as we en-
tered
Gather, here's the kind preserver of
the honor of the name of Brooke, Miss
Emma"
But my name was lost in the cry that
burst from the lips of the man who had
risen to meet us.
Emma! Thank God! l have found
you at last"
George! is it. you come back from
the dead?" I tried to say, but mist
swan before my eyes, and it was some
moments before l could see or speak.
For it was the lover of my youth,
siivered, bronzed and furrowed by
times plowshare, but still unmistak-
ably he to whose memory my life had
been consecrated.
In the meantime George the Second
las / heRceforth called my boy) had
disappeared, and George the First was
holding my hand tenderly, but firmly.
as if it belonged to him.
II heard you were dead. and have
mourned for you ever since"
mo, dearest, l was not lost at sea;
though / had narrow escape, and
every one thought had persisted. On
my return to my native land heard of
your departure for the west, and sub
sequently of your marriage rurnor
lied that time. At any rate, the old
place without you was hateful to me,
so l settled in the north, where soon
afterward 1 married Georges mother.
She was a sweet, good woman and
true wife, and 1 did my duty by her
faithfully for the few brief years of
our married life, out nave loved only
one woman. Can you forgive the past?
May hope that you still care for me,
since yoH have remained sin&le?"
II have ever been faithful to the old
love, George, butt am too old now to
think of marry ing"
Yet did not feel at all old as 1 said
SO. 1t seemed to me as if my youth,
with all its hope and enthusiasm, had
been borne back to me on this A0od-
| tide of JOY.
He touched his gray head and beard,
| and replied:
81 am not quite a youth, either,
Emma. Five years your senior, re-
member, SO why should you refuse to
brighten the afternoon of our lives and
let me try to Danish by my devotion
| a1ze1.1- Sh dn5.z nd that FOLLY