The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-01
AT A WAY STATION
How Guy Hax.et ton Found q Long
Lost HiAnCoo.

| knowledge THAI Guy Hazleton was /,
man whose mental caIiber was IA,
above tho average and did ample jus
tice to the educational advantage,
that had been lavished upon him.
| He Yves = handsome man and heir {.
the Hazleton property - two factl
quite sufficient for society to receiv,
him with cordial welcome, and wher
Irene Curtis accepted his hand society
smiled approvingly.
Miss Curtis was acknowledged to b
the belle of her circle. and being tn.
only child Of ono of our merchant
| princes the engagement when an
nounced caused quite futter
Mrs Hazleton. Guys mother. va.
the first to call upon the fair fance,
after her sons offer had been &C
cepted. She found Irene, her hand.
idle, her large eyes looking far into
the future.
One word reused tho young girl
I Darling"
| Then followed long. close caresses
that told how warmly these women
| loved each other.
$50 l am to have a daughter?" the
old lady said, lovingly.
'.And I mother. see 50 little o.
father that he is more Ike q friend
than a near relation"
You know Guy goes to New Or
leans next week, and will not return
until May. He thinks it will take him
three months, at least, to settle his
affairs there; and he will be ready fol-
Europe again. shall be getting you,
house ready. Irene. and you must aid
me in trying to keep Guy at home"
"He has been home now, how lonG?"
mot quite . year." said the old lady.
abruptly; do you know how lovely
you are? know Guy could never have
married an ugly girl He worships
beauty. think there is something in
his sensitive nature that positively re-
coils from defect"
There were other calls Of congratu-
lation, and a week passed swiftly over
,Irene's head before Guy started upon
his journey to New Orleans, with the
understanding that the preparations
for q wedding in June were to be
pressed forward during his absence.
Irene found herself so busy and so
happy that over her day dreams of
future content not one foreshadowing
cloud warned her of the storms that
were to break upon her life.
She had been spending . day with
Mrs. Hazleton. and together they had
visited stores and selected dainty goods
for the beautiful trousseau in active
preparation. When they reached
home, a gentleman to see Mrs. Halle
ton was announced to be waiting her
return, and Irene ran lightly up the
stairs to remove her hat and cloak,
while her hostess went to the drawing
room. Her visitor proved to be the
confidential clerk of Mr.. Curtis, with
an appalling story. Irene's father had
heard that day Of the utter failure OF
IA speculation in which his entire for
tune was involved, and had committed
suicide. In the hours of grief Irene
Learned more fully the value of friend
who loved her as daughter. She was
not allowed to return home; the
funeral, the sale of her fathers house
and property, the weary details OF
business were all taken out of her
hands, and she was allowed to nurse
her grief in seclusion.
Just ono week after her fathers
death Irene received q letter, which
she took at once to Mrs Hazleton. 1t
was from a relative Of whom she
heard for the first time, brother of
her mothers. He wrote to her, in
forming her that her mother had been
a poor factory girl at the time Of her
marriage, and that her family had
never intruded themselves into her
luxurious home.
81 am q poor man." he wrote, earn
ing my living as q telepragh operator,
but have home to offer you. You
will miss the luxuries of your fathers
house. but / will give you comfort.
Come to me now, or at any time when
you need home"
Am 1 very poor?' the young girl
asked. realizing for the first time that
her fathers death involved also loss
of property.
Are you not Guys promised wife?"
said the old lady, reproachfully. Your
home is here, Irene, until you leave it
as Guys wife. Write to your uncle, my
child, and tell him your mother claims
you until your promised husband re-
turns"
But the letter was never written. Il
was long past midnight on the night
following this conversation when
Irene was reused from sleep by cries
of pain from Mrs Hazleton's room.
She ran at once to meet sight of hor-
ror. Her old friend had fallen asleep
over the FIRE and slept until her book
had fallen upon the hearth, caught
fire from a coal and communicated the
flame TO her dressing gown. When
Irene reached her she was in blaze.
One moment Of hesitation increased
the frig htful peril In an instant tho
little figure was wrapped In thick
blankets from the bed, pressed closely
by Irene's strong arms, while she cried
aloud for help. The flames were sub
dued, physician summoned, and the
sufferers injuries dressed before Irene
thought OF herself. Not then, not IN.
til days later, did she fully realize that
she had saved q life. and lost her
beauty. The burns were not severe,
but one side Of her lovely face was
drawn out of shape. Mrs Hazleton's
in juries were serious but not mortal,
and Guy was not summoned home