Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-08-15
4 False Impression.

as he had remembered them; over the
piano was the picture he liked and in its
accustomed place leaned Margaret's man
dolin; by the tea table, the table over
which they had had SO many merry
wrangles, was the little low chair she
loved.
He took It all In at . glance, a wave of
recollection sweeping over him. One
moment he paused, but the next he hurried
forward to meet the girl who had risen to
welcome him.
She advanced q few steps, the conven-
tional smile Of greeting on her lips; but
when she recognized her visitor, her ex-
preston changed, and she exclaimed:
why, it is Charlton Meade! When did
YOU get into town? l am so glad to see
you-it has been ages since we said good
by has 1t not?"
Centuries" he responded. land il it
has seemed long to you, then think what It
has been to me! How we'll you are look
ing, and where are the Others?"
''They have gone to the theater-I know
they will be sorry. Come, take this chair
where l may look at you and see what
time has done to YOU"
Six years before, when he was studying
under his father, he had been q constant
visitor at their house. He was little more
than a boy then, q tall, fair fellow who
came and went with her brothers, and who
was suspected Of being an admirer of her
younger sisters. He had not said or done
much to foster this impression, but she had
heard 90 many jestlng illusions to his
hopeless love for Kate that she had &C.
cepted it as q fact.
In those days she had not much time to
devote TO the boys. for she was enjoying
the triumphs of her first season. and SO
many men were attentive to her that the
tall lad who was always ready to do her a
service, and who wa never too tired las
her brothers often were) to act as her es-
cOrt, filed but q small place in her mental
horizon. Shortly after Kate married and
went abroad, Meade was summoned north
to his home, reaching there just in time to
see his father die. His death made q
great change In the boys prospects, and
and energies to winning q name for him
self in his profession.
He wrote south frequently, kind letters
asking about the household that once had
been SO much to him, and now and then
one of the family would reply. From
them he cleaned that John was ''in cot
tOn," Phillip mad about sugar." and
Margaret las fond of society as ever"
1t is DOUBTFUL. whether she thought of
him at all during these years; for while
she had always liked him theirs was but a
shadow kind of friendship. that made little
or nc impression on her.
But no one would have suspected this
from her name when she welcomed him
back; there was a pretty earnestness
about her that intimated that he had fire.
quently been In her thoughts, and that she
had never quite got over his departure. 1t
was a little way of hers; she did not mean
to b1 incincere; she always meant what she
aid to him.
For q few minutes latter he had ex-
planned his presence In town. their con-
versation was upon Indifferent topics, then
It took q friendlIer strain aud turned upon
old times. He recalled a great many incl
dents that she had forgotten; but she
looked interested and sympathetic, and he
wal too carried away BY his " feelings
to notice her silence.
do you remember" he said. 1.-THE pic.
mic at Grove and the photograph Deane
took of us?"
II should think l did," she responded.
II have never quite forgiven him for his
caricature of me; but yours, l recollect,
was an excellent likeness. BY the way,
you have changed very little, ! would
have known you anywhere"
wv ould you?" he said In q very disap..
pointed tone. II rather flattered myself
that l looked older"
..Oh, of course you look older-six
years could not fail to make some I'M
preston"
"You are a living denial Of that state
- a--.aI 49, - oy~V,t0,ipn Vnn kQVQ
gone backward"
She smiled appreciatiyely, THAT is a
very pretty speech, and l like pretty
sneeches. v they are not quite genuine"
sDo you really? Now to me a compli-
ment Is of no value If 1t is not sincere"
..Ah! You were always like that-you
would always 90 deeply into things: l
should think By now you would IA
grown tired of It."
"No. mot yet, and I hope l never shall"
..The world must have treated you KIND
"Not particularly SO. / have had many
hard knocks and numerous dlsappOtnt-
..Then how do you manage to do itP"
81 Will tell you. W. 1t all TO q
woman. When I am depressed and
wesrv. or thoroughly d~isheartened over
the way things are going with me. think
of her. : woman who Is 50 pare and good
"a tander. 40 everything that the heart ne
sires that the tired mind revives at the very
az leaned forward with . look Of real
,nterest. "A woman" -wonderingly..
.You owe all your happiness to q woman.
Eyes. and all my success, too. She has
been NV guiding star, the animating In
fluence of my life"
II should like to know her" b said.
..t Seems 90 strangeto me. You know ! 40
not like womenv -
svrhat II hard for me to believe, tor you
ara certainly kind to them.'
...Oh. YES. 1 am always KIND 70 tnenl.
Nv code demands that | should be. OUT !
feel little interest in them; they give me NO
pleasure - .,,en s.,d.
he was silent a moment, and then sa'u'
..And do men bore you to?" ..a.
aMenP Sometimes they do. depend
upon their type" -..sro shonId
iss ~ i.nehed. "Not the kind you would