Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-09-09

Hattie Furman was a great faYorite
with the gentlemen, and her partiality
for the sterner sex was as great as
theirs for her. She was engaged to
young DIR. Hartley, but he had one
year more at the university before his
studies We're completed, and his fan
Gee seemed nowise inclined to mourn
his absence. There were admirers in
plenty ready to take his place, and she
never lacked an escort to any of the
neighborhood festivities, where she
was always the life and mischief of
the party.
Then she would write a fun history
of each affair to her absent lover, never
forgetting to tell him how much she
had enjoyed herself, how agreeable
Mr.. So-and-So had been, what pretty
speeches Mr. Such-a-one had made
when she accepted his escort for the
next dance at the ball, "and he's such
an elegant waltzer, you know she
added, tantalizingly. The young doc
tors blood fairly boiled when he read
these missives and imagined some
other mans arms where he considered
none but his had any right to be- Yet
he dared not protest. He ventured
once to assert his rights, on his last va
cation home, and his ring had been Of
fered him with such promptness that
1t fairly took his breath away.
81 don't want it. l won't take it,"
he gasped.
"Just as you like" replied Hattie,
coldly. 81 thought you were tired of
me. If you are, just take back your
old ring. Fred Fox offered me a
nicer one last week.
"Oh, Hattie" was all the Doctor
could say.
His grieved tone and white face
touched the girls heart, aud she burst
out with: "Oh, Frank! l didn't mean
1t. I'd rather have your ugly old ring
than all the other rings in the world,
and I'd rather have you than all'-here
she threw her arms around his neck
impulsively, hid her face on his shoul-
der and burst into tears.
Then, of course, he begged her par
don and called himself a brute, and she
forgave him, and when he went away
flirted more than ever.
She was usually very prompt In full
filling their compact of writing week
ly letters to each other, but on two oc-
casions the weeks had made a month
before the longed-for letter came to the
absent lover, and then she made no ex-
cuse but that she had been having so
much fun she had quite forgotten to
write.
The young doctor really believed she
dignant and mutually vowed that if
the reins were ever in his hands she
should repent her seeming heartless-
ness. 1t is a wonder the poor fellow
could study at all, but he did at last
graduate with honor.
Hattie seemed proud as he of the
hard-earned diploma, and the young
couple spent a delightful fortnight max
ing plans for the future and trying to
decide upon the most desirable location
for a young physician to gain lucra-
tive practice and home for his bonnie
bride. He WAS far too manly to ask
Hattie to link her fate with his until he
could offer her home that would in
some degree approach the comfortable
one she would leave even il her par
ents had been willing for such pro-
ceeding.
While still undecided a position was
offered his as physician and surgeon
with an exploring and surveying party
that We're making Il tour to the far
Northwest. There was money in it
and the needed practice without fear
of competition or failure. 1t seemed
the chance of n lifetime and had been
rendered him through the influence of
one of the university professors, yet
1t would involve three years separa-
ton from Hattie, and what assurance
had he that some of those other fellows
would not win her from him? Even #
they did not he felt as If he never
could endure three such years of tor
ture as that last one at the university
had been. Still he could not refuse,
especially when her parents urged him
so strongly to accept.
Hattie seemed very sorry to have him
go and promised very faithfully to be
true to her troth.
But you can't expect me to be an
old woman, Frank" she said. "Why,
If couldn't have any fun for three
years I'd be wrinkled and gray haired
when you came back, and then you
wouldn't want me at all"
Frank laughed and said he'd run the
risk, and If she'd only wait for him
twas all he'd ask, but it was with
aching heart he kissed her last fare
well, and torturing fear of what that
long three years might bring forth.
1t was twelve miles from the pretty
little village, where their childhood
days had been spent, to the nearest rail.
way station, and he arrived there at IL