Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-12-17
XVU.-CoNTINuED.

1t was difficult to imagine that the
gentleman in question. in his intimacy
with my friends, had been entirely ac-
tuated by regard for an elderly per-
son half mad about her health. I felt
something akin to a pang of jealousy,
though l tried to conceal my interest
as l asked:
Trent was a curious place to run
across such an admirer of trans-Atlan-
tic civilization. was it not?''
Our meeting was purely accidental
We were lunching in the restaurant of
one of the hotels when he came in and
took the table next to ours. We hardly
recognized him at first; he had aged
much since we saw him last. We were
delighted at the meeting, and think
it pleased him as we'll. He told us that
he had been travelling extensively in
this country, but evidently he had not
enjoyed the life here. In fact, aunt and
he fell into discussion of the manners
and customs of the good people of the
United States. You should have heard
her; she is patriotic to the core. She
told him he had had no opportunity
to learn how the people really live; and
then she insisted that he should come
here, for a few days at least, to get just
the experience in which he was lack
ing. He accepted the invitation, after
a little hesitation. Honestly, think
he was glad to escape the hotels for
awhile. Last evening he and aunt
talked for hours about their travels,
about this place and it's people. She told
him how she was gaining under your
care. and how fortunate she was in
securing such skillful attendance in
the country. Perhaps it is as well that
you didn't hear her. Flattery is disas-
trous sometimes, isn't it?"
You should know better than II
She laughed lightly.
Nothing but good was said of you,"
she went on. aunt dwelt upon your
success with her, and your regular at
tendance upon the old man who lives
over there" She pointed to the knoll,
with which we were almost abreast,
being distant from it hardly 100 yards.
''She told him what hermit exist
ence Mr.-Afr Lamar-that is his name,
isn't it?-seems to prefer"
WAS he Interested"
'Shall l tell you the plain truth? It
may spoil the story"
he truth Always, Sd1O J..
AT first he was interested, but very
soon he delicately managed to change
the subject
81 don't blame him." muttered,
with a glance at the house showing
above the scrubby trees. Her glance
followed mine.
DIR Norris" she asked, after a
pause, sis that Mr.. Lamar deaf? When
] tried to rouse somebody in his house
the other day, the place was as unre-
sponsive as a tomb"
THE comparison is excellent said
7. avoiding a direct answer to her
query. as most men with an aversion
to unnecessary falsehoods would have
avoided it. 1.-The servant is deaf, and
her master is sometimes so self-ab-
sorbed that he is even worse off than
She"
What a wretched existence. Is his
health altogether gomez"
He is more comfortable now, than
when he came here"
i knew that she was studying my
face. but kept my eyes averted.
1T is strange that in this gossip
loving village so little is known of
him." she went on. lone hears that he
is retired brewer from the south; but
that seems to be the limit of knowledge
OF his antecedents.''
1T is the accepted version" said I.