Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-12-30

| der hesitation soften her usual wit and
brilliancy of spirits whenever Cameron
came up to her.
And where, in all the wide world,
could any nature be found more true
and lovable, more honest and straight
forward or one more fascinating, from
her changes and fluctuations of moods
and spirits, than Susan Haversham
Warning, the idol of my brotherly heart !?
For the life of me could not under
stand how a man in his senses could fail
to appreciate that little girls immense
superiority over Louise Morrison, that
unreliable, small-souled young woman,
whose vanity was as all-peryading as
her astuteness. Two hideous traits.
The letter was-well, a glance suf-
feed to inform me that it contained the
usual rhapsodies and idiocies.
"Itwas in the first pages Of the book -
explained she.- tearfully, "and, so you
see, Tom. that was sent to me; so with
out noticing the address I opened and
read the nonsensical thing. Do you
know, Tom, dear" continued Sue, and
in spite of her mortified distress, two
lovely dimples crept in the corners of
her mouth, sit was by a mere accident
1 noticed Louise's name on the en-
velope. 1t fell on the floor with the
address uppermost."
well, child,'' I said, "aH YOU have
to do is to notify Cameron of the ac-
cident, and let him try his hand at an
ELUSIVE epistle to his lady love, or en-
close this thing just as it is to Miss
Morrison and write her an honest ex-
PLANTATION of your error. To my mind
the first would be the safer plan of
the two. It would be little awkward
for you both, and will delay the ex-
tremely ready acceptance that is wait
ing for him, which is pity, as. if /
understood his extremely involved SEN
fences, he is hoping. I believe the fell
low wrote 'Pining,' or some such word.
this very afternoon. Wants to start
out on the new year with a CARLOAD of
illusions and fantastic anticipations of
coming happiness. Happiness. with
Louise Harrison!" added sardonically.
"Why, venture to predict on next New
Years he will be looking around for
method of escape
I poked the fire viciously, for I was
sorely grieved to note the pain way
down in the depths of Sues gray eyes.
and purposely I spoke roughly of the
absurd affair.
The little girl must needs grow ac-
customed to the situation The
sooner the better.
It'll send a note to him right off then,
Tom" Sue said. hurriedly. ct will be
my New Year greeting to him." and
she laughed brightly.
But my ear could detect iangle in
the sweet notes.
what Internal fools men are" 1
soliloquized, internally, and from the
vantage ground of my old bachelorhood
L looked with supreme contempt on
the blunders and misapprehensions 1
could note in the matrimonial ven
lures of my friends and acquaintance.
by which they SO determinately brought
untold sorrows upon themselves.
SERVES 'em right I added, men
tally.
Harris, take this note around to Mr..
Cameron and bring the answer di-
, rected to the butler. who answered the
bell You'll be apt to find Kim in
Silence fell between us when the door
had closed, and I lit cigar.
Twilight had fallen, filing with it's
soft shadows the hooks and corners of
the library. and outside the hustle and
animation Of the street were greater
than usual, for Eumaustys with it's