The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-11-11
Society Pals,

He, Jim Broughton. was an officer IN
battery OF artillery stationed at Bray
bridge.
She. Maude Brierley. was the daughter
OF the Vicar OF St Botolph's, village
three miles from Braybridge.
They had only known each other for
few months. and without being actually
in love, were conscious of feeling Of sat
isfaction when each caught sight OF the
other in a drawing-room. in a ballroom.
or a meet Of the hounds.
She's here, anyhow. so il won't be so
deadly" was more than once the IN
spoken observation OF Jim Broughton. as
he found himself perhaps one OF three
men, handing tea and coffee AT a O'Clock
.'crumpet-worry," where females most
do cOngregate.
Maude also had more than once said
to her sister as she drove into Brayoridge
for some entertainment or other:
II hope Captain Broughton will be
there; all these sort of things seem 10
go off better when he is there"
But she would have utterly laughed
to scorn the idea that she was in love
with him.
But The man took a different view OF
the friendship. He began 10 feel so in
sufferabiy bored at any gathering from
which Maude was absent, and she always
appeared to him to be so genuinely glad
when she met him, that he quite made
up his mind that he had only to put the
important, If rather trfte and ancient
question, to find himself the accepted low
er of the incest girl in the neighborhood.
Yet Jim BToughton was not a conceited
man-in fact, the reverse-but he had,
like many men, been always trained up
in the belief that every girl, especially
every girl belonging TO a large family,
was bent on getting a husband; as TO
what the husband might be like. was, he
believed, matter of secondary import
ance to the girl. Hence the mistake he
made and his consequent discontinue.
He found himself one afternoon, while
hunting within a mile of St. Botolph's;
there was no scent. and it had come on
to snow, so, under the circumstances,
perhaps he may he forgiven for turning
his horses head away from hounds at
in the Afternoon, particularly when he
could see through the leafiess branches.
creaking in the snow-storm. the house
which held ;he girl he was beginning TO
feel ne could not do without.
Some mole people came TO tea, and
Broughton found himself sitting in rath-
er a far-oft corner of the big drawing
room with Maude. He thought that she
looked perfect little lady, from the coils
of her pretty hair (the one beauty the
girls few enemies allowed herr to the
point of her tiny shoe; and. more than
that, the thought came to him that she
was a good woman, and every man. be-
iieve. however bad he may be, deep down
in his heart hopes that the woman he
loves may be that
Presently Droughton bent towards her
and IL a low voice addressed her as
''Maude:" he had never called her so be-
fore, and she thought ii little forward
of him. Then she understood thai Cap
tain Broughton-Jim Broughton. as he
was called by everybody-was asking her
TO marry him!
But she had never dreamed Of marriage
with him. Thought chased thought
through Ter brain. Had she encouraged
the poor fellow? How nice it was of
Aim! Would it au.t him much 70 be re-
fused!
In the pleasant twilight Broughton got
his answer.
why did you ask me that, Captain
Broughton?' He heard in her voice a
new note, a note of pity or of pain. Il
cannot do what you ask me. Never, I'm
afraid. 1 am so sorry"
Never mind" said poor Jim Brough-
ton.
And the worst of it was. wherever she
went she heard his praises sung.
one night she, with her father and
mother, dined at the AgTdochs'. 1t was
a large party. As they stood and sat
about previous TO dinner being announc-
ed. Mrs. Brierley glanced with justifiable
pride at Maude: she. in pearl-gray. look
ed. in the subdued light Of the standard
lamps, a charming picture of graceful
refinement Maude was talking to a COM
monplace old lady about the ravages OF
the influenza. There were two young
fellows in pink near her; suddenly she
heard one of them make a remark which
seemed to stun her and stop the beating
Of her heart.
Poor jim Broughton got bad fall"
so | hear; horse came right on the
top of him, l believe"
Yes. served him right. you know; he
had no business to ride at such place"
Maude found herself praying that she
might not faint or make a scene, for this
news hurt her terribly. After he had
got his answer that wintry afternoon he
had Systematically kept away from her;
she never met him now at peoples houses
and she never thought she would have
missed him so. And now. perhaps, he was
gong TO die.
lis Captain Broughton badly hurt7'
she asked the young man at her side, in
a voice she tried TO keep steady.
There was a little catch in her voice
which for the life OF her she could not
help. The young fellow glanced quickly
1T her
Il don't know. Miss Brierley; he may
have only wrenched some sinew-yOu can
as hard as he could where there was abb
soiutely no foothold for a horse; he has
been going like a mailman the last few
weeks. l can't think what has come to /
him
Maude talked hard and fast about the I
Nerediths dance talked the subject 10 (
death. Discussed floors and how TO make /
them slippery; she complained that the Z
music had been too far away, and then /
said she liked Il far away; sad Mrs f..
Meredith was the best hostess IN the /
world and then found herself agreeing I
heartily with her neighbor when ne said
she never Introduced a soul; in fact, her
was SO odd that the young
man in pink told the other young man
n pink that he thought she was rather ,
dotty."
Next morning her father went IN 20 in /
auire for Rroughton. he was not going
10 die His collar bone was broken and .
he was one big bruise. but = few weeks
OF laying IN would. the doctor ssid. put .
everything right
By that evenings post the poor fellow.
who had been eating MS brave heart out 4
in silence for so many weeks past re- 4
ceived a little note which put HIN IN 4
state OF foolish delight
As soon as the doctor allows you = 4
ran. you must ask Two Q, Us % tea .
with you, I thlnk perhaps should recon-
mend Lucy - being the most restful. but
N gong q - one % Them. ~ ladser |