The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-11-24
Major Rumsey.

It was the proud boast of Mrs Malt
worth. widow of the late Captain Robert
Naltworth of the til Cavalry. proprie-
tress OF the Esmerelda Hotel, Seabreeze.
| that in each of the twelve years during
which she had owned and managed the
establishment on the shore ar SeaOreeze
| she had successfully brought two young
people into relations with one another thai
! had resulted in matrimony. To tell the
| truth, Mrs Maltworth was a born match
maker, as many q young Lieuten2R AIT could
have witnessed.
Mrs Maltworth was one of those rare
individuals who can sink their own dis
comforts and smile on the pleasures or
| others. II was largely due 10 this fact
that the EsmereIda had prospersd, and du-
ring the season its rooms Were flooded
with young people bubbling over with
holiday spirits. who joked and laughed to-
gether as if the office and the counter
were nothing more than mere imagfnings
which would not re-appear at the expird-
ton of brief fortnight.
But Mrs. Maltworth and her :wo deugh-
tiers were growing respondent. The sea-
son was rapidly growing 10 close. and
as yet no two young people had been at
tracted 10 each other. To be sure, there
had been one or two mild fiirtations which
had excited considerable expectation. but
they had not developed" and had expired
before the participants left Seabreeze-
Here's a letter from a Major Kumsey,
my dears," said the widow one morning.
He wants to come next Monday with his
son and daughter to stay-why, he doesn't
say how long he viii stay"
who is hep" inquired the elder Of the
Misses Maltworth. prim young lady OF
3, whose living interest was centered and
circumference in the cutting down Of ex-
pensss at the Esmerelda
The widow passed the letter TO her.
He writes from Shoreham. you see, and
that is very select. We shall have to put
him and the son in the second floor front
and his girl in the room opposite ours"
The younger daughter nodded approval.
She was a pretty girl, who had all me-
mothers amiabiity and tenderness. mix
ed with her fathers sOldierly pride.
Major Rumsey duly arrived with mis- son
and daughter. He was a middle-aged
gentleman whose hair was sprinkled with
gray, labeled military from head to foot.
and possessed of a bluff, hearty voice
that instantly won the widows heart.
Il always feel thoroughly at home win
army gentlemen" she confessed to him
ere he had been in the house half dozen
hours. You see, I'm a soldiers daugh-
ter and married a man who carried COM
mission"
prise and honor me-"
Yes, my poor husband. Captain Matt
worth of the til Cavalry"
Wheat" rOared the Major. springlng
from his chair. Your husband-o old Bob
Maltwortn of the -th?'
The same, SIR
My dear Mrs. Maltworth. this is in
deed a pleasure. ] and old Bob-erICap-
tain Maltworth. were mates together be-
fcre-have you never heard him speak of
his old friend Rumsey?''
BLESS my soul. my dear lady" contin-
ued the excited Major, walking to the
window. Fancy coming across the widow
of my old friend The world is. after
all. quite little place; now. isn't it?''
The opening of the door and the en-
trance Of Mabel caused him to turn
round.
Mabel. my dear, this is Major Rumsey
-and-and he is an old friend of your poor
papa's."
The Major bowed TO the fair young
girl before him, while she blushed and
murmured. How dy do" in so pretty a
manner that the Major was on the in
slant charmed and captivated
That evening there was a merry party
in the widows little drawing-room, which
excited considerable curiosity among the
other boarders. There was much laugh
ter and just a few tears on the part of
the hostess, and that night young Harold
Rumsey dreamed of a blushing. blue-eyed
girl who had called him Mr.. Rumsey'
no end of times, although he would have
gwen anything to have been called Har-
old.