Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-02-23
THE TWO MORTONS.

Dolly Is the most maddening, tan
talizing, peryerse and charming
might as well admit 1t; you'd soon have
found it out-young woman of my ac-
quaintance. I've been in love with her
for five years. and it's wonder my
hair isn't white; sometimes | think 1t
Is turning gray; but when | spoke to
Dolly about it she said | was not to
bother; | was old enough to be gray,
anyway. An. that's where Dolly hurts,
and she knows 1t; for | am fifteen
years older than she is, and when that
willful young woman wishes TO be par
tcularly cruel she treats me with re-
spect.
| know that among my friends | am
considered to have fairly good sense;
| can talk nationally on most subjects,
and stand we'll enough In my profess
sion, at least enabling me to keep my
head above water But when I'm with
Dolly, or in her presence, I'm an ass, a
drlvelng. foolish ass. A lunatic from
an asylum would be a brilliant con-
vcrsatlonalist compared TO me. And,
alas. Dolly knows that, too, and she
torments me and makes life an unut-
terable burden TO me. | start to make
sensible remark, when suddenly
meet Dolly's eye; then | stumble and
say the wrong thing, and she will re-
mark, do you really think that?" with
such a wicked look in her beautiful
III t,,l- all
but have Just said it. And so 1t goes
on until | wonder sometimes II | am
quite right. When we go to dances-I
say we, for I'm always there II l know
she is going-things are little worse
than usual, for Dolly dances past me
with cads of men, and stand about the
wall watching her. She never will give
but two dances to me, so | have moth
Ing to do in the meantime but watch
her.
One night | was desperate. l had
sent her violets rs uSual-she is par
ticularly fond of them, and most of my
money goes that way. Sometimes she
wears them, and often carries them,
but this night they We're nowhere to be
seen. and in her hand was one large
red rose. went up to her; appearing
to be sorry to see me was the particu-
lar form of torture which commended
itself to her on this especial night.
You here" she said, lifting her eye
brows in establishment and without a
smile; all put on. of course, because l
ain always where she is.
20, no, I'm not here; I'm somewhere
else | said. wittily.
She laughed immoderately.
"Nou're-so-fnnny," she remarked.
choking.
Yes" said |, severely Il suppose |
am funny. very funny. But where are
my vlolets:'
why, had you-any-vlolets? said
she. Il didn't know--how should
know" She said 1t seriously, but
there was look in her eyes that was
used to: I'd have liked to shake her.
Dolly. you know exactly wnat
mean; where are my violets?'
If you mean the violets You sent
me-" she replied, with dignity, Il un
derstood that after they left you they
belonged to me; do you want them
backg'' This freezingly.
"Oh, Dolly" | said reduced once
more to my usual condition of asininity.
Il didn't mean it. dear; | don't want
the ID beg your pardon; of course, |
don't want them: only wanted you to
wear them or carry them you Ennu.
darling"
But she saw that she had the best OF
me. so she carried things with a high
hand
The rose was sent me by friend
sue hesiIated-"and suppose have a