The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1898-03-18
THE TWO MORTONS.

Dolly is the most maddening. tan
talizlng, perverse and charming
might as well admit 1t; you'd soon have
found 1t out-young woman of my ac-
quaintance. I've been In love with her
for five years. and it's a wonder my
hair Isn't white; sometimes | think II
Is turning gray; but when / spoke to
Dolly about 1t she said | was not to
bother; was old enough to be gray,
anyway. All! that's where Dolly hurts,
and she knows II; 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 l am
considered to have fairly good sense;
| can talk nationally on most subjects,
and | stand well enough I'm my profes-
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, n
drivelng, foolish ass. A lunatic from
an asylum would be brilliant CON
versationallst compared to me. And.
alasl 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 D0lly's eye; then | stumble and
say the wrong thing, and she will re-
mark, 'Do you really think thatY with
such a wicked look In her beautiful
blue eyes, while | don't think at all.
but have just said II. And so II goes
on until | wonder sometimes II | am
quite right. When we go to dances-I
say we, for I'm always there If know
she Is going-things are little worse
than usual, for Dolly dances past me
with cads of men. and l 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 I was desperate. 1 had
sent her violets as 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 n
smile; all put on. OF course, because 1
am always where she Is.
20. no. I'm not here; I'm somewhere
else" | said. wittily.
She laughed immoderately.
're-so-funny," she remarked
choking.
"Yes," said l. severely, "I suppose I
am funny, very funny. But where are
my violetsT
why, had you--any- vlolets?' said
she IL didn't know-how should l
known She said It seriously. but
there was a look in her eyes that was
used to; I'd have liked TO shake her.
Dolly, you know exactly what /
mean; where are my vlolets2'
III you mean the violets you sent
me-" she replied. with dignity. II un-
derstood that after they left you they
belonged to me; do you want them
back?" This freezingly.
"Ch, Dolly" l said, reduced once
more to my usual condition OF aslninity,
Il didn't mean II. dear; l don't want
the d. beg your pardon; OF course, |
don't want them; l only wanted you to
wear them or carry them. you know,
darling"
But she saw that she had the best of
me. so she carried things with high
hand.
''rhe rose was sent me by friend"-
she hesitated-"and l suppose have q