Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-01-11
MAJOR RUMsEY.

AAd1VWOIull, WluOW Oh the IdV6 NdDL
Robert Maltworth of the -tlh Caval-
ry, proprietress of the Esmeralda, Ho-
tel, Seabreeze, that in each of the II
years during which she had owned
and managed the establishments on
the shore at Seabreeze she had sue
cessfully brought two young people
into relations with one another that
had resulted in matrimony. To tell
the truth, Mrs. Maltworth was a born
matchmaker, as many a young lieu.
tenant could have Witnessed.
You would have lima gined from the
smile on her goodnatured, motherly
face-which had taken on just the
faintest suspicion of wrinkle since
Providence removed the captain from
this sphere-that sorrow and worry
had given her a wide berth. In this
you would have been pardona bl v
wrong. She was enc of those rare in
dlviduals who can sink their own dis.
comforts and smile ON the pleasures
OF others. 1t was largely due to this
fact that the Esmeralda has pros
Pered and during the season it's
rooms were flooded with young peo-
pie bubbling over with holiday spir-
ITS, who joked and laughed together
as If the office and the counter were
nothing more than mere imaginings
which would not reappear at the ex-
piration of brief fortni CHIT
But Mrs. Maltworth and her two
daughters were growing respondent.
The season was rapidly growing 10 a
close, and as yet no two young peo-
pie had been attracted to each other.
To be sure, there had been one or
two mild firtations which had ex,
cited considerable expecta ton, but
they had not developed" and had ex-
pired before the participants left
Seabreeze.
Here's a letter from Mai Rum
sey, my deairs,'' 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 will stay"
"Wlho is hep" inquired the elder Of
the Misses Maltwonth, a prim young
lady of %, whose living interest was
conferred and circumference in the
cutting down of expenses at the Es-
meralda.
The widow passed the letter to her.
He writes from Shoreham, YOU
see, and that rs 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 APP
proval. She was a pretty girl, who
had all her mothers amiability and
tenderness, mixed with her father s
soldjerly pride. Many susceptible
young men had been captured by the
attractive face and charming style of
Mabel, but she judged them from so
high a critical standp point that few
passed muster. SO Mabel wisely
treated them all with "a great amount
of Politeness, and as wisely admins
tered a cold rebuff when their atten-
tionS became warmer than necessity
warranted.
Maj. Rumsey duly arrived with his
son and daughter and an immense
Quantity of luggage, which surprised
NOT only Mrs. Maltworth but the
boarders at the Esmeralda, who com.
pared vt with their own modest port
manteau, much to the dscredit of the
laitlter.
The maj or was a middle-aged gen.
tleman whose hair was generously
sprinlSled with gray, labeled military
from head to foot land possessed of
bluff, hearty voice that Instantly
won the widows heart
Il always feel thoroughly at home
with army gentlemen" she confessed
to him ere he had been in the house
half a dozen hours. "You see, Pm a
soldiers daughter, and married
man who carried commission"
Madame" replied the major, you
surprise AMID honor me-"
Yes, my poor husband, Capt Malt
worth of the -th Cavalry"
What" roared the major, spring
ing from his chair. Your husband
old Bob Maltby of THE -th?"
"The same, sir"
My dear Mrs. Maltworth this is
indeed a pleasure. L and old Bob
er-Capt. Maltworth, were mates to-
gether before. Have you never
heard him speak of his old friend
Rumsey?"
The widow, with choking in her
voice, did, nov she came to think of
81" have a hazy recollection of hear
ing her dear Robert refer to a certain
old chum of his named RumSey. but
she never would have connected him
with the major before her. Dear no.
that she never would.
Bless my soul, my dear lady"
continued the excited ma ior, 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
entrance of Mabel caused him to turn
round.
Mabel, my dear, this is Maj. Rum
ey-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 d'y' do" in so
pretty a ma nner that the major was
on the instant charmed and capti-
waited.
That evening there was a merry
party in the widows little d4.aw wing
room, which excited consdera bic GU
riosity among the other boarders.
There was much laughter and just a
few tears ON the pant 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
given anything to have been called
Harold. tt
The visit of Maj. Rumsey, Mr.. Har.
old Rumsey and Miss Eleanor Rum
sey (to quote the Seabreeze News)
was decidedly a time of unqualified
endowment The haDnineSS Of Tho