Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-01-12
. HOLIDAY HUNT BREAKFAST.

Mr.. Percival Satterlee was anxious
" considering communication which
he had Just received as he sat over his
breakfast ait the club. 1t was an in
vitation-one which hundreds OF
young men in New York city would
have given half they possessed to re-
ceive. Satterlee himself would not
have parted with it for good deal.
Yet the receipt Of 1T had embarrassed
him not little
The paper was dainty and bore the
magic distinction implied by an Ell.
graved crest. The invitation read as
follows:
Halliday Hall, Long Island.
Dear Mr.. Satterlee
I'VE are down here for a few weeks
Of the foX-hunting season. and Mr..
Halliday and | would be pleased to
have you make one of our house party
for ten days from next Wednesday
MIR. Halliday desires me to add that
the Meadowmere hounds will meet at
our house on Thursday, and that he
has arranged to mount all his guests.
Hoping that you may be able to
come, am. Very sincerely yours,
'LAVINIA HALLIDAY"
1t was a poser for poor Satterlee.
On the one hand was the undoubted
opportunity to meet again and make
ardent love to the rich and beautiful
Miss Halliday, upon whom he had
danced attendance during this. her
first season in town; on the other
Satterlee had dreadful doubts and
misgivings as to his horsemanship,
and the invitation seemed to threaten
foX-hunting and hard riding between
every line. Miss Halliday herself Sat
terlee knew to be an ardent sports.
woman, who rode to hounds and was
said to break her own horses, while
her father, who was celebrated in his
youth as a gentleman jockey, was
considered one of the hardest riders
of the Long Island hunting set. As
Mr.. Percival Satterlee's experience in
this direction had been limited to one
ride in riding school, upon which
occasion he had come dangerously
near fallingo off. it was no wonder that
the thought of the Hallidays' house
party made his face pale and caused
his hand to tremble so that he could
not open his egg.
For, to tell the truth Mr.. Percival
Satterlee was desperately smitten
with lovely Diana Halliday, She was
indeed a charming bit OF femininity
apart from the prospective thirty
thousand a year-with the sweetest
disposition in the world. In person
she was rather tall, slender, with dark
bllle eyes and an abundance of rich
wheat gold hair 1t has been said that
this was her first season "out." and
during the first half of it. already
elapsed, she had half the eligible
Young men in New York at her feet
Satterlee groaned. q was Just be-
ginning to make some headwav." he
muttered And now they must get
Up this precious scheme to compel
me to make am ass of myself One
thing is very sure he snapped. ST
DIANA ever marries me I'll soon nut
an end to this fox hunting nonsense"
At first he thought Of going down
to Halliday Hall and frankly acknowl-
edging that he couldn't ride. Then
he remembered how frequently he had
boasted of his craftsmanship to Miss
Halliday at dinners and dances
Clearly that would not do. Finally
he had almost decided to decline the
invitation altogether when Dick Mid
deton entered the room.
why, hello, Percy cried Dick:
you seem to have something on your
mind. What's your trouble?"
I've just had line from Mrs. Hal
hday said Satterlee, striving to con.
ceal his triumph, for Middleton was
one of his hated rivals for the favor of
the fair Diana. "She wants me to
Join her house party at Halliday Hall
next week"
Better go, old man." returned Mid
dleton promptly. Good house-good
psople-good sport-I'll be there" he
added by way of final inducement.
Satterlee gasped, The fact that
Middleton was invited too was a Bit
ter blow, but it settled the question
for him. Moved by a sudden nspira-
ton he hastily finished his breakfast
and going into the reading room
penned the following TO Mrs. HALL
Gay;
"------ Club.
my Dear Mrs. Halliday:
1T gives me great pleasure to ac-
cept your very kind invitation for
next Wednesday. ! regret to say.
however, that my part in the sport
10 follow will noe be a conspicuous
one, as had the misfortune to spran
my bride wrist badly while hunting
in Pennsylvania recently. Perhaps |
the accident may prove a blessing,
as | trust it will enable me to enjoy
more of your society during my stay.
Very truly yours. ... ~.