Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1899-01-21


earth 20 Independent as o weil-to-ds
young widow. swinburns's found that
out"
'Ned. I can't bear Swinburnc, but I'd
rather she'd marry him--as soon as It's
decent to marry anybody-than 60 out
there and fling herself In Randy Mer-
RAMS way again. Everybody knows
the story"
"Yes. Itwasrather o public exhibition
Of mitten-giving. I'll admit" says Parry,
refiectively, "and not two years ago,
either" he added. Then suddenly
"Lot, what sort Of fellow Is Capt. Graf
toni"
"a very dignifed, majestic parsonage
"a good deal older than she is, you
know, but she's devoted to him and he
TO her. There's Q woman who doesn't
do rs she pleases, let me tell you! Capt
Grafton will have no nonsense going on
under his nose, and I'll tell Fan that II
she thinks to resume her old filtration
with Merriam, she'll have to blind Graf
ton first"
my love, you forget the compact.
You're not to tell Fan anything except
good-by. Yes-you may send our re-
CARDS to Merriam by her. He's par
ticularly nice fellow, II she did throw
him over for old McLane and his for
tune. And, Mrs. Parry, shouldn't be
surprised II our particularly pert and
pretty sister were taught very valu-
able lesson. Therefore do as say, let
her 20, CAL I mean let her 60. And.
talking of going, suppose you drive me
home with you. Wen stop and see Fan
a minute-and Swinburne."
And stop they do, finding the broker
magnate still there, though in evident
straits. Is II possible for man in love
to look pleased at the coming OF Wis
itors in the midst Of even prolonged
tete-a-tete? Swinburne doesn't. He
looks infinitely distressed, and Parry
doesn't fail to remark II.
"Hullo, Swinburne! Who'd a thought
Of seeing you here at this hour? Isup-
posed you never missed day like this
for a drive, yet your team isn't at the
door,"
"No-er-I had business to discuss
with Mrs. McLane before her start for
the west-a journey which ! had much
hoped to hear Mrs. Parry has dissuaded
her from taking"
"Oh, bless you, mol" responds Parry,
cheerfully. "The doctor advises change
Of scene and air, doesn't he, Fan? And
Sedgwicl's the very place for both.
There's no scenery within ten miles Of
It, and there's more air than they know
what to do with ten hours out Of 10. It
blows blizzard there six times week,
doesn't It, FAM"
"Then I presume the residents Of the
post must be unusually charming to
offset such monotony Of landscape and
such Objectionable climate" says Swim
burne, stiffiy, and looking ruefully at
the fair young widow. ~ have not the
honor of anybody's acquaintance
there" he adds.
1902" says Parry. "why, there's
Capt. and Mrs. Grafton, old friends Of
Fans, you know-that is, Mrs. Grafton
Is. and there's Lieut.. Merriam-splendid
fellow, that! We knew him so we'll
when he was on duty at the Point. And
there's Minturn, Of the artillery, there
with his battery. He used to visit US
often when Merriam was philandering
about Fan here. Oh, yes, there's raft
Of pleasant people there"
Mrs. McLane's pretty face at this
juncture Is a study. She is flushed, al
most fearful; ready to pull Ned Parry's
hair in wrath, yet hardly able to re-
strain her merriment ut sight Of Swim
burne, who sits in open-mouthed dis
may. For downright mischief broth
er-in-law has opportunities accorded no
other mortal, and Parry Is at once her
torment and her delight. Mrs. McLane
has been known to say that Charlotte
took q very mean advantage Of her In
having met him first and '.landed" him
before he ever saw the sunshine Of her
own lovely blue eyes.
Very little alike were these two sis
tiers, despite the fact that they had lived
most of their life together. Educated
abroad by benevolent aunt after the
death Of their devoted mother, the girls
had returned to America the great year
of the Columbian fetes, and Charlotte,
the elder by two years, had met Ned
Parry, q rising and successful young
lawyer, before they had been home a
month, was engaged to him before the
autumn leaves were falling-before Fan
even dreamed that anything Of the kind
was in contemplation, for she, at the
moment, was having what she termed q
simply deliriously delightful time at
the Point. Harriet Palmer, her especial
friend at school, both at home and
abroad, had married Capt. Grafton
early that spring, Fan making almost
her first appearance in society as one
Of the bridesmaids on that occasion,
and being much impressed with the de-
votions Of the groomsman assigned to
her, q handsome, soldierly fellow by
the name of Merriam. He WIS an off,
GER several years the junior Of Capt.
Grafton, but, being Of the captains reg
iment and conveniently stationed al
West Point, he had been called into
requisition with others Of his cloth,
and q very pretty wedding they had
had. And then, rs luck would have It,
Grafton himself was offered detail at
the academy, and rather than take his
bride to the far frontier so soon after
their marriage he accepted It, and there
they spent the summer; and there, In
July, Miss Frances Hayward Joined
them at Mrs. Grafton's urgent request,
and there did Randolph Merriam fall
deeply and devotedly in love with her,