The Newtown bee., 1900-05-11

the widow would come back. l never saw John look better-he was hand some chap, anyway; and as for Bessie, well,-and John thought as he gs zed on the rose he had picked that it had lost | some of it's beauty. He did not stop to | analyze his feelings; and as for right and | wrong, what man can enter upon train | of obtuse moral analysis when 6 pair of soft brown eyes shatter all common sense? Surely not John. And Bessie? Well, there is such thing as love at first sight. Such love has something of the nature of rife ball, and has the faculty of plunging through many thicknesses of superimposed ma terial, and piercing the heart. I do not attempt to, excuse them, but I cannot think they meant any infidelity. Be that as it may-the tea got cold.
 My gracious ?-what's that? ?" ezclaim- ed Bessie, as thump! thump went the nocker, with quick, nervous dissonance through the quiet house, nearly startling John out of 8 weeks growth; but to my thinking, really rescuing him from Bessie's mesmeric spell. They heard the door open and the rasping voice of the eross.eyed operator saying in nasal tones: "Yes, two telegrams! Both very bad Sorry to bring them! All paid! Good by!"
 The door slammed, and the widow ap- peared, pale as ghost, bearing two brown.colored envelopes, on which could be seen the word "Telegram" in large, blue letters. She stopped short in state of perplexity. The silence was audible. The roses began to fade from Bessie's cheeks. The tea kettle whined mourn fully and the clock ticked dolefully. Halliday was the first to recover his senses. Stepping forwards trihe pale himself-he took the missives from the old lady's trembling hands, and read:-
 "Mr J. Halliday" Stamped, "Chicago, 30 p. m., via St Louis to train 3S, Bloom field"
 He glanced at the clock. Good heav- ems Could it be so late? Where had the time gone to? And Ethel-oh, misery OA thC OthOA bO lCot
 "Miss B. Darlington, Bloomfield '' Stamped. "Chicago, 4 20 p. m."
 He handed it to Betsie. He tore his open. "Juat as I ex' pected! It's all up! Confound itw He brushed past the widow, not noticing that Bessie, as white as 8 sheet, still held hers unopened. Grab. ping his broken hat, he rushed out, for. getting to close the door behind him.
 "All rignt!" he muttered. "It she wants it that way, all right!" And with hasty strides be arrived in an excited attitude st the little store, and again glared ominously st the operator.
 ''Send this quick!" and he scribbled five words, which ran:
 "Ethel Lovejoy, Chicago. All right. lyour proposition accepted"
 "There," he exclaimed, ''all is over.' Throwing down coin, he strode out, leaving the red-hsired individual to pom der upon the idiosyncrasies of love and wrathful lovers. Now, as he began to think the matter over he caught himself wondering what Bessie's dispatch con- tained. He half turned to go back and Iask the operator, when he remembered that telegraph officials are dumb as oysters; besides 1t would be an indelicate thing to do. He wished he had remained at the ssInn." He felt no qualms over the dispatch to Ethel. She was mean cruel-unreascning, and it was not his fault anyway
 mind was in whirl. Spying 8 grove o1 oaks down in the widows pasture, he thought he would seek their kindly shade and think matters over. He had once read that trees feel certain occult sympathy for Respondent lovers. There he found bench resting against the trunk of giant oak. As he approached the very first thing that caught his eye was the name "Bessie," carved in rude characters on the seat. He sank down with sigh.
 "No." he murmured to himself. "No, Bessie would not have done such thing how wish Ethel wss like her!"
 With grosn he strengthened out the crumpled telegram, smoothed it over his knee, and re-resd it,
 | Mir Halliday take this speedy means of breaking off our engagement. You have made me appear ridiculous, and have treated me sbsmefully. Farewell.
 "What wretch l" cried John, beside himself. 'I don't believe she ever did love me, and I-well, yes, I did fancy her." And as his eyes wandered back to the name on the bench, light shadow ell across it.
 Looking up, wild throb vent from his heart, for slowly moving toward him through the twilight came Bessie herself. She had not seen John yet, and not until she was very near did she see him seated there. She was very pale, and gave pe- culiar little sigh as John half rose. h. stinctivelY he caught her hand and drew her down beside him.
 "What is 1t? What is your troubleY'