The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-25

but y0u must remember llal ! nave no
little girl to look after me now. Think
it over. think it over as We drive back.
A stepmother can't be as bad as-well.
Well. give me a kiss and be quiet.
4 am ready, good people, iuter-
rupted Mrs. Kennedy, tripping briskly
in. Run and put On your things, my
dear and let us make haste. We have
news for Archie, haven't we2 He will
be so astonished."
'sWhat has come over the colonel"
Heaven knows. Or perhaps the 9th
er place has more to DO with it. he
looks very queer"
Tsome old bullet making itself un-
pleasant"
More likely to be a new bullet. be-
tween ourselves He looks as II he
would be happy to put an end to him
self. May mean to do il with halter.
What do you meang'
Why. ne is always hooked on 10 old
Mrs. Kennedy Never comes to the
club now But If you look over there
youn see him three days a week, sit
ting In the middle Of smoke and var
nish, while the old lady frisks about
with a teakettle"
The men grunted. They were smok-
ing in the veranda Of the Golf Club,
a solid stone building with tower,
and they looked across the links TO an
initiative structure that the Ladies'
Club had erected on a hiIlock Ladies
were not allowed in the club. and to
avenge the lack Of privilege they had
made law that no man should enter
their domain. When they had parties,
they handed teacups out the windows.
But gradually the severity Of the laws
lessened, and fathers, brothers and 9th
er peoples brothers were taken into
the pavilion and given tea In the small,
vanished room. with its rows Of lock-
ers and its smoking stovepipe.
OF late the colonel-the colonel who
used to sit and smoke with his cronies
in the club after his round on the long
course-had been observed with hor-
ror pottering around the ladies. linked
with Mrs. Kennedy. and STOPPING his
head under the pavilion Intel. His old
friends began to fancy that he was
mad.
1t was one fine afternoon. when the
sea and the sky were blue and the golf
links were a vision Of green delight
that six veterans sat in the club yeran-
da and judged the colonel.
Its all up with him" said one.
pointing grlmly with his pipe to two
objects on a far hillock One was the
colonel, leaning heavily on his putter-
and the other. skitushly clad in scar
let, was Mrs Kennedy. "All up With
him. An old soldier should be able 20
run away. However, he has gone down.
He is going to marry her"
The other five started out Of their
chairs.
Absurd"
"True." and there was a universal
groan, in the middle Of which a new
ccmer pushed open the glass doors and
came out on the veranda.
what are you plotting, hey2" said
he. They made room sadly.
YOU have come home to behold
strange signs and portents, Sir James.
said the teller OF the news. Your old
fame-Mrs. Kennedy-is going to get
married"
What? Annie Kennedy She must
be an Old woman" remarked Sir
James. settling himself in the midst
He was a rakish old baronet with a
twinkling eye and a love Of gossip.
The smokers drew together and told
the news, going on to other stories and
the doings OF ten good years.
Il shall go and call upon Mrs Ken
nedy," said Sir James, with a chuckle.
H.
Mrs. Kennedy sat IN state in che
peacock drawing-room. She had had
many callers lately.
Rose was a meek accessory to these
receptions: she shook hands and sang
when she was requested and then SUD-
sided or managed to slip away to watch
for glimpses OF Archie across the
street Mrs. Kennedy did not require
her presence.
The bride-elect was in All her glory
when Sir James came to call A party
OF lady friends had just departed. eyi-
IDENTIFY struck by the youthfulness Of
their hostess She had grown--or made
herself twenty years younger Tho
knowledge that they saw 1t brought a
gleam Of triumph to her eyes a. she
stepped forwugd to greet her old adj
mirer.
You are quite a stranger IN Scot
land. Sir James" she said.
who drove me away" said he.
dropping into the manner or a great
many years ago.
Mrs Kennedy laughed airily She
was looking her best. with a bright dab
Of pink upon either cheek The gout.
I was told. said she
Sir James edged his chair a little
closer and chuckled She was a lno
woman, and had worn wonderfully
so you are to be Congratulated. hey7"
he said. II didn't know you we're "a
the market 'Pon my honor. Il Is too
badr
Mrs Kennedy'a eyes were lit up with