Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-06-13
tcence that simply uaddened her adj

mi>ers.
| Highly, of course, was the most ar
dent of pursuers. He swore that she
was the most beautiful. woman In
Chicago. and his hearers were In
| clined to agree. One evening he was
standing on the steps of the college
descanting upon her charms to a
crowd of sympathetic fellow stu
| dents.
''Such a shape! Such "a"
"Cut that out, Highly" bawled a
voice from the door behind him. Ev-
erybody turned to see Brock coming
| out. His face was pale with rage.
His big fists were clenched, and his
voice trembled as he went on:
You'll have to stop talking about
this young lady, Highly. won't
stand it,
Haven't I a right to admire"
Admire, but keep your mouth
shut
Brock paused for a moment as il
to restrain his rising passion. Their
his face softened, he came closer anG
almost whispered: =
Excuse me, Hig, old man, I didn' t
mean to be rude Then he turned
to the students and said: Excuse
me, gentlemen, I want to speak to
Mr.. Highly privately"
They went away together, arm in
| arm, Highly mystified and big Brock
bending over him in earnest converse
ton. Nobody ever heard Highly talk
about his "new fairy" after that. In
stead-a change came over him for
which none seemed able to account.
He quit drinking and took to study.
He grew serious and staid in words
and habits, and began to shine a bit
at examinat ions. The students thought
they understood it all when word went
round the college that Brock and the
laundry beauty had been seen togeth-
er at church. Certain it was that Brock
the austre, Brock the woman hater,
Brock the ascetic, had at least won a
measure of recognition from the
naughty beauty round the corner.
She was seen talking to him across
the counter, and the smile on her face
was certainly not inspired by any ar
gument over lost collar. Along to-
ward Christmas Brock began to take
her home from work. They seemed
very confidential and happy as they
marched away, and every man in the
college envied the Kentuckian. The
queer part of the affair soon developed,
however, and after Brock and Highly.
one at each side of the goddess, had
been seen escorting her from the laun-
dry, nobody knew just what to think.
Every man in the college knew that
Highly was violently and proba bly,
hopelessly in love with her, that Brock
had "cut him out" and that the
chances, were good for a fierce and
bloody feud between the two former
friends
1t was just before the final examina-
tions that Highly made verbal an
nouncement of his approaching we'd
ding.
''Who's the lucky girl, Hig?" the stu
dents would ask.
"Oh, you don't know her." he would
smile. "I'll introduce you after the
wedding. We're to give all you fellows
reception and a chance to dance in
our honor. Brock is to be best man."
That seemed to settle it. Of course
Brock wouldn't be best man for his
successful rival, and the students de-
cided that Hig was to marry some So
every professor and student in the col
lege, and when the night of the recep-
ton came none of them knew any
more about the wedding than it had
been so1emnized privately in Louis
Vile.
Highly met them at the door. Be
yond stood old Brock, radiant and
towering, shaking hands with every
body, and smiling while the tears
stood in his eyes. Just behind the
big Kentucl1ian stood the bride.
Prof. Hatfield, with a dozen favor
tie students at his heels, was the
first to see her.
~Professor,' said Brock, introduc-
ing him, "let me present you to the
bride, Mrs Highly, my sister"
1t was the laundry queen, the new
fairy, the goddess around the cor
ner.
''Whose bride?" blundered Sykes,
grinning as he came up.
"Why, Higby's, Of course" laughed
Brock.
"Whose sister," whispered Sykes
looking puzzled, as he gazed at the
rare splendor of the beaming bride.
''My sister, Sykes" said Brock, and
in a few moments they all under
stood.-Chicago Record-Hera1d.
MRS. ASTOR LAVISH HOSTESS.