The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1902-01-17

new ring upon her fo:enngsc-ano
John was very unhappy.
Mr.. AyImer Hastings, let 1t be I'M
derstooG, in Il way too vague to be COR
vincing, that he Was "on the board or
trade" lie had glib fund OF CONVEX
sat;on relating TO wheat and pork, anc
the operations Of Phillips in corn, whis-
pered mystericusly of "inside opera
;iuns," and once had confided to Medo-
ra'S papa. who WAS an unsuApectlhS
gentleman given over to the purchase
OF butter at lGH cents and it's sale al
~ cents, that if the latter chose to g"
in," he 0lastings) could place hin:
right" But the elder Folsom d;dn:
care to go in," which was just as we'll.
for Hastings was only clerk in buck
ct shop and couldn't have ''p'aced"
dollar fright" to save his life. In
truth, the purchase and sale account:
of his own daily Gabblings in thousands
bushel lots of grain and the ten-share
transactions in blackboard "stocks"
was wocful thing to see, and kept him
on the ragged edge of penury.
But guess he was engaged to marry
Medora all right enough. Girls are SO
queer.
When the week of the horse show
came. Msdora wanted to 60. This was
not only natural, but quite reason
able. When girl trims her own hats
and has to be economical in buying
new gowns, the horse show becomes
great school of technical education.
~ ~ or q
life to see, you know, than horses.
Now John. good John, when he
learned Of this natural, reasonable as
piration of Mrdora, promptly offered
to take not only that young lady. but
her thcr, too. This overture Medora
declined with frigid thanks. Mr.. last
ings (of the board of trade) could take
her, she said But Mr.. Hastings didn't.
lie was particularly close to shore that
week.
"Medora, DEAR" said this artful one,
eve will save our pennies to furnish
our own little nest, darling. Horse
shows cost money"
"Well, there is the chrysanthemum
show" pouted Medora, land to-day the
enough, il one goes in street car"
Lets so to the flower show in Lin
coin park, dearest,' said Aylmer.
EVERY little we save now will help us
a good deal later on
Therefore Medora dearest went with
Avlmer to see the flowers in Lincoln
park.
The day was fair. In the int oNication
Of sun and perfume and youth Medora
grew radiant. She began almost to
believe she loved Aylmer and as his
wife would be happy.
They strolled out of the conserva-
tories into the bright November air
and soon, without purpose, found
themselves part Of the great crowd
which had turned its eager steps into
the animal house, where the monkeys,
the elephants and the reptilia have
summer house. Head Keeper Cy De
Vry was experimenting the removal
of his pet serpents to winter quar-
ters. A Gordon of policemen kept the
crowding spectators at safe dis
lance. The keeper used long stick
with a running moose on its end to
snare the snakes. Then he thrust
them into a padded barrel, covered it
with a burlap sack, and attendants
rolled it away.
All were disposed of but Satan, the
huge diamond-back rattlesnake. He
seemed apathetic in the chilly air.
The keeper noosed and lifted. The
great snake withered viciously. Then
the moose slipped and he fell upon the
floor. In an instant the huge creature
was in a coil, his 1lenacing warning
sounded in a sharp rattle, and he
darted his deadly fangs at the keeper.
There was a wild panic. Policemen
and crowd alike fled for the doors.
They were closed. Against them
burst this furious, impctuous, unrea-
soning crush of men and women in
fear. The weak were trampled. The
strong struck vicious blows at those
who opposed their fight.
At the first burst of alarm Medora,
who had stood quite near the keeper,
grew deadly pale. Then, as she re-
membered that she was leaning upon
her Aylmer's protecting arm, her
heart gave an eNuitant leap of pride
and confidence. His strength was
hers. He would save her, if he could.
If not-wcll, they could die together.
But as the girl looked up into her
lovers face she saw it had grown
ashen. His lips were aquiver. She
felt the shaking Of the arm her fingers
touched. Hepushed her roughly away,
then with dismaycd cry of craven
fear turned and fed. Medora stood
quite still. Her voice had eft her now,
but a great wave of shame for him, of
contempt for herself that she had
loved thing so craven, swept her be-
ing.
n shouting cry which called her
name from some far-otf rock of sa fety
awoke her to herself. She looked. a
man, lcaping through the now opened
doors, whence the struggling human
wedge had burst at last, came with
huge bounds toward the center of that
strange arena where Keeper DE Vry