Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-03-21
The Dick and
Dorothy Affair
BY d. H. TALMADGE.
Copyrighted by Authors Sydicate.)


THE first intimate we at Bowling
ton had of the circumstance con-
sisted of two black headlines in the
Daily Gazette, surmounting half col
umn of commonplace nouns, exhil-
arated verbs and vivid .adjectives,
which really were not warranted.
Dorothy Epworth had gotten beyond
her depth in Redstone lake, and had
been in fair way to drown when one
of the boatmen at the Chummel inn
rescued her, that was all. Dorothy
was ever doing something to draw the
attention of the multitude. We at
Dowlington had little patience with
aer. We doubted her sincerity in the
present instance, suspecting. as ex-
,erience had taught us to suspect
hat her distress in deep water had
,een simulated. She could swim like
sduck.
Therefore it was that we discussed
he matter entirely ,Hitkont show CT
motion and, in part with severity.
Mrs. Trowin, whose brother Dick
vas desperately in love with Dorothy
nd manfully avowed that he cared
lot who knew it, was particularly de-
1ded IN her remarks.
t'I can just see that girl" said she,
owering her eyelids in way she has,
I can just see her. coming it oyer
hose people! I'll warrant you she
lid not attempt to threaten her little
tragedy until the shore was wen lined
with spectators, and the newspaper
reporter was at point favorable to
observation, and Dick-poor, foolish
Dick! Why does he persist in wear
ing his heart upon his sleeve?-was
so situated that not narrowing de-
tail could escape him. I'll warrant
you her heart was fairly bursting with
mischievous citation, even. while her
cries for help were thrilling with hor-
ror those who heard. o, know her!
Don't tell mel"
She dabbed yiciously at the salad
with her knife, which act precluded
any doubt of her sincerity, and lis
tened patiently while others OF Us said
things. Then she continued: s.s
Dorothy will know after awhile
what I say of her here. She will
wheedle and coax it out of some of
you, every word. But I"-and Mrs.
Trowin's voice at this juncture was
well worth hearing and her face was
well worth seeing-tam not afraid of
her. Is not a sister justified, pray tell
me, in shooting morsels of opinion at
the one who trifes with the hottest
sentiments of an only brothers heart?
Has Dick not followed her like an alb
iect hound for more than year? And
has she not made of him spectacle to
delight the giddy throng? Yea, verify.
he, hot ho RI nh
ter of a prophet, yet will suggest to
thee story which will in time circu-
ate throughout the circles at Red
stone Lake and attain certain popu-
larity on Swellvue avenue itself. Dor
othy Epworth will confess. She will
admit that her distress in the water
was merely assumed-assumed,t to test
Dick And the world will laugh at
Dick because he stood like a stick
while a common boatman rescued her.
o, it is abominable!"
None of us took issue with Mrs.
Trowin, and the conversation Jagged
heavily after this. We knew Dorothy
Epworth. Some of US feared her. All
of us feared Mrs. Trowin. Hence the
conditions were not favorable to
pleasant talk. We were distinctly re-
lieved when the dinner was over.
The subject was not again referred
to seriously for three weeks, at the
end of which interval the wisdom of
Mrs. Trowin was proven, to her own
satisfaction, at least. Dorothy had re-
turned from the lake to the city, and
Dick, of course, had followed. The
Trowins had closed their house at
Dowlington, and Mrs. Trowin had sig
nalized the occasion by crying. out as
she stood at the carriage door: 1.-THE
season is dead! Long live the sea-
soni" Whereat we had clapped our
hands and murmured: Glow charac-
teristic! What a woman she isl" quite
as though she had said something
orth while.
And the very first chip of gossip set
af1oat upon the winter seasons stream
was that pertaining to Dorothy Ep-
worth and her testing of Eick Dove
Tin. Andsthe world as society novels
for some reason cab that class of be-
ings which in reality is not the world,
laughed at Dick as. his sister had
prophesied it would do.
sThe ideal" Dorothy Epworth was
reported to have said to the circulate
ing medium which she had chosen as
a conf;dante, ssthe idea OF my marry
ing a man of such small spirit! The
nan whom I marry must be something