Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1902-08-09


you-you had better remain here
You will leave me here, Dick-you
will cast me off-what when my child
comes-no father to see it's dimpled
cheeks-no, no; it must not be; rath-
er death than that. You swore you
loved your Nita-you promised you
would wed me in the church as your
people do" and her form was shaken
by a passionate outbreak of grief.
Come, come, Nita, don't take it so
hard; you are something fierce. 1 will
provide for you and see to it that
when trouble comes you will not
want for anything; but, of course, you
can't go with me-"
'Dick, you made me love you.
was good girl till your lying tongue
led me astray. God help me. 1 be-
lieved all you said-believed you loved
me. Now you throw me aside; curse
your white American skin, you have
played with me. ruined me, and 1
swear by my mother, go and leave me
in my disgrace, and my spirit shall
follow you till my wrongs have been
avenged" and with the air of an out
ragged princess, Nita left him to
ponder over what she had said.
He never beheld her alive again
Manila for home Capt. Dick Johnston
identified the remains of female,
which had been fished from the bay
by a patrol boat, as all that was NOR
tai OF "Nita.'
Six months had passed, and to-day
old st. Johns church of Topeka wax
thronged with a fashionable assem-
a 90 oil fn ho OF
for the marriage of Miss Nettie Col
burn, daughter of the Hon. Francis
Colburn, to Capt. Richard Johnston of
the Kansas volunteers. who had lately
returned from the Philippines.
Carriage upon carriage was deposit
ing its brightly arrayed occupants at
the door of the old edifice; the gray
haired priest was standing at the
chancel rail; the appointed hour had
arrived and passed: ten. twenty and
now the half hour was here, and still
no bridal couple.
The wedding guests sat in feverist
expectancy; the reverend father, eve
ing the entrance impatiently; when
the doors were thrown open to admit
an officer in full uniform. who hast
ened to the altar and spoke to the
priest in low tone.
There was look of sorrow on his
kindly old face as he dismissed the as
semblage with the startling announce
ment that there would be no wedding
to-day"
The evening prior to his wedding
day Capt. Dick Johnston was passing
quietly at his bachelor apartments
with his friend and comrade, Jack
Dunn. captain in the Fifteenth U. s.
Regulars
"As 1 was saying, Jack, tomorrow
should see me the happiest of men;
and yet the recollection of that affair
with Nita 1 can't get of my mind-It
almost drives me frantic at times
'-Jack"-Dick's voice was solemn
and tremulous-"I swear to you l have
seen her-Nita- three times this
week, and right here in this room"
"Oh, the devil, Dick laughed Jack,
you have been tippling too much; late
hours and loss of sleep will make a
healthy imagination. you know.
Damn it, man, how could you have
seen her when she has been dead six
months or more? Did 1 not see her
buried in the old Jesuits' ground at
Manila? Cheer up, old man; 1 al
most believe the nearness of your
wedding day is making you nervous
ugh, Jack, I will never forget her
threat that night will never forgive
you. and if you leave me, my spirit
shall follow you and avenge my
wrongs See. hear it now. Dick; it
has been ringing in my ears all day"
Poor little Nita," he continued,
meditatively, Il did treat her shabby:
but, Jack. could never have married
her, though I wish now had not
wrnneed her sn