Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1904-01-21
TURNER'S ENGAGEMENTS
By G. AUGUST MITTELL
Copyrighted y Publishing
By G. AUGUST MITTELL

While away, it is possible that Tur-
ner had not done as he should have
done, or had done as he should not
have done. In meaure disturbing
sense of this oppressed him. he en-
deavored with the best possible grace
to Danish such thoughts. Unfortun-
ately he discovered that success did
not attend the mere effort There
was that thing, which has sometimes
been misnamed conscience, and
which allowed him but little peace of
mind.
He had been away from his home
village long enough to forget the faith
due Louise, the girl to whom he was
engaged, and to become involved in
delightful and altogether satisfactory
affair with that other girl. He saw,
distance and separation aiding his ac-
| tive imagination, that Louise was in
| comparably inferior to her rival. The
fates so ruled it that Turner, whether
| willingly or otherwise, was much in
the company of Eleanor. the brilliant
| girl whose star was now so phenom-
| enally in the ascendant. Matters prog
ressed with undue haste. Turner, If
not man of sudden fancies and
| dominating impulses, was nothing.
! Weeks that seemed to him as months,
so filled were they with teeming Incl
dents, were hardly necessary in the
maturing of his affection. The admit
ting of this love to himself barely
/ preceded the declaration he made to
Eleanor. Perhaps he would have been
| more circumspect and less hasty had
he not felt sure that he foresaw his
answer. The sequel substantiated
what, until then, could be no more
than an opinion.
Thus it CHANGED that Turner, with
out actively desiring to play the part
Of deceiver, was engaged to two girls
at the same time.
Originally Turner had been a man
of honor Even now he possessed a
few stray sparks; his subsequent acts
attested to the truth of this. He wrote
a long letter to Louise, going to much
| trouble to treat the subject exhaust
lively. He told her just how it was,
/
best for both of them, and contritely
begging her to forgive him. He re-
wrote the letter, revising it carefully.
| When satisfied that he had done the
best he could the letter was laid aside
for a day ere being dispatched on it's
explanatory mission. By the next
morning his gooa intention had es,
1 Nv F,,1I
consigned to the open CRATE. In mo-
ment a small heap of ashes was all
that remained.
Now that he was home for a time,
he determined to tell Louise. He was
no coward, but he realized the amount
Of moral courage requisite. The aver
sion ne felt for IL, and the selfsacri.
flee ii would impose, he looked upon
as the price of his perfdy
When he called on Louise he took
note of many things. She was re.
splendently beautiful in her simple
gown, this he could not pass by He
saw, too, the look of love and trust in
her eyes. For the first time, perhaps
a pang of real remorse shot through
| us HSdi IhSy ldlhSd IOllS anu
earnestly; now of the present. the
past, the possible future, and their
love, planning with the enthusiasm OF
young lovers.
As the time passed Turner saw il
become more difficult to tell the trust
ing girl what he had to say. Once
indeed, he had approached the subject
by asking her: What would you
think and say If told you that had
been faithless to your"
~ would not believe you," she an
swered at once.
Hastily Turner retreated from his
dangerous position. nor did he fee