Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1906-06-02
| MissAngel's
| Messenger
Copyright. by Joseph B. BowIes.)
BY ETA w. PIERCE

1t was at the opera house that
first saw her, on a grand night, wher
the carriages were full of swell folks
and the show at the door was as gooG
as 'tother inside.
She was dressed in shiny CLOAK
ibordered with feathers, and where il
fell back her gown showed shiny, too
Two other folks were with her-a
stout lady, with her head well up in
the air, a tall, 1air dude, who wore
iviolets in his button-bole. The girl
'carried bunch of violets, too. She
Hooked like an angel.
When 1 had sold out my papers and
lgot a sandwich from the woman in
the alley 1 sneaked back to the opera
house door to see the show come out.
Presently that girl appeared again.
but with another mana fat, dark
party, who wore d blazing stone in his
shirt front and mustaches twisted up
at the corners. The girl looked tired,
and something seemed to have gone
,amiss with her.
I didn't see her again till the day
to be f1rst-rate friends. Many a
hamper her coachman tugged up our
rickety stairs, and mother and
never lacked for food nor fire from
that time out. She was everywhere
among the poor CT the district 1 be-
gan to think it must be mighty I'M
pleasant business, too, for she got
paler and sadder all the time.
The weather turned cold and there
was snow, and the rich folks were
sleighing in the park. So 1 thought
ff 1 went that way 1 might catch a
glimpse of Miss Angel, and l did.
For whom are you looking, Bob
by?" says she.
For you, Miss Angel" says I, and
I came near letting out a yell of pure
joy. Twas ner own self, in a walking
dress with fur on it, and her hands
thrust into a bit of muff. She wore
violets again in her ,reast, and
smelled 'em, and they were sweet.
But we didn't have a talk. She
hadn't fairly settled herself on the
bench with me when along came the
fat dark man, with the big stone in
his shirt front.
81 saw you from afar, Edith" says
he; pray, allow me-" And he just
showed me aside and squeezed him
self down beside Miss Angel I'm
glad to see you abroad again, Edith"
says he; 81 called repeatedly during
to admit me-
''They obeyed my orders" says Miss
Angel, very cold and stiff like.
81 see that you bear me some
grudge,' says he. Maybe it is about
Dacre. All, he is a sad dog that
Dacre!''
And who has helped Dacre in his
downward way?" says Miss Angel;
and her voice was uncommon sharp.
well, really, l don't pretend to
know" says the fat man. Some say
it is that French actress, Bebe, and
that she has a mysterious forest bow
er at Hemlock Hollow, a few miles
out of the city, to which Dacre makes
frequent pilgrimages. 1 have reason
to think the rumor true. Dacre is a
great favorite with your sex. Then
his fast male companions"
"Stop. 1t is contemplate, sir, to
SANDER the absent! Dacre's closest
companion has been yourself, Col
Hay. To you he owes his financial
ruin. AS for the other charge" and
she grew as white as chalk, ''I'll tell
you frankly 1 do not believe a word
of il Dacre is the victim of a crafty
foe, who follows him in the guise of
a friend"
My dear Edith, said the fat man,
''are you not a little unreasonable?
did not suspect you could so sharply
resent my honest statements. To be
sure, Dacre was once your lover, and
you broke the engagement because
your father insisted upon it,
you poisoned my fathers mind
against Dacre," says she, land, being
i'll, he believed all that you said.''
'sYou refuse to believe in his little
errors? Well, here is a message which
he gave me to wire not an hour ago.
He thrust a paper under her eyes
I didn't have on my company man
ners, and looked, too. This is what
I read:
It sail tomorrow for Australia, to
begin life over again. I must take
Bebe with me; l cannot bear to leave
her. VIII come tonight
You have said enough" says Miss
Angel. Leave me now, Col. Hay"
His face grew black as thunder, but
he got up from the bench and went
away. She sat awhile, looking down at
the ground; then says she:
Bobby, If You had a friend whom
you had loved and trusted a long
time, and you should see him lying
very low-perhaps in the dust at your
feet, and all the world turned against
him-tell me, what would you do?"
why, lend him a hand, of course"
says I.
She bent and kissed me-heaven and