Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-07-19
BGSSie'S Mystery

|
staring by the stair Never had he
seen her sweeter than when now anent
the room she shot glances barbed with
! poison. feather-shafted deep with
| gloom. Hide and seek her dimples
dancing, peek-a-boo her darting eyes,
shook the spirit of her lover, like
| cyclone made of sighs
whats the matter, Bessie Owens?"
he demanded. daft with pain. What's
the matter, Bessie owens" had worn
to q weird refrain. She had answered
with a flutter OF her handkerchief of
silk, diving into 1t her features, like
swan dives into milk. Mattered never,
never, never what he did or thought
or said, II he ever came a-near her,
promptly she turned away her head.
All the sweet road through the wood
land on the way to Host Maroon's,
she'd her white face turned to heaven,
as If seeking stray balloons. Or she'd
stare DER her left shoulder at the
| fireflies in the musk, or at blunder-
headed beetles humping daftly through
the dusk, She who once had laved her
spirit in his spirits inner deeps,
turned her gaze from his souls win
dows, taking not the smallest peeps.
"Oh, my cousin, shallow hearted"
quoted he from Locksley Hall. 'Tis
a poem Bessie worships; but she shud-
dered, that was all. Tell me, tell me,
Bessie Owens, look at me and tell me
true, has some fatal word been uttered
that has poisoned me for your"
Shrugged her shoulders like French
man; but she uttered not a word: and
no sign or token told him what the
shoulder shrug inferred. Then he
tried to be facetious told the driving
horse that Bess was a riddle he would
give bag of oats to guess. Can you
guess herr" then the pony whinnied
high a carol gay. do you notice."
poor Jack murmured, "he has prompt
ly answered Neigh" But the maiden
never Uttered; like Egyptian Sphynx
sat she, while roor Jack in falling ca
dence whispered: That's horse on
me-"
Then he thought his sudden sum-
mons for her company that night,
needed explanation, and he sought to
set the matter right This Maroon
surprise was got up very late this
afternoon. Twas remembered they
were welded on the Dist of June. Was
no time for preparation; so
found twas up to me, to either go
without you, or to drive round after
tea. Talk to me; for women talk
more Oh this day than any other. 'Tis
the longest, Bessie owen, ask your IA
Their, ask your mother"
But she got her from the buggy al
the door of the Maroons, silent as the
spectral burglar when he "burgles'
after spoons. Twas the same when
driving homeward; sat she with hel
back askew, while the dark abyss be-
tween them yawned the deeper, wider
grew. Poor Jack made some futile eff
fort to perk up and prattle gay; twas
like laughter in a graveyard, twas
like grinning when we pray. So al
last, III feebler spasms, as we've seen
green-appled kids succumb to pare
goric, straighten out and close their
lids, so Jack reached spasmodic ST.
lence, and, with eyes suffused with
tears, sat and stared at startled Night
time, and his horses webbing ears.
"Oh, my heart is breaking, Bessie!"
said he as he helped her light, to her
coiled back hair he said it, coiled so
silent, dark and tight. Look out, Bes-
sic, baCing backwards you've undone
your tresses' pins, and a miscue on
the fender made you scrape your shape
ly shins." Haughtily she lowered
and heightened, like an empress DER
a slave; "shins are plebeian, they are
something no true ladies ever have"
Then Shrek hysteric, haunting
scared the owls and bats; she fell
laughing, crying like a spirit half in
half in hell. "Jack!" she cried, "avant
don't aid me, keep your distance; tell
| must, or my heart will burst and
Stay me, knowing of your love and
trust. Jack Adair, come not anigh me
I'm unfit for your true arms!"
Another! ! will Stay him." said
Adalr, with vague alarms. Tell me
Bessie tell me truly, has another won
your heart? Though it kills me, then
forever, here beneath the trees we
part. Trees whose leaves have Whis'
pered Ger us, million voiced, about oul
love, while like echoes of our passion
sobbed the FURNISHED turtle dove"
Nay, by my soul | swear it, none
usurps your image there!" and, will
hand on heart she stood there, in The
attitude of prayer.
Then by the great horned spoor
that fed Mahomet," said poor Jack
you've the switchkeys, please to shun
me on the right and proper track
Link the syllables explaining from tn,
tank to the caboose!" and the railroad
man stood waiting, staring at the lit
tie goose.
well, you came just after supper
unexpected, dearest Jack. Keep away
now, or I'll have to switch you on an
| other track And-and-I'd haen % I