Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1907-07-31


est chair. For the first time in her
aife speech failed her. She glared
wildly at her niece.
And what about Bob Malcolm, who
loves you to Distraction"
Yes think he does, and l would
rather be loved by him than by any
one I ever knew. l am really very
fond of Robert"
Then why don't you marry him?"
cannot afford it; he is too poor,
and l hate poverty; / have lived in an
atmosphere of 1t all my life. 1 want
soft, calm, luxurious existence. Jew
els, dresses, motor cars, boxes at the
opera, house in New York, trips to
London, Paris"
"And what sort of an adjunct do
you think old RUDE Pedelty would be
to that soft. calm existence?' inter-
rupted her exasperated aunt. "a nice
hgger he'd cut in motor car or opery
box. l don't believe a single person
in the Gulch ever spoke to the old
freak-until he struck it rich. I'm
sorry / took the critter to board; amt
=
He amt go no more manners than
Choctaw"
Lily laughed softly. II won't have
to see much of him after we're mar
ried, Aunt Hetty That's one of the
benefits of riches. We can each live
our own life almost independently of
the other"
1o;,
"and only last week, when you went
part way up the trail with Bob, and
was coming back, you both turned and
threw kisses at each other. 1 saw it
all from this very window"
But if We got married the chances
are we'd be throwing the crockery at
each other before a year." replied Lily,
YEARLY. Il know it's the fashion to de-
.plore amarriage without love; from my
own observation I know that one
without money is fifty times worse. 1t
entails constant companionship, and
that is a deadly foe to loves young
dream"
It's living in this high altitude that
has affected you, Lily Farrell Your
ideas are all wrong; a marriage with
out love leads to misery, shipwreck
and lifelong regret. Love is the best
thing in the world"
" Who would suspect you of being
so sentimental, Aunt Hetty, and mar
ried three times, too! never thought
you blissfully happy with either of
your husbands"
mo, amt had no kind of luck with
husbands-so far" admitted Mrs
Briggs. Miners consumption, acct
dents and bad whisky makes life very
uncertain in a mining camp. But
young Malcolm is healthy, and amt
got no bad habits, either He's a
man that's bound to win, and besides,
you're engaged to him"
Engagements are not taken seri-
.ously in Colorado" returned her
niece.
Long after her niece had retired for
the night. Mrs. Briggs sat by the open
window, thinking, planning, resolving.
She's only ambitious, not wicked"
Aunt Hetty murmured to herself.
No, II would never do; she's dead in
deltyn seem doubly repulsive by con-
trast. I'd be justified in preventing
it by fair means, or foul. Some onell
snap the old fossil up for his money,
anyway believe it's the only way"
Aunt Hetty greeted her niece with
an indulgent smile when the latter
made her belated appearance in the
Ill mi,
Here's your breakfast, dear, nice
and hot l believe I'll take a cup of
coffee with you. feel rather done up,
so | engaged James sister to come
and help me out for week or so.
I've been thinking over our last
nights talk" she continued CAS-
you've made up your mind to marry
old RUDE Pedelty, don't expect
there's anything in this living world
that can let or hinder you. But you'll
need some new clothes, as you intend
to start right of on your wedding trip,
and I won't have 1t said that a niece
of mine was beholden to any man un-
til she married him. So here's $780,"
pressing the money into the aston
ished girls hand.
"That'n get a nice tailor made trav-
cling suit, and all the other fal-lals
you need. You'll have time to catch
the morning stage. and that will give
YOU two whole days in Denver; time
enough for any alterations that may
be necessary. and get back Friday
afternoon" Aunt Hetty never lost
sight of the excited and delighted girl
until she was safely on board the Dem
yer stage.
Mrs. Briggs exchanged her plain
wrapper for becoming blue linen
suit. which she selected from her
niece's wardrobe. With the help of
curling tongs her still abundant hair
was arranged in fuzzy pompadour.
Makes a deal of difference" she
considered. complacently surveying
her reflected image in the glass. "a
little color wouldn't hurt none," rub
bing her sallow cheeks into faint
bloom, and after little hesitation.
she pinned on q gallant rad how