Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-02-13

play a solo for my especial benefit. so
that I was bound to come. That was
not a lie-the latter part, l mean.
Auntie hates music. so l knew she
wouldn't come with ms. ( shock her
~dreadfully, I'm afraid"
"A capital excuse. l shall have to
ask that first violin to dine with me,
II he is going to do many good turns
k this. How did o know him?"
She laughed.
"Oh, another of my informal ac-
Iuaintances; he fell over my p~arasol
the other afternoon n ~apOlogized pro-
fusely. so l told him he must do pen
ance. He was very humble. i told him
he must play II of my favorite pieces.
n he is going to oblige this afternoon.
"How nice. l wish l could do some-
thing for YOU"
oh, l can easily give You something
to do. If you wish it,"
please do"
Talk auntie round to more moder
views; she is such a Puritan, you ant
think. If you could do that 1 should
be everlastingly grateful"
He sighed.
The twelve labors of Hercules rolled
into one" he answered. II am afraid
my powers of persuasion are not very
good. If you will give me the opportu-
nifty l will try"
How brave of you. Well, you shall
try. We shall be on the parade this
evening. l will introduce you"
And will! try to acquit myself we'll
for your sake"
"Thank you. Gilbert she answered..
"Iiow nice of you. Kitty. to use that
name. L a no notion 1t could be
made so pretty. Don't call me anything
else any more"
Sh held up a warning finger.
I'VE are talking nonsense again; let
us talk of the people. Oh! there Is my
first violin: let us go and listen. I am
sure he will be sorry IL he does not see
me"
Gilbert was introduced to Miss Dun
stan's aunt, Miss Selby. in the evening.
and tried to make himself agreeable.
He was left alone with her shortly
after. Kitty going into h town for
something.
Il do hope. Mr.. somers, my niece has
not shocked you, for I'm SUR l do not
know what to do sometimes. she seems
to have no idea of propriety."
Gilbert laughed to himself at Miss
Selby's idea of propriety. whilst he
promptly did his best to allay her fears.
tinued she, but l do think hat wnen
a girl is engaged h should behave
with more caution"
Gilbert started. His heart sank: he
felt as though he had received a blow
from an invisible han Engaged! en-
6d6Cus"NAlty ! IlCdlI, MISS OUISl6Il"
e~ngaged?"
Yes. A good match for him. too.
Kitty has money, he has not; but if she
loves him. that is the great thing. You
did not know, then? Engaged, on yes"
Poor Gilbert. it was a blow to him.
He i not wait for Kitty. With more
haste h was perhaps in accordance
with politeness. he bade Miss Selby
good night, and walked modify down
the Parade in the depths of melancholy.
He felt hardly against the girl at
first. Was h playing with him, was
h as innocent as she looked; did h
take pleasure in tampering with mems
affections? No, h could not mean to
delude him.. Perhaps it was his own
meant-a chance mountaineering, and
nothing more. 1t was done now. He
allowed himself to fall In love, and it
was not easy to climb out.
He walked to his hotel. and sat down
to write to Kitty.
my Dear Miss Dunstan." he wrote,
Il am the unhappy recipient of a piece
once to have altered the whole course
of my life. This. you may guess, is
h knowledge Of you engagement.
For your sake, my dear girl. I cannot
feel sorry, n from the bottom of
my heart / wish you every happiness.
~ 49, PCAAASAPSs WlOA6 III AAASs O4AOCA SAlC
circumstances, to say that during the
brief time we have been acquainted,
you nave become more and more to
me, and I feel 1t very sorely that we
must end our friendship.
II say we must end 1t, not that /
blame you: but you seem now to have
become SO much a part of my life
that I think 1t better that we should
not meet again. AS our lives must
now lie In different ways, your presence
would only make me long for that
which I see now can never be.
Forgive me II I pain you in any
way by this letter. I shall remember
the last few days as among h hap
! piest of my life, and I car never for
get you. With every wish for your
future happiness, believe me. yours
sincerely, GILBERT SOMERS."
Kitty was angry with her aunt for
telling Gilbert about her engagement,
but. on the receipt OF his letter. she
sew where h had made the mistake,
n she broke down utterly. She never
thought, in her careless way. that
there was q possibility of Gilbert fall
ing In owe with her; she only felt the
pleasure Of his company; h had not
what she had done and shed bitter
tears Of repentance. Out of a pleasant
little comedy had come q tragedy that
she had never dreamed of. With tremb-
ling hand and in true pcnitence she
wrote back:
my Dear MI. somers: 1 hardly
know how to write an answer to your
letter. I did not know what I was doc
ing: I should not nave spoken. / lit
tie f0resaw this. You ask me for my
forgiveness. It 10 I that should AK
yours. lily aun was right in q way.
and In a way I did not think Of. There
is only one thing I beg Of you-do not
think that I tried to trife with YOU.
I never thought you would care for me
beyond q seaside acquaintance. I
see I have much to learn, but VIII
should ! have to learn my lesson al