Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-09

any idea whatever of the sacredness
OF an engagement. You remember
lisa Eustis who married the man from
Petersburg? She was engaged to two
men at once, and used to wear which
ever ring belonged to the one who
was coming to see her One day they
came together. She was In the yard
when they stopped at the horseback.
Well, she tied her handkerchief round
her hand and said she'd burned her
self pulling candy. (No. neither one
'of them was the man from Peters
hurg.) When she was married, one Of
them wrote her and asked for his ring.
1t had seven diamonds set in the
shape Of cross I'm telling you this
in confidence, just as 1t was told to
me. She didn't write a reply she
only sent him telegram: Simply to
thy cross cling She wears the
stones yet in bracelet"
For time the conversation langu.
ished. Then Mrs. Clifford asked sud,
denly: "Who do you suppose she
could have been?-the girl behind that
old Valiant affair"
Mrs. Mason shook her head. mo
one knows for certain-unless, OF
course. the major or the doctor. and
! wouldn't question either Of them for
worlds. You see, people had stopped
gossiping about it before l was out
Of school,"
But surely your husband"
THE only quarrel we had while we
We're engaged was over that tried
to make him tell me. imagined
from something he said then that the
young men who did know had pledged
one another not to speak Of IT,
II wonder why?" said the other
thoughtfully.
"Oh, undoubtedly out of regard for
the girl. I've always thought it Sc
decent of them! If there was girl
In the case, her position must have
been unpleasant enough. if she was
not actually heartbroken. Imagine
the poor thing, knowing that wherever
she went, people would be saying
She's the one they fought the duel
over! Look at herr II she grieved
they'd say she'd been crazy in love
with Sassoon, and point out the dark
circles under her eyes, and wonder
If she'd ever get over It. II she
didn't NOPE, they'd say she was in
love with Valiant and was glad it was
Sassoon who was shot. II she shut
herself up, they'd say she had nc
pride; if she didn't, they'd say she had
no heart. 1t was far better to cover
the story up and let 1t die"
But the subject was too fascinating
for her morning visitor to abandon
"She probably loved one of them.
| she said 81 wonder which 1t was
I'll ask the major when I see him
I'm not afraid. He can't eat me.
Wouldn't it be curious" she continued
IF it should be somebody who lives
here now whom we've always
known; I cant think, who it coult
have been, though. There's Jenny
Quarles-shes eight years older thar
We are, If she's a day-she was nice
little thing, but you couldn't dream Of
anybody ever fighting duel over her
There's Polly Pendleton, and Berence
Garland-they must have been abou
the right age, and they never married
but no, it couldn't have been eithe
of them, The only other spinster
can think Of is Miss Matte Sue, ant
she was as poor as Jobs turkey ant
teaching school. Besides, she mus
have been years and years too old
Hush! There's Major BristoW at the
gate now. And the doctors just com
ing out again."
| The major wore suit Of white linen
with a broad brimmed straw hat, ant
a pink was In his button-hole. but t.
the observing, his step might have
seemed to lack an accustomed jaunti
ness. AS he came up the path the doc
tor opened his office door. Standing
on the threshold, his legs wide apar
and his hands under his coat-tails, he
nodded grlmly across the marigolds
GLOW do you feel this morning
Major
1 "Feel?" rumbled the major: 'tht
way any gentleman ought to feel THU
! time of the morning, sab. Like hell
sah."
The doctor bent his gaze on the
hilarious blossom in the others lapel
"1f I were you. Bristow,' he sale
scathingly, 81 reckon I'd quit galivant
ing around to bridge-fghts with per
fumery on my handkerchief ever!
evening. It's devil Of an example
to the young"
| The rocking-chairs behind thu
screening vines became motionless
and the ladies exchanged surreptitiou!
smiles. If the two gentlemen were
aware of each others sterling quail
ties. their mutual appreciation was IL
inverse ratio to its expression, and, a!
the Elucinian mysteries, cloaked he
fore the world. In public the docto
was wont to remark that the majo
talked like Caesar. looked like {
piano-tuner and was the only man III
had ever seen who could strut sitting
down. Never were his gibes so bar
bed as when launched against the ma
jor's white-waistcoated and patricial
calm, and conversely. never did thu
majors bland suavity so nearly ap
proach an undignified irritation al
when receiving the envenomed darts
of that accomplished vynic.
The major settled his black tie. -
little wholesome exercise wouldn't b.
a bad thing for you, Doctor he sait
succinctly. you're looking a shade
pasty today
"Exercise." snapped the othe
viciously, as he pounded down thu
.eteps "Ha, ha! / suppose you exer
! cisa-lazying out to the Dandridge