The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-11-11
4 CAUGHT AT LAST.

was about to retire for the night.
He had thrown off his vest, released
his collar and cravat, and taken of
his boots, but there his diyesting pro-
cess had suddenly ceased, and we find
Mr.. Thackston sitting upon the edge
Of his bed as motionless as a statue,
holding boot in either hand, and at
times gazing silently from his boots
to the gas JET, and from the gas jet to
his boots. "
A person might have surmised from
the bachelors appearance that he was
In doubt whether to complete his di-
yestment and 90 to bed, or resume
what articles he had already taken of
and sally forth for little more enjoy
ment, or that he was racking his brain
over a question of more serious inter-
est. A few words from the gentleman
himself, however, will spare the tor
lure of conjecture.
$50, So" he unused, looking down
npon his boots with smile of amuse-
ment, and swinging them between his
knees like pendulums as he spoke.
$50 Ralph has gone-eh2 Gone mad,
and been married? Well--well, who'd
have thought itp Aud Pm the only
one of the club left single. Ha, ha!
What grand triumph this is for me.
The lasti The only man of the whole
lot who had the power to resist 1t,
Ia, ha! You're quite hero. Harvey.
my boy! They all said you would go
Hrst. but you didn't! Several of them
vowed that they would be the last ones.
Several of them had the impudence to
VOW they never would be married.
But they have all succumbed at last.
Love, the conqueror, has levelled them
all like reeds under the scythe, or ten
pins before the bowling-ball. l stand
alone, the only survivor of the dread
full carnage. Poor Ralph! Gone! and
he was captured so helplessly. Amelia
WeathersCon's bright eyes and hand
some curls were too strong for him,
much as he used to profess himself in
vulnerable to q score of Amelias. ia,
hal What q helpless bit of clay man
seems to be, with pair of black eyes,
beautiful face, and cluster OF curlS
confronting him"
Mr.. Thackston here stopped swing
Ing his boots, and transferred his at
tention suddenly to the gas jet.
THE flame Of love" he soliloquised,
lis metaphor probably inspired by the
dancing gas-light-''the fame OF love
has devoured them as chat, and here
sit a self-coaceited salamander-a
FLOATING victor. Your turn now,
Ralph said to me, parting at the club
tonight. Yes. my turn, l know, but
turn that will be totally devoid Of
svent.' Not so, they all said. You're
no more love-proof than we are, Har-
vey. You have had will enough to
stick it out to the last, which must
have been extreme torture, but you'll
Euccumb, never fear Neverl Never!
| have lived bachelors life too long
to relinquish it in the very zenith Of
glory and delight.
.Whatl Surrender liberty for slav-
eryi Give up my jolly life, that owns
not even the shadow of authority, for
that welded bliss which holds for the
innocent victim the gloomy prospects
OF rigorous system, punctual hours,
spicy breezes, occasional hair-dress-
ings. cradles, soothing-syrup, and
much else too distracting TO think of
Step from Elysium into Bedlam! Ughl
the Thought makes me shiyer. II
should take such mad step my con-
science would torture me to the grave.
I'd be playing false to my club, to my
night-key. and to the general principles
of good fellowship. Some people think
my sentiments rancid. Let them. I
have been called woman-hater. /
am notl can revel in a woman's
smile and sweet talk as well as any of
them. / can look upon woman with
as much true admiration as any Of
them.. but / can admire her from the
proud height ofimpartiality, and while
toying with the fatal hook, prove the
fact that / am an extremely hard fish
TO catch. Oh no-Pm not woman
hater. I'm man Of common sense
that's what I am" s.aENI .-..
With this sage reflection, MIR. Thack-
ston threw his boots into corner, ar
fayed himself in his night-costume,
)nt out the gas, and went to bed.
A few days subsequent, Mr.. Harvey
Thackston was enjoying his summer
vacation among the most fashionable
circles of Newport society. Handsome
and wealthy, courteous, jovial, and
generous In the highest degree, Mr..
Thackston always created q marked
impression in whatever society he
chose to enter. h
At Newport he was in his glory.
The jolly, happy-go-lucky,. free-and-
easy beaux, the stately bellies. and the
Haunting coquettes, all focked around
him, the former to revel in his charm
Ing company, and share his magnifi-
cent wine, the two latter to endeavor
with the charm OF beauty, and the
science Of artifice. to snare him in
their nets, and effect the capture of q
millionaire aud his fortune. ~
For the first class Harvey cared a
great deal. To them he devoted his
heartfelt attention; for, rollickinG care
less fellow that he was, he loved good
fellowship. and was bound TO enjoy it.
no matter what the cost. For the lat
ter classes. he cared comparatively
nothing. he was bachelor, man
mho, regarding the sublime passion,
possessed, il was said, heart of ada
lnant. insulnerable to charm, unas-
Bailable to stratagem. What cared he
for their smiles and coquetryp Moth
Ing. He let their cunning articles
pass unnoticed with the utmost limo