Dodge City times. [volume], January 24, 1880, Image 6

About Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892

Image provided by: Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS

                
-1 S01JSET IN DIALOGUE.
FittMC (on the lauii).
Couif totlie terrace, Maj the uii Is low.
MiV (inthehou--c).
Thanks! I prWeriny Jirowningheru Instead.
Fhwk.
There arctwo peachea by the straw berry-bed.
Mv.
They will be riper if hu let them grow.
FllAK.
Then, the Park-aloe i In bloom, you know.
Mat.
Abo, ber .Majesty, Queen Anne, Is dead,
Crank.
Hut surely. May, our jony must be fed,
MAT. '
Ami a, ami 1?. I fed blm hours ajjo.
'Tii uclt-H, Fruak you m I ehall not.-tirl
FlIANK.
Still, I hd comet bin j; you would like to heur.
3Ur.
No doubt, t-ome new lrU oliiy of men.
Flt-IMC.
Smv, tl a thing the gentler wx deplores
Chiefly, 1 think
Mr coming to the window).
What U tbU secret, then?
Frank (inyterIoiily).
There are no ej e more beautiful than yours!
Auxtm Dobton,
SOSG.
"Spirit of tlic Summer woods,
Hreathl.iK through f ar solitudes,
!Ialeu' for the north wind Mow;
Shortly Jail the uiiilry Mum;
Witli tl.e IiinMnjr and tlie bee.
Soon thou'llllnd norooiulorttiec'
Spirit of tho Autumn irrove,
U li-n the footMep idly rrnes.
Ami the rustling leaves nrouml
Whirl and settle mi the pruund.
Ila-lo thee, for the pentunlrinc
ltuls the world and thru ndieul
Ins ao the violet fled.
And yunow by the rlverS bed;
lxnx itj the jrolden-rod
Faded, ami the slIk-wecd'Hrtod
Sowed witllslUery Hakes the air.
Floating, hoverin;-, eerywhere.
Now the fox-lire on the lilll
Miowalhnt nteht jrrow dark and chill ;
Wliil" the clou -uonu by the stream
Faintly shhiei with faded beam;
And astern 'mid the leafless bowers
ihut the day time of thefloweiM
Draw the curtains; cloc the door;
Kid t lie hii'kory lilaze and roar;
Make the lie--jrars want thine own;
llest the weary; cheer the lone;
Then, old Winter, ntnie with me
Thou my iruest and sons shalt b !
-!ViH.M.l:ri2gtttn Scnlner! "Jlrvxt-flrac
MONSIEUR.
I raised my cjes from my book to
those of M. De Mott was it magnetism
that controlled them? anil, as I en
countered his searching look, I verily
ticliuvo that I blushed, though 1 ac
counted myself too hackneyed to give
evidence of such freshness. However,
my glance happened to fall, next, upon
the mirror, and I smiled with a little
feeling of self-contempt: a glance in
that direction usually sullieed to excite
that emotion, for albeit I had an ideal
iirain, and would gladly have found
therein a beautiful face, per contrary I
was accustomed to teeing a sometimes
sallow visage reflected from its surface.
Whatever my capabilities, I was used to
meditating, they were not those of
bending mankind at my feet in homage
-of ray beauty; and whatever gift.s a
woman may have, to her mind nothing
quite compensates this lack. And in
contract there was always near me that
face of Loraino's chiseled and tinted so
beautifully.
It was lor this reason that I took M.
De Mott's scrutiny so ill. lxira was at
my side, and I knew he had been com
paring us; so I made some miserable
jest that no doubt caused him to place
amiability among my other needs.
" It is strange, Olie," said my cousin,
" that there, are times when 1 can not
make you out."
Dear, lovely Lora, I hardly think she
ever mado me out. She might have un
derstood certain qualities which were
but accidents of my nature, but the real
individual, whether in gracious mood
or otherwise, she did not understand.
" I tim scarcely orth the trouble, my
Loraino," I replied, pinching my arm
in punishment for what I hail said that
annoyed her, " but look iu the glass and
vou will see. IVoplo are like what they
look to be; their faces can not utter
.falsehoods. Yon, Iora, are like a flow
er. What a pleasant sensation a glance
-at you man bringan observer!" (Lura
bluhel now under 31. l)e Mott's smil
ing eyes), "while 1 look at the s-piare
jaws."" M. l)e Mott smiled at mc, and
I.grew angry, and was led to say, " Itut
A will gain the respect of the worthy and
live as well as though I were beautiful,"
and I glanced defiantly his way.
" Now does Miss Ofive say the most
sensible words she has yet spoken. It is
Balzac who has said that a plain woman
is only in danger of being loved too well.
But I am only taking Miss Olive at her
own valuation ; it would scarcely bo po-
bto to call a lady plain.
, " Your politeness is very suggestive,"
; I replied. "I am plain, and no one will
j ever love me " A peculiarity of Miss
Olive's to utter words which afterward
caused the forehead to tingle with shame.
' I)e Mott turned his eyes away with an
j amused look. " It will do for Miss
i Olive to make such statement only lie-
I fore mc, but in presence of some other
gentleman it might meet with a practical
denial."
" He must mean Lawrence Wharton,"
I thought, who was only drawn to me
by the law of opposite, I always cx
, plained to Lora when I thought she no
ticed his preference. Iarrcy,as we called
i him, was a ward of my uncle's, lira's
j father, and lived in his family; M. I)e
Mott was my uncle's partner; I also
was in my uncle's charge.
Bcforo leaving, 51. I)e Mott invited
me to a concert that night; he had al
ready secured Loraine's attendance.
He had asked mo at the eleventh hour,
hoping I might have some other oppor
tunity; but then there were always lions
in the way if I wished especially to go
anywhere, so I accepted his escort.
At the concert we had not long been
seated when Larrey joined us, looking
tired and nervous.
"He should have come around for
me in time," he said, " but old Morton's
wife was sick and he had taken his place
atjthe books." (Larrey was unoccupied;
he had but just made his exit from col
lege, and had not yet decided upon his
life work.) " The" governor says that
the oooKs must oe Kept up, so i snau
have to work until Mrs. Morton mends."
" And the salary?" I asked, in concern
for tho old couple, for I knew it was
their only dependence.
" Oh! that goes on of course. -What
could I do with it? My quarterly allow-
anco has to go a-begging now, I can
I not find ways for it."
The blessetl larry: l well Knew
that, from the expensive keepsakes that
I had so often thrust back upon him.
" If doing His bidding constitutes one,
you, Larry, must be one of the Lord's
servants." I said to him.
Ho smiled, pleased at my approval.
"Olie, you will return in my carriage.
Monsieur is not particular about having
charge of more than one lady."
Monsieur was, perhaps, watching for
the entrance of the cantatricc, and did
not reply.
" I)e "Mott, will you give Miss Olie to
my care for the remainder of the even
ing?" M. I)e Mott turned slowly and exam
ined me with cold, critical eyes.and turn
ing from me indifferently, replied to
Larrey, "Miss Olive is "at liberty to
make her own choice."
His sang-froid always made me irate,
and I replied, ' Thanks, Monsieur, mv
choice shall be a good one ; it shall fail
on yna, Larrey."
In our set Monsieur was considered
something of an enthusiast. He had in
youth left France, diguted with its
rulers, and fired with admiration for our
free institutions. In the Franco-Prussian
war, when Napoleon fled from
France, ho returned to it, and took up
arms. Later, despairing of its ever lie
coming what he had once hoped for it,
he returned to his adopted country.
For two years ho had been connected
in business with Lora's father, and, not
withstanding the pre-tige of his career,
wu had never during that time discov
ered in him any indications of ardor.
For me, 1 hall mv privatoopinion con
cerning his enthusiasm. I believe that
his nature was phlegmatic and his cir
culation sluggish, and for his heart
bah! it was but an organ furnished with
the proper auricles and ventricles for
receiving and propelling the blood,
which latter never throbbed slowly with
pain or quickened with a generous emo
tion. A week from this time four of us sat
tinder tho trees, on a warm September
day. Larrey had drawn unnecessarily
near, and, as uual, upon such demon
strations on his part, I took occasion to
bore whatever listeners 1 might have
with a sentiment of my resolves. They
were in tho direction of celibacy.
" There was no true marriage with
out suitability," I stated, having my
syllogistic thebr- all at my finger-ends.
" I was peculiar, therefore unsuitcd to
that state, and I would not dare trust
my happiness," etc.
Iarrey sighed, and Lora watched him
furtively.
" I had no adaptability, no conform
ity; with Lora it was different." She
colored under I.arrcy's inspecting eye,
and then Monsieur came to the rescue
, with his delicate tact, as he always did
' if wo were growing uncomfortably pcr
sonal. He dexterously picked up the
lost thread of the discourse, and dropped
, us all from its connection.
" Wherever a man finds in woman the
! nameless qualities which appeal to his
manhood, call forth his affection, de
veloping his higher nature, making him
a stronger and better man, there you
' have tbo elements of true marriage;
and when she finils one with the power
of arousing her capabilities, with
strength to sustain her faltering, and
worthy enough to call forth her entire
trust, there too is the germ of marriage.
Then beauty, or nationality, or creed
weighs not in the balance." And M.
l)e Mott arose, smiled, brought his hat
with a graceful curve over his heart,
1 bent in low salute as only a Frenchman
can, and di-appearcd among the trees.
There was a little silence, and then
said Iirrey, "Monsieur must have had
a varied experience. I wonder what
doctrine I shall propagate at 35?"
i " I am sure, Larrey, you will have un
dergone a change. At your ago Mon
sieur may have been only an ordinary,
chivalrous Frenchman."
"And now, Olie, what is ho now?"
"I scarcely know," I replied, half
, sighing, for I sometimes felt annoyed
that ho puzzled me. "Ask Lora; she
must understand him; he always seeks
her out."
" Monsieur, O I do not know Monsieur.
1 It is true he asks me out, and is kind to
me, but I am always left to his care. He
is like Olie, self-contained, but much
more impenetrable. Monsieur is a true
gentleman." The hist clause was spoken
as if in his defense.
Old Morton, as Larrey called hira.was
overwhelmed with distress. His wife,
it was thought, might not recover, and
Larrey begged us to go around and see
if we could lie of use to them. Ira,
kind-hearted, filled a basket with delica
cies for the invalid, but she could not
bear the sisht of sickness and suffer
ing, and always strove to keep it out of
tier uaiiy me.
My visit gave tho old man an oppor
tunity for rest, and I remained with the
sick woman until night set in. The
street was an obscure one, and I was
obligi-d to walk some little distance be
fore reaching one where conveyances
were at hand. I did not think of dan
ger, however; not even upon seeing two
men cowering in a doorway. They
stepped out on my passing, and one of
them grasped my arm. 1 attempted to
spring" from him, when I was aided by a
blow from bchinu me wnicn levcieumin
to the walk. The other fled. I was at
first too frightened to comprehend, but
in a moment knew that my deliver was
M. I)c Mott. Hut could this bo Mon
sieur, scarcely less agitated than my
self? " Moncijnt.ur," ho breathed as
he bent over me, " c'csl le viaage tl'ttne
fuje! How happy I am to have found
you in time! Never trust yourself again
in such by-paths as these."
, " Did you come for me. Monsieur?"
' Yes, I will always come for you, or
go with vou. But promise me."
" I will promise any thing after be-
' ing rescued from such a horror." I
stood leaning against the wall; M. Do
, Mott stood near waiting until I should
again possess myself, and looking at
me, for once, not with critical eyes.
Monsieur was eap.ible of enthusiasm.
That night when I had reached my
room I sat long without a definite
thouiiht. At last I walked to the mir
ror. ""He had said that my face was that
of an angel's. I looked into the large
gray eyes and the startled me with
their unusual light, but I saw nothing
angelic there. Did M. De Mott con
sider me his affinity, and view me, con
sequently, with prejudiced e3'cs? I
smiled, and tho mirror reflected a sar-
i castic gleam from the unbelieving gray
eyes.
A longer time than usual passed be
fore ho called again. We were in the
drawing-room, Lora and I. He entered,
as usual, without ceremony, and greeted
us, as always, with his "cold smile a
smile that was like moonlight upon ice,
' and during his stay his speech bore
traces of his occasional cynicism. I was
what I had feared I might not be at
ease with him again. Surely it was not
Monsieur who had rescued me on that
fearful night.
And so the months went on after their
old routine, Larrey subject to all my
whims, and M. De Mott still in attend
ance on Lorainc. The snow had lain
on tho ground for weeks, white and chill
as death, the flashing of bright sleighs,
and sound of cheerful bells, alone mak-
j ing tho monotony endurable.
j On one of these white cold days Larrey
I and I were out for a ride. Our steed, a
mettlesome one, from excess of spirit
I began to run with us, and at length
' Larrey lost control of it,and running into
another sleigh we were thrown forward
among the horses. We were picked up
and carried into some building. I was
conscious of all that passed, but was
i not quite sure in what world it was
transpiring. A crowd soon gathered, and
it was dispersed by the gestures of an
arm that seemed familiar to me. A
doctor arrived. " The lady first," said
a steady voice.
i "A slight injury of tho head," was
the doctor's decision. " She should be
taken home immediately."
I M. De Mott raised mo in his strong
i anus. " And Iirrey," I inquired.
" He is badly injured," said the phy-
j sician, " but will recover. I will have
i have my horse brought round and carry
' him home myself."
When we arrived at my uncle's Lora
was out, and we were alone. Monsieur
t drew up an easy chair for me and re
moved my wraps, and then looked down
j upon me with a serious eye.
! " Olive, it is needless to defy fate.
Something leads mc to you whenever
you are in need of me. I am your
natural protector, Olie."
" Yes, it seems so."
" Dare you trust yourself to me, Olie?
I have no other object to love or cherish."
J "I dare."
He looked at mc long and earnestly,
and then ho murmured, with an accent
J of almost pain, "Cher Seigneur, c'estlc
j visage d'une ange."
It brought up all the contradictions
i of the past weeks, and I exclaimed,
( " But are you quite sure it is, Monsieur?"
"Quite," ho replied gravely. "All
these months you have only known De
Mott. Monsieur you have met but
twice, and the second time you promise
to become his wife."
Larrey had received severe injuries,
and it took long weeks to bring him
back to health. But he had three attent
ive nurses M. De Matt, myself, and,
if last mentioned, not -the least, Lora.
! She shunned no longer sickness and
pain. One day, when the birds were
1 with us again, and the beautiful flowers,
I sat upon the veranda reading to Lar
'rey. ' " Olie, let's put up the book," after
awhile ho said to me. I closed it; Lar
I rey's will had become law with us, he
was such a patient, unexacting invalid.
" Do you know, Olie.I think we never
j quite understood Monsieur."
1 I smiled.
"In the old days (it seems so long
ago that I was well) I fancied that he
did not quite approve of my admiration
for you: but now he listens patiently
i when I speak iu your praise, .and some
times presses my "hand as though he was
1 thanking me." "
"Does he, Larrey?"
"And of late I have grown to think
that Monsieur was right; that there U
something we can't define that makes
one person the suitable mate of anoth
j er, and that you, Olie, were never in
tended for me."
"I am not good enough, dear Lar
rey." ! " You are too good for any one, un
, less it be Monsieur. But, Olie, should
, Monsieur one day be of mv opinion,
promise me that nothing shall interrupt
our friendship."
" Nothing shall, Larrey."
" And now, Olie, do you think I could
ever make Lora happy?"
" You could make her very happy."
1 " Well, I mean to ask her that qucs
' tion when I am strong again."
Just now we ee a tall figure coming
I up the walk, and soon a smile, no longer
i like moonlight upon ice, greets us both.
, My finger's are pressed by a warm hand,
and my eyes arc met by a glance that
j thrills me. Itrrcy is "wearied by our
long conversation, and ho enters the
I lioiisu leaning on tho arm of Monsieur.
i Marie S. Lwld, in the Domestic Monthly.
.
I Ministeus' of the interior Cooks.
f.