The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-29

..Weli, you must have gwen some at
tention to the study of the art if you
really purposed devoting yourself to it.
Give us sample of what you can do. :"
"Yes, let US hear YOU" joined
Wanda.
"Do, please, Mr.. Burnham." urged
Bertha.
A desperate resolution entered Burn
hams heart; it was crisis of all his
secret modification, self-scorn and vex-
alton. Sweet as those girls were he
would put them to confusion. He
would read from Macbeth!
He leisurelv got down from Nine.
Muller's bookcase battered old copy
of Shakespeare. His finger points fairly
quivered as he turned the leaves. He
deliberated; read now and then Jew
eled line; halted at this rare speech,
fingered with lovers greed over that;
and. finally cleared decks for action at
Act T., Scene III. Dunsinnane.
Enter Macbeth, Doctor and ATTENDANTS
His hearers gave polite attention. He
subdued himself properly at the outset,
but reused to fine martial fervor when
he ordered his ''banners on the outer
wall" Wanda's face had been
gradually deepening in color and
Bertha's was like ripe cherry.
But Burnham was past blushing now;
he had bearded these two kittens in
their den, and his spirit rose in proper
ton to his daring.
bravo, Bravor' applauded Cuth-
bert and Madame when he had con-
cluded, somewhat heated and wrought
up. Bertha gave guilty start and fol-
lowed suit with a tender clapping OF
hands. But Wanda was silent.
As soon as Burnham had let himself
down an octave or two in his emotions
he ventured a furtive glance at Wanda
Her eyes were full of tears.
All. what brute he had been to re-
sort to such an unmanly revenge. What
would he not give to beg her pardon.
$50 on" cried Cuthbert, ''that's not
half enough. He does uncommonly
well, doesn't he, Miss Wanda?"
Nonsense" sneered Burnham, sits
sheer bombast. I can't read-don't
ask me. Let's talk of something else"
No amount of fattery or persuasion
could induce him to go on after having
made Wanda cry. He put the book
back in its place.
"Sing, please, Miss Bertha-there's
nothing like music" he said.
A blast of north wind seemed to have
blown over them, so chilling was the
influence that had fallen. They lost
sight of the fact that they were about
to form a club for mutual improvement.
Three of them knew where the icy
breath came from, but Cuthbert was in
ignorance.
"What's the matter? You all seem
to have been stricken with kind OF
thunderbolt.
Bertha FASTENED to the piano. She
was not usually so willing to sing.
Burnham sought Wanda on the sofa.
She did not wait for him to speak.
at was you who were reading in the
room next to ours the first night we
came to this house. 1t was very rude
in me to rap on the wall. but it was
ruder still to laugh about it afterward.
[ was always ashamed of it, but never
so much as now"
"Why more ashamed now than be-
fore?"
"Why-vou see az long as believed
it was that fat old gentleman felt sort
of justified, because-well, L suppose
because he is old, and fat, and wheezy."
"And now?"
"Now-it is different"
81 had better right to disturb people
than if l had been more advanced in
years and more corpulent2 That is
your logic, as understand it."
''If you tease me shall be glad did
it"
81 for one am not sorry. Experience
is a fine disciplnarian. 1t was nearer
like being henpecked than any thing ]
can imagine. 1t was delightful"
Two years after that, when one fair
June morning the preparations for q
double wedding were all completed il
the distant Kansas farmhouse, ant
Wanda stood in rose-red confusion tC
be looked at by her soon-to- be made
husband, Burnham WHISPERED, Wanda
you began your authority over me with
a paraSol-handle, and now it does moi
require even so much as the tap of your
fan nor. scarcely the we ght of you,
finger to control me. What is the
power, dear?"
He knew without asking. &C. D
Cardinal, in Chicago Tribune.