The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-11-27

and sang in clear, modest soprano.
Officer Kyte's head was completely
turned. He felt he had rushed
upon his destiny. In vain he looked in
the direction of the widow in the hope
that she might retire. The widow APP
propriated the chances with fattered
smile and chatted on. She showed her
own autograph-album and her daugh-
ter's; she exhibited her collection of
stereoscopic views, and gave him the
biography, so far as she knew, of every
person whose portrait had place in
her photograph-album.
At one page, from which looked the
face of youth with well-nurtured
black mustache and polka-dotted
necktie, Mrs. Trussel was discreetly
silent.
us this another cousin of yours?n
asked the visitor, inwardly wishing 60!
how devoutly) that it was Nannie's
shapely fingers turning the leaves for
him. The widow shook her head in
reply to the questions.
"a nephew, perhaps?" ventured Of
fcer Kyle, not in the least caring what
SAAS ASAnDlOAoAllp LulSSIG OCs
No relative at all-yet," the
unctuous widow returned, in the fullest
enjoyment of the mystery.
"Yet?" repeated the guileless man
blankly.
" You'll have to ask Mamie how
soon he sCiU be, continued Mrs. Trus-
sci, coming out of her shade of mys-
ticism into the blandest sunshine of
confidence. There arose throb from
the simple heart of the listener that
lodged helplessly in his throat, choking
him. He dared not lift his honest eyes
from the book, but kept them fixed on
the page with the young face How
he hated pOlka-dotted neckties! AS for
Mamie, she caught the last two SEN
fences and turned about with flaming
face.
''Mother!" she protested, "what are
you saying?" Her eyes fell on the
panied face of the distressed, foolish
Greatheart on the sofa by her urbane
mother, and she lost the power to say
more. There swan a mist before her
eyes. Officer Kyle forced to look up,
caught glimpse of her flying blue
skirts as she fiirted them out of the
room. The realization that she was
gone aroused the combativeness which
circumstances had cultivated to so high
a degree in the sturdy policeman. He
determined to fight. He began a SEEM
ing retreat.
Il have kept you up long enough"
he said, rising with decision that
checked Mrs. Trussels vehement ex-
postulations.
"Say goodnight to Miss Mamie for
me. And may l come tomorrow at
one o'clock and see you alone for a
momentP l want to see you about
some particular business"
The relict of the late Captain James
Richard Trussel, being of a mind that
no time was so good as the present,
queried; "Why not now?"
''No, not now," returned the deter
mined guest, and, repossessing himself
of his helmet and the lightest and most
useless of canes, marched out in the
moonlight with stride as martial as
if he were leading an onslaught against
barricade.
A middle-aged lover is the most in
fatuated of his kind. The hitherto
practical brain of duty-loving Police
man Kyle was as full of visions, for the
nonce, as a poets. His dreams that
night after he left the widows house
were broken by floating phantoms of
golden-headed, dove-eyed maidens.
They foated about the lumber docks,
they Owed into the river-legions of
them-and he was positively relieved
when morning broke, even though he
awoke to the consciousness of rival
for his love. The days familiar mo-
notony seemed strange and unreal.
This inward tumult was something
quite foreign to Officer Kyte's ordinary
placidity, but at last the hour for din
ner came and he hurried to the home
of Widow Trussel.
She was waiting for him in the par
Tor, dressed in morning gown of tan
colored brocade, and she wore some
geranium leaves in her hair She
looked very large to her guest as he
entered, and very overwhelming.
81 hope I'm on time" he said, sit
ting down corner-wise on very UNI
comfortable chair.
Take this rocker, do" cried the
widow.
30, I'm quite comfortable" said the
officer, crossing his feet nervously and
increasing them abashed. II can't
stay but q minute, anyhow. Is Miss
Mamie outP'' he inquired.
Mamie? o, yes, Nannie's out" her
mother returned indifferently.e
I'm glad of that said the officer,
thinking he would manage the difficult
task better in her absence.
care your" laughed the widow, self
consciously. When she laughed he
could not help noticing what remarka-
bly, fine teeth she had for woman of
her age.
"Well, Mrs. Trussel," he said, bring
ing himself up desperately to the point,
Il may as well come to my business at
once. 1 know I'm getting on in
years"
mot at all!'' broke in the widow,
protesting with both plump. white
hands, one of which by some mad
yertence fingered upon the blue sleeve
of the policeman's uniform.
Eyes, am" said he, with the air of
man who wished to be particular
about small things, ''and I've lived
alone all these years The widow
looked at her slipper and shook her
head sadly
(Which has been a matter of sur
prise to many" he continued. "But
the fact is I've never met woman
really wanted till now!" Mrs. Trussel
lifted pair of humid black eyes full to
his for a moment and dropped them
again.
MOP" she sighed interrogatively.
'No, - repeated the officer, ''but
lately found it very dull spending my
off hours round the station or up at
that lonesome clearinghouse. I
haven't even dog to look after. There
isn't person in the world who cares
whether come home safe at night or
get killed in row on the docks"
Tears actually came into the listeners
eyes at this.
80, Mr.. Kyter' she protested '.it's
most unkind of you to say so when you
know how anxious I've feel about
you. Many night I've started up out