Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-12-19
Why Mrs. Il. Laughed.

fortably back in her chair, chatting witt
her husband who was still enjoying hi
morning meal in desultory way, whel
q servant entered and handed her
morning paper, which she proceeded t
open. Alter looking it over, readin
aloud the startling headings and item
of interest, there was few seconds @
silence, which Mr.. Hamilton knew wa
devoted to the deaths and marriages.
Then came an exclamation from Mn
Hamilton, and tn her husbands rathe
ocular swell my dear, who he's reward
ed your daily search by dying thi
timer" she gave reproachful look, ant
said. "Our old friend John Mcdonald
is dead. Listen:
"On Monday, Sept 6 h. 1883, at m
after lii gering illness, John L. Melon
aid, aged 50 years"
They both express regret at the loss
of their old friend, and sympathy fol
the bereayed wife, and are lead to tall
of old times, when they and their dead
friend and his wife were young people
together; of the two marriages about the
same time; their long friendship; theil
own continued prosperity; indlfferent
success ofpoor Jack, as they affection.
ately called him; Of Mr.. McDonald's pool
health which ended in his becoming al
invalid; and then Of the indefinite drift
ing apart which they had allowed to ex
list unquestioned for several years, a par
of which they had spent in Europe.
Mrs. Hamilton referred again to the
paper. and found that the funeral was
that same day at one o'clock.
MIR. Hamilton had an imperative
business engagement which could not be
broken. reploripg this, he babe his
wife good bye, and left her to 60 alone
to the funeral of their dead friend.
Later, taking careful note from the
newspaper of the street and number o!
Mr.. McDonald's house, whom che
knows has moved since she last visited
her, she went to pay the last tribute
that is our mournful privilege to give 10
all cur friends who join the great major
ity.
As she went along, amidst the hustle
of taking cars, changing to another,
riding or walking she is filed with sor-
rowful reflections; ponders the came old
story Of the vicissitudes of life, which for
her had only SHOWN its bright side,
while her friend il had brought sorrow
after sorrow. Her face blanches at the
very thought of having her husband
taken away from her.
When she reached the side street
which is her destination, she is struck
with the small, poor houses, and thinks
with heartfelt sympathy of the trials
and priva,ions to which her friends have
been reduced, through the long illness
of Mr.. Mcdonald. She found the house
and us the front door was opened she
entered. There was no one in the mar
row ball. Astonished and opposed by
the stiffness, she stepped into the first
room. Here in the centre of tine room
was Elaiu coffin with a bouquet of
flowers. All the furniture except the
chairs apparently had been taken out.
This room Was connected with the ad-
joining one by folding doors, one o,
which was open.
She was amazed that although it was
nea- the advertised time for the funer-
al, the only signs of life were three |
women talking together in low tones in
the other room. Thinking there has |
been some mistake about the time, she |
sits down nearly overpowered with the |
grieffor Mrs Mcdonald, loss
of her old time friend. and the strange
ness of everything. Soon she is con-
scious Of the curious eyes CT the women
in the other room; she becomes nervousf
where are all the family, why
no one cones. At last feeling really un-
as the looks of the women
becomes stares, and the stiffness more
profound to her now excited nerves, she
thinks of a dozen things, that she will
do. She must do something. She will
ask one of those women (she ca mot i'm
agine why they are in her friends. bat
concludes they are kind neighbors) to;
find ont if Mrs. McDDnali will see her
she will 90 out and walk untilshe sees the
carriages comes; maybe something
has occurred to delay the
impatient thoughts against
her husband for allowing his en-
to prevent him from coming
with her; perhaps she has mistaken the
the time, but there is no clock, and she,
has forgotten her watch, or-this is not
the day at all.
One by one staring suspiciouslv at her
the women have gone out of the room
where? Swallowed up in the general
stiffness, che believes, or spirited away
with the rest OF the family, leaving her
alone to watch the lead.
the face of her dead friend, although she
has always had horror of looking at q
to remember her
friends as in life; but the coffin seems to
haunt her. No matter how hard she
looks atthe wall, at the ornaments on
the mantel shelf, the solemn-visaged
(she does not recognize
or studiously counts the points
in the border of the wall paper-she sees
the coffin with the face of her dead
friend in it. The real one has facina-
ton for her, and she is seized with
morbid desire to see if her friend has
changed. She will look at him then; if
no one comes she will 60 in search of
of some me, and find out the reason of
This peculiar situation. If the women
would only come back!-why did she
not question them before they left her
alone in this mysterious way? Oh, this
horrible loneliness!
As she walked slowly over to the cas-
ket, the women came back to their old
place, this time standing up and watch
ing her with undisguised suspicion. The
tears are in her eyes by this time. She
bends over the coffin. Merciful heaven!
this is not her friend. His face that has
been present with her all this while she
has been sitting there, comes to her
IN direct contrast to this paraiyzing sur
prise. Intelligent, refined features, with
light hair and mustache, end nothing in
It to indicate his nationality but his
deep blue eyes. Before her was face
Of unpistakable Irish type, thick black
hair, side whiskers and bunch of hair
on the chin, heavy wide eyebrows
which seemed continues across the fore.
head, and nose with an upward turn but
pointing decidedly to the left.
She is, at first, bewildered. then terri
led, gives little spasmodic easps and