Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-01-30
SANTA ANNA.

but was hidden behind bank of heavy
clouds, and as young man stood on the
bank Of the gloomy lake and listened to
the unintellibible voice of the. waters
subdued and quiet now, as there was
hardly breath of wind stirring, but
never ceasing from its low murmuring-
he almost fancied that he heard the whis-
pering of gentle secrets in the dark.
As he stood there he saw flashing
the track upon which he was standing,
the headlight of an advancing locomo-
tive-the large, blazing eye of dragon
and as the engine steadily and grandly
passed by he was reminded of the strong
figure of the historian who said that at
one period the Romans looked upon the
elephants with such horror and dread
that the idea of attacking or resisting
those huge, uncouth monsters, seemed
as terrible as to modern soldiers would
seem the idea of resisting the power and
strength of the locomotive.
He turned and walked up the track,
In the distance the chimneys of an iron
mill shot columns of fire into the air,
while through various openings streams
light ever and anon flashed far out into
the darkness.
He somehow fancied that volcano in
action must look something like this,
and as he came nearer he was not sur
prised to find Vulcan and his assistants
q work amid the furnace fires.
But the reflection occurred to him that
while the activity of real volcano meant
destruction of homes and loss of life,
the activity of this volcano meant pros
perity and happiness, and that the masses
of molten metal poured forth SO much
more were homes built up and lives made
more comfortable and contented.
He passed on and, turning down the
bank, stopped by boathouse, which, i,
being September and slightly cool, was
now deserted and closed up.
Sitting there by the lonely looking
lake, feeling of dependency and gloom
which he had often of late experienced
came over him with more than usual
force.
Not that he could have given what
might seem to others satisfactory rea.
son for being melancholy. 1t was no.
as if he had been called upon to decide
the woeful question as to whether it was
better to have loved and lost than never
TO have loved at all. He had loved. He
had not lost. He merely had not won
He had known her for many years
They were near neighbors, and he, but
q few years the senior, had long watched
with interest her growing character and
beauty.
Her expression had in it so much Of
gentleness that he had at one time al
most feared that as she became a would
still be too much of child. But thi.
fear had been completely dispelled, for
although gentleneis and kindness re-
manned, they were admirably compound
with strength of character and SINGER
~ and earnestness Of purpose.
But It was not only this. Nor was il
merely that she was in every way beau
tiful and attractive. There was some
thing else which had more than anything
else aroused his admiration. This was 8
peculiar, Understandable innocence in hel
that OF Tessa, ignorant and loving
but that Of a woman, knowing of the evil
IN the world but perfectly pure in mind
and heart.
Her name was Anna, but Santa Anna
vas the name by which he always thought
0f her. Although, to Re sure, his idea
va that saints and angels are generally
Eghtcomplexioned, while Anna was very
dark.
But while he looked on her, as a saint
be knew that she was quite human as
well. He knew that she was pleasant
and agreeable, fond of society, witty and
fn-loving, and that she was everywhere
= fayorite.
He hardly knew at what time it was
that his abstract admiration became
sumething far warmer, but since he had
cearly become aware Of the change he
hnd IN various ways tried 10 gain her
4Bvor. he felk however, that be vas nm