Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-11-22

for one so young, and whose expires
sion had been more serious still since
two years before we find her painting
she had quarreled with Phil Rodney
the engineer. People said tina
Rodney was a ''queer chap" ID
was rather strange man. Tall o
stature. strong of limb, with not
grain of weakness in body or mind. h
was as refined in feeling as a woman
Sometimes his engine, which hauled
the gravel train" was halted fol
several minutes, or an hour, perhaps
in some country place, and at sucf
times the fireman had an opportunity
to sit alone for time, and was more
than once known to declare to the
head brakeman that he couldn't see
for his part, what Rodney wanted t.
go pokin' about the medders for, look
in into birds nests, n pickin' a lot o
wild stuff to litter up the cab with. '
And he could not see, and Rodney
| never tried to make him understand,
what a pleasure it was to him to look
upon dainty eggs, or brooding moth
ers, or to take in his hands fresh wild
blossoms. While he was very young
man he had never seen any one whom
he thought he would like to marry.
He was rather odd in this. as in other
things. But when he was something
over thirty, he met Ray Horton, and
liked her face. When he knew her,
he liked her words and her character,
and one day he told her he loved her.
and became her accepted sutton. It
was the time of the blossoming of the
golden-rod when this happened, and
Rodney brought her a bouquet of
flowers as betrothal nosegay.
Il love them,'' he said, in his slow.
grave way, passing his large fingers
over them. "They are the bravest,
bonniest flower that any season
knows"
Ray was learning to paint at this
time, and as his eyes rested on her
easel, Rodney said:
Twill you paint me a spray of my
flowers some time, dear?"
And Ray looked at the blossoms he
had brought, and answered: ''Some
day when can paint we'll enough, per-
haps. Some day when I love you very
much, and want especially to please
you. Some day when we have quar-
relied, perhaps, and I want to make
up Who knows but what all this
may be? You see the refrain of my
words is some day."
'.And so, when l receive my picture,
if We have quarreled." he said, stirl
gravely, carrying out her thought, Il
shall know there is repentance and
hope for a meeting-a little soreness
of heart for the things that have gone
amiss, a longing for righting? Shall 1
read these things, Ray?"
And Ray had answered, half-laugh-
ing at his serious mood: "You may
read these things"
There was happy year, and then a
bitter quarrel. No matter why these
two, who loved each other dearly, said
such hard words. Because they did
love each other. they could speak far
more bitterly. Both were stubborn
and proud, and neither would ask the
others pardon, or speak one word
that might lead to a reconciliation.
Two years went by, and when Engi-
neer Rodney was forced to go to the
telegraph Office at Glencoe to sign an
important message, or to receipt for
one. he uttered only short, cold words
of greeting or business, and was an
swered no less coolly than he spoke.
Ray had learned painting rapidly in
those two lonely years when she felt
she must work constantly to keep
troublesome thoughts away. Her Of
ice duties were light, and her brush
was very much in her hand. And she
stood and painted the ray of golden
rod, thinking of her own words and
those of Rodney on a certain day two
years ago. But the painting was not
for him. One of the favorite pupils of
her teacher was to be married soon. and
the teacher, who thought Rays
skill something marvellous and
her taste fine, had asked her
to paint this spray as little
gift for the bride. Ray thought of
Rodney as she painted; thought of him
as she put the finishing touches to the
picture; thought of him as the paint
ing stood on the easel while the colors
dried. But it did not enter her head
to send him any sign that she wanted
him. And Rodney had looked from
his engine into low-lying meadows.
and sunny pastures brave with his
flowers. had even got down when there
was waiting-time and plucked great
handfuls of the golden, glowing stuff,
and sighed and been heartsick, but no
thought came to him of sending Raw
one sigh that he was not content.
g 1t is dry, and l will send it to Mrs.
Early to-day" Ray said one afternoon,
speaking of the painting. She took it
from the easel. and wrapping it in
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