Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-03-01

by sidoL and ali within was dark and silent
rs the tomb, save when the black fly Duzzed
noisily in the window pane, or some stray,
adventurous cricket, essaying his solitary
song in the death-quiet room, was fright
ened again into silence by the unwonted
louduess of his own cry.
Through the lattice of one lone open win
dow, half hidden by climbing vines came
the soft breath of autumn, laden with fra
GRANGE from the balsam pine, the sweet ferns
or the Indian grasses Lazy wavelets droned
on the beach in slow and soothing rythm !;
and, far away on the hillsides, the herd-bells
tinkled family in silvery harmony, while an
army of chirping insects In the grass inccs-
sanity sang their sleepy, monotonous song.
Here and there a drifting boat waved its
idle wings of white on the sea, that "great
sweet mother and lover of men, - who gave
back from her vast, slowly-heavlng bosom
the deep hueS of a cloudless sky, blue as
the bluest-vaulted dome of dreamy Italy.
Across the way stood lonely Eld-Field,
empty and still.
Gone, gone, were all those happy days
Never more to be recalled Gone with
the sad-eyed Princess. Gone with Dolores
and Max and Medji, far across that wide
waste Of WATERS Wherel alasi wherei IA
And Arthur Fairfax, leaning a heavy,
aching head on tired arms that rested in
the window-sill, peered vainly out into the
soft sunlight With a sigh, he turned his
eyes back again and relapsed into SORROW
full thought.
All things reminded him of the past
"Old faces glimmered thro' the doors,
Old footsteps trod the upper floors,
Old voices called him from without"
Bit by bit the stealthY twilight drew near,
and up from eastern waves rose sad, pale
moon-he remembered how they sat togeth-
er on the rocks only the other night, ST.
lently watching its silvery beams playing
over the rolling pillows. Bright enough it
seemed then-but now9 Was she watch
ing it, tool Would it remind her of the
pastl
A tear stole down over his cheek and,
with bitter sob, he hid his face in his hands
and wept. Yesl he was crying this great,
strong fellow, who ever prided himself upon
his stoicism and self-control.
All, hal Arthur Fairfax, how often have
you asked yourself the question: - Have
l a heart, or not!" What is your answer,
now!
The crickets still sang in the grass. An
owl hooted family in the distance. Then
flew a belated whip poor-win and perched
in a tree by the window.
" Whippoorwil Whippoorwi1 r' cried
the bird
Fairfax looked up.
a brilliant path of glory lay Frightening
across the sea, from the moon to the beach,
and, just where it ended, lay a little row.
boat at anchor, rising and falling on the
long, lazy swell - that boat in which
the two had floated over tho moon-lit
waters, and dreamed the happy hours
away.
Languidly he aross with a sigh, and,
closing the door behind him, passed down
TO the shore.
With thoughts still far away, almost
mechanically he loosed the boat, took tho
oars, and slowly pulled out to sea-that
vast plain which bore upon its surface his
hopes, his heart, nayl his very Ito ThOugh
far apart they We're, did not the Same
waters wash their boats keel; were not tho
same stars smiling down upon bothl
On, on he passed, not needing nor car
ing to shape his course, obliVious to every
thing but his own melancholy reflections.
The moon rose higher and higher By
little and little, the shores of the island
passed into the distance.
How much farther out to sea he might
have gone, or how much longer rowed, none
can say; but a sudden Earring of the boats
keel, harsh grating of pebbles against its
bottom betoAened the fact that his onward
career was ended.
YEARLY raising his head and glancing
about, without surprise, as if it were all q
matter of course, he slowly stepped ashore
with the rope in his hand, half-conscionsly
making it fast to large stone close by.
He looked around.