Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-09-13

for the past ten days,
had registered one hundred in the shade
with oppressive monotonY.
To man blessed with fortune, such
determination offers a choice of pleasures,
a haunt across the Continent, Alaska En-
gland, Paris, the Rhine John Strangford,
however, had exhausted long ago the
novelty of foreign travel. a visit to his old
home, his own country place now, which he
had not inspected for some time, appeared
sufficiently attractive, and he Immediately
experienced that bouyancy of spirit which
results from a choice wisely and speedily
made. He placed his unopened books upon
the shelves, dropped some papers into
drawer and putting on his hat locked the
door and went down into the street.
He made his way through the shabby,
persriring crowd that surged in front of one
of the great stores on State street where
everything is sold, from shovel TO bon
net. At the corner of Madison street boy
thrust cluster of old-fashiOned meadow
lilies into his hand. They were yellow
and without fragrance, but they brought to
mind vivid recollectionsO of old haunts which
he was soon TO see again. He paid for them
with a libcrality that delighted the child
and pursued his way, past storage and COM
mission houses, over the bridge to his own
apartments in a pleasant neighborhood on
the North Side A burning wind blew from
the west across the parched prairies, bear
ing unsavory doors from the stock yards
and Bridgeport; while to the east the lake
stretched away to the dim skyline, as still
and glittering as molten glass, not a sail in
sight.
,-aA
pleted and an hour later the train bore him
through the squalid suburbs, peopled by
gregarian Danes and Norwegians, thence out
into the open country toward region of
streams and forests. He wondered a little
why he should ever care to go back to Gran
don. His parents were dead, he was the
last of his race, and his old friends We're
scattered or had changed until they were no
longer the same. And he somewhat sadly
recalled other home -comings-while he was
still in college-that remote and halcyon
period when he had nurtured ambitions
and dreamed dreams.
He reached Grandon in the night and went
20 little tavern which he knew, and being
shown into clean, comfortable room, soon
slept the sleep of the just. In the morning.
after late and leisurely breakfast, he went
out for a stroll. He saw few familiar
faces: smart Queen Ann villas shaved lawns
and geraniUm beds had Superseded the
weather beaten houses he remembered. The
old homestead alone remained unaltered. 1t
stood on the edge of the village, fields join
ing the orchard just behind the house. He
had let the place to some decent, middle
aged people without children, reserving two
rooms in the west wing up stairs for him
self with liberty to go and come as he
pleased. These were to be always in readi-
ness for him whenever he chose to occupy
them: and Mrs. Hester. who sat by the
window sewing, saw him as he came up the
front walk, and thanked fortune that only
Yesterday she had aired them and set them
in order. Presently, after an exchange of
salutations and little commonplace con-
versation, he was seated in an arm chair by
his favorite window smoking good cigar.
He surveyed the broad acres, the flocl1s and
herds which were an appreciable part of his
possessions, the etchings, books, and the
heavy, old-fashioned furniture of the apart
ment with very genuine satisfaction.
after ALL" he reflected, here are all the
elements of human happiness" and he con.
graduated himself that, if he had achieved
no very brilliant success, ne could still look
the world in the face without shame, that
ne 0aQ cOIuniJlSu HO lTEclEleNdOie OluuucT,
and that there still remained to him undi-
minished strength, hope and health.
Hi. luggage arrived in the course of the
morning, and thus within twenty four hours
he had left the heat smoke and dust of the
city behind him, and was established in the
midst of summer verdure and quiet, pre-
pared to enjoy it all with cheerful spirit
and an untroubled mind.
~
by the way, for Mrs. Hester prided hersel;
on her cookery, he decided that he would sci
out at once to re-explore the old place ia
miliar to his boyhood. A horse was brought
round, and he rode down the lane, out int,
the highway, and was lost TO Mrs. Hester:
pursuing gaze.
The sky had been suddenly overcast witt
clouds; there was chill in the air, Fremont
tory of approaching frost; here and Their,
the woodvine was beginning to turn, and tn,
leaves of the horsechestnut, the first to fall
were already brown and shriveled. Their,
was a continuous whirr of grasshoppers
the crickets chirped in the crisp. greer
grass. and he breathed the grateful frag
rance of mint and pennyroyal growing il
the shady fence corners. He could hea
through the stiffness the sharp, decides
strokes Of the wood-chopper's axe, the cav
ing Of crows, as they walked over the newt,
piowed burrows, while the Growing of cock
and the subdued barking of dogs echoe,
family from distant farms He refined VI
his horse ihst it might drink from a sprin.
by the roadside. Here the road divided
one diverging track winding up the steep
stony hillside, the other crossing the creek
running parallel with the stream until i
was lost TO view behind an abrupt bend. o.
one side was dense growth of willows, o.
the other. fertile, sandy bottom-lands, plant
ed in corn and bordered with purple iror
weed.
(Which shall choosei" he asked aloud
for he had left familiar territory behind hir
and all this was new.
'Here. evidently. my hum-drum fortune