Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-28

Under the circumstances, neither OF us
took much notice of time until l spied our
boy Jerry coming. When he reached us, he
pulled OFF his hat and said: Miss Doroty S
mon'sus Uneasy bout you, young miss, an
yo' better come home fas' ez yo' kin, fur
she's sho' sump'n has happen to yo'.' Poor
Aunt Dorothy, how wrong it was for me to
worry her!
And 50 / was brought from heaven to
earth again. The young gentleman walked
home with me, but instead of leaving me at
the gate, as wished him to do, deliberately
went in, and said to auntie, Miss Dorothy,
why didn't you prepare me for this pleasant
surprised You see, am indebted to a stray
shot and this lady's scream for delightful
acquaintance
''He then explained the incident to Aunt
Dorothy, who laughed and said, Well, WELL
young folks will gravitate toward each other
like loadstones. and we old ones can't help it.
My little New York niece, if she is anything
like her mother, will never suffer for the
want of companionship if there's anybody
worth knowing around her, and l think,
Gerald she's hit it right this time
81 was so glad to hear Aunt Dorothy say
this; loved her twice as much as did be-
fore, because she appreciated Gerald When
he made his adieu, she told me it was queer
coincidence that the first person l met in old
Roanoke should turn out to be the son of mo-
theirs old lover, Randolph Bruce Then she
added, with an odd smile, Il wonder if the
feeling will be inherited by the children"
After this occurrence it was not difficult
matter to induce Kate to prolong her visit
at least until the holidays.
Eyes, nsaid Aunt Margery, Beverly farms
shall this year, If never before. witness a gen
uine Thanksgiving, as well as a Christmas"
And 80 it was arranged that Aunt Dorothy.
as the head of the family, should at once
write to Col and Mrs. Hartley, inviting them
TO the old Virginia home.
And Uncle Robert, too" suggested Kate,
sour old bachelor uncle, he must also come,
for he lives with father and mother, and there
could be no real thanksgiving with his dear
kind face absent from the table" In a few
days tho mail brought reply from Mrs.
Hartley accepting the invitation.
During the month or more that elapsed
Kate and Gerald were frequent companions
A graduate of the Virginia military institute
and finely educated for profession, he found
in her own ready intellect charmful SYM
patty tina: was greater than even her beauty.
He never told his love, but the eyes of both
were traitors. One day he invited her TO a
stroll, and the path led to the old mill where
they first met. They had conversed long and
pleasantly when he suddenly inquired, Are
you superstitious, Katei"
NO; why do you askF'
Because in few weeks we shall probably
part, not TO meet again for long time, aud
want some pledge from you that our friend
ship shall remain unbroken. See" said Ger
cid, plucking two rose leaves from flower
she wore and throwing them into the river
flowing at their feet, If they float down the
stream side by side, not drifting apart or
sinking. they may indicate our possible fu-
ture. but if
What mockery.- quickly interrupted
Kate, impulsively laying her hand upon his
Don't throw our lives into the scales to be
balanced by two rose leaves" The words
were spoken before she thought Of their full
significance
NO, watch them-there they gOe And
the two white winged messengers went cut
upon their mission. Steadily they continued
their course, side BY side, but approaching
nearer and nearer each other until just SIS
they were disappearing from view, they
were merged, Is il were, into one petal
do You accept the omen, KateiT asked
Gerald with tender lock that meant a vol
ume Of love songs. They ciasped hands; not
another word was spoken beyond tina mute
elo0uence OF their eyes, but they understood
each other from that moment and for ali
time.
PrsnArafiona for Thankksirius want On