The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-05
THE MAY BUG.

Shrill laughter rang through the court
yard.
A girls face looked from the barred win
dow of cell
1t was a beautiful face-set in a glory Of
golden hair-the parted lips were like the
petals of young rosel
But the laughter was the wild, terrible
knocking laughter of the mad.
Il have It'll" she screamed, exultantly.
"WhatT asked the keeper.
The keeper was made of gross material.
He had a loose skin, full of large, dirty
pores Ike an old sponge; a thick, brutal
nose, pierced by marrow nostrils and a
wide mouth-red Tipped and cruel. His
eyes were small, hard, brilliant and sin
gularly opaque. They looked like little
bits of blue china The girls eyes were
blue also, but with the tender blue Of tur-
quoise, yet full of clear, liquid, changing
lights like the sapphire. She was pale,
delicate exquisite beautiful casket
bereft of its precious treasure, the mind.
"What2'' asked the keeper.
1.-THE May Bugi''
The keeper grinned and Winked his blue
china eyes. He had heard before of this
May bug-a chimerical insect which trou-
bled him little. He was not a bad man
taking him altogether-a trihe over fond
of turning the cold shower on the poor
wretches entrusted to his tender care-not
hverse to using a stout leather strap in the
Interest and welfare of the more refractory
and he often exercised little judicious
economy at their expense i'll setting before
his family the bread intended for the pa
tents Not a nerve lodged amid the bone
and Drawn Of this gigantic bodyI The
most frantic struggles of tho maniacs filed
him with amusement. The most furious
rawlings brought a smile to his great lips.
Oh, he was very good naturedl
He approached the window. "Where is
itf" he asked, curiously and idly.
sit is here! herel" cried the girl, full of
excitement. And she pointed to a hole in
the wall of her cell.
A hole in the WALL
The keeper was annoyed He frowned-
He entered the cell and struck the woman
square in the face
''See that thou rnazest no more holes in
the WALTZ
She trembled violently. Her eyes darted
strange lights, but she said nothing. She
did not even cry out, although the blow
was a cruel one She only watched with
jealous, angry eyes as the keeper thrust
three fingers into the hole. There was no
insect there. He stood Illuminating a mo-
ment, after the manner of beasts. Pres
emily he began slowly Co scratch his head.
The woman made a sudden movement to-
ward him
Give it to mel' she cried imperatively.
att is minel viii have It'll You shall not
put it in your hatl Give it to me! give it
to mep'
Hush, fooll'' he said, and he raised his
hand threateningly, She covered away
from him, and crouching in the corner OF
the cell began to cry bitterly, wiping her
eyes now and then on 3 strand of the long
yellow hair that lay on her shoulders. AS
the keeper opened the door to go out ray
of sunlight fell on his rough hair, which
curled thickly over his temples. The girl
bounded suddenly after him like a tiger.
at is therey'' she shrieked shrilly. "Ahl
the pretty thingI Do not crush itr' for the
man raised his hand involuntarily to the
spot she indicated with her outstretched
fingers; then recollecting himself he
turned on her fercely, and advancing de-
liberately rs she reiterated from him until
he had driven her again to her corner, he
stood moment queIIing her with the cold
power of his eyes 1t was an instant's
silent struggled The force of reason pre-
vailed Shesank shuddering-GO
In the angle of the smooth stone wall.
Good" he said gruffly. And no more
of holes in the wall Dost thou here7 l
shall look tomorrow and see if the hole
grows larger in the night. Tomorrow
ave, and again the next day and the uextr'
He thrust his ugly face down to hers. She
shivered and shrank nearer the wall.
"Goodr' he said again. His tone was
fatherly. 1t was pleasant to him to see his
power Ali they feared him-5hese poor,
helpless, hopeless, miserable creatures.
He left the cell, turning his face toward
her rs she closed the dor \ last. trem-