The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-30

4
and we went cantering along the big,
white road like something wild.
The warm breeze blew softly on my
| flushed cheek, and the scent of the haw-
thorn blossoms welled up from the dim
woods, and | was very, very happy as /
murmured:
Stars. let me hear you shout,
| Oh leaves, hang rot so still
Wind, call your music out;
My love has said, Il will"
Oh hour that bankrupts Joy
| But perfects natures plan,
This morn was boy,
But now / ana man.
Then came the long, sweet season, the
days of golden anticipation, the nights of
delicious dreams.
l used TO hang around her at church,
and when they would go down to the
spring after water it used to make me
feel awful badly for any one else to hand
her dipper of water. WANTED to do
that myself
Had anybody told me then that one
day l would lie in bed while she got up
and wrestled with the kindling of an OBJ
stinate fire l would have Indignantly
refuted the suggestion
Somehow she always kept me at a
distance. | had a sort of dude cousin
that was older and better looking than
l, and she would go on powerfully with
him, but the moment would dare at
tempt a little playful familiarity she
would swallow her tongue.
Had any one told me then that one
day she would call me up to confess
sional and lay down certain precepts
and maxims of moral conduct and good
behavior, i should have scorned the i'm
putation.
That was after we were engaged, too.
She would greet me as coolly and call
me "Mister" when Iwould go to see her,
and it was only after | had exhausted
every effort Of brain and tongue that
away long late in the evening she would
thaw out a little, and her eyes would
shine something like two stars in a sum-
mer sky.
Talk about literature, why told that
girl more love stories than, if they were
printed, you could stock in any book
store in town.
l didn't know then, as l afterward
learned, that she would peep through the
window and watch for my coming, and
that the dear heart would go pit-a-pat
at the sound of the hoof beats of Black
Pompey. Nor did | dream that she
would remain in her room for some
time to get the blush out of her tell tale
cheeks and to string up her nerves to
give me dignifed greeting.
She was awful cunning, with all her
innocence, and all these years and cares
of welded life have but sharpened her
wits, and to me she grows more incom-
every day.
She knows just as well as | do when |
am perjuring myself and trying to whip
the devil around the stump to clear my
self Of some misdeed
Summer came and went, and the sweet |
autumn time arrived in all its gorgeous
splendor. | had been busy as bee all |
that year getting ready for certain i'm |
portant event that was set to happen at |
some indefinite period.
We had a quarrel or two, as all lovers |
have, and once we broke it all up and | |
stayed away two whole weeks. | got |
independent, and began to
lavish my wounded affections on Black |
Pompey. l bought new saddle and /
bride and beautiful saddle cloth, and
curried Pompey and rubbed him till his
hide shone like silk. | resolved to leave
the tickle sex to their own devices, and
lead life Of freedom somewhere far
away, and assured myself that I'd soon
forget this trifiing episode.
And l succeeded beyond my expecta-
lions, for three whole days. But some
now l wanted to go back to the old
church once more, and SEQ all the dear
familiar faces ere 1 took my departure
'or foreign parts.
There was a big to do at Sardis that
lay, and when l started for a stroll
Town to the old spring | found group
If young people sitting under the shade
If the trees waiting for services to begin.
They were laughing and talking right
nerrily, and in the midst of the group
at the only woman on earth to me.
She had not fallen into any green and
-ellow melancholy. No, sir; she was
ust as fresh and bright and piquant as
,ould be, and her laugh was the mer-
lest of the merry.
well" thought l, you don't seem to
Mss me worth cent | believe that
ince / have given you a rest you have
improved"
But who was that sitting by her toy
ne with her fan?
1t needed no second glance to confirm
ny worst suspicious.
1t was that jackanapes whom l super
eded when | first began paying her at
The presumptuous fellow was
rying TO be restored to her good graces.
"Ah, my fine fellow" thought /, You
han't do that. I'll have my revenge on
on. I'll just make up with her long
nough to send you to the dingnation
'ow-wows, and then I'll cut loose and
o on about my business"
But, my God. what a time had! She
reeted me with a casual greeting. and
ept on talking with him. and was too
roud to push myself forward. When !
hey started for the church she got right
d the center of the party. and was left
lone with my offended dignity.
l suffered in silence for MANY long
ours that day, but along late in the
fternoon, when they were all going
ono, watched rly opportunity. Rid
x close up TO her | dismounted and