The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-26
AN AFFLICTED CITIZEN.
HIS PitifuI Story Failed TO Move This
Very Hard Hearted Woman.

HS Pitiful Story Failed to Move This
Very Hard Hearted Woman.
NIf you can spare me a few moments of
your time, madam" be said, taking off a
hat that had seen bet er days in the dim
and misty past, 81 should like to explain
why am compelled to appear before you
as an applicant for charity"
Proceed" said thc, lady.
"You have no objtcuons, | presume, to
my leaning against this pillar of the porti-
CO to rest MYSELF"
"None whatever"
BE leaned his robust frame against one
Of the posts, cOughed behind his hand, and
began:
81 have not always been reduced TO this
necessity, madam. IN happier days not
far distant was at the head of a success
full business in a fourishing city. / lad a
good bank account. / was in the enjoy
ment Of excellent health, my domestic re-
latiOns were pleasant. and was the recip-
lent Of many civic offices. Ny troubles be-
gan with the death of my grandfather"
lie pulled out once red handanna hand
kerchief wiped a corner Of his eye and TO
sumed:
He was a good man, and was much at
tached TO him. His loss moved me deeply.
Then my only great-uncle died. To lose
ones only great-uncle, madam" he con-
tinued in a broken voice, brings a pang
that / trust you may never know"
W hat neXty' inquired the lady.
The next afllictiOn that befell me was
fire that destroyed the home Of my wife's
aunt. She was a most estimabe lady.
The loss was total. and there was no in
suranoe. ] sympathized deeply with her,
and she--she came to spend the winter
with ne. She brought her whole family"
He paused as if TO note the effect of this,
coughed behind his hand again, and wiped
his eyes with the bandanna "reminiscences
as before
"Well?"
well, madam, / bore up as well rs l
could until my boy-my eldest-the center
OF my foudesJ hopes-excuse this emotion,
madam''-
Certainly
Il bore up until my boy began TO chew
tobacco. Then my health failed"
You don't look like sickly man"
Il am aware of il. madam. Ny trnuble
is one of-or nerves. madam--of nerves.
The doctors advised me to travel could
not follow their advice then, owing to bust
ness complications In the troubles that
came upon me our stock Of goods had run
down To some extent Then came the tariff
excitement, and"--
What had that to do with it?"
"Itwas the final blow. We had expected,
of course, 10 mark our goods up and real
i1e handsomely, but
"Welly'
We've had no goods to mark mp"
And them"
And then took to the-that is, be
gan TO travel. 1t was the doctors advice.
"Wellg"
"Then p
'Ies, then you"-
"Ir-
"Why don't you GO aheadf"
Madam" said the traveller. straiChter-
ing himself up, Il see it is useless. hav.
not awakened your sympathiGS"
Not gslt's worth
''Not even 70 the extent cf''--he suggest
ed, with another laborious cough behind
his hand-"of a cold collation.
"No."
Il might have known IT." he exclaimed,
putting on his bat and turning away. In
telling my story, madam, am usually in
terrupted at the Great-uncle part of il by
the offer of substantial sympathy. To the
fact that you permitted me TO proceed IN
til became tangled up in the Mckinley
bin, madam" he added with bitter re
prosch in his tcne. Il attribute this ig-
noble failure. / have not fallen in nv own
esteem, madam, but my faith IN human
nature has received n terrible shock"
he thrust one hand in the breast of what
had onoe been a black cloth coat, waved a
majestic farewell with the other, and uas
rons--CEicsgo Tribune,