Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-02-20

darkness that this light was compare
lively strong and could see ever,
| thing.
Looking about me my eyes fell on :
little bedstead, on which lay one of the
most beautiful infants I ever beheld IL
my life. Its golden hair lay in ringlet:
upon the pillow. Its eyes were closed
but its soft cheeks had in them a rosy
tinge which almost equaled the color
! OF its dainty little lips, slightly opened
as it softly breathed and dreamed" Al
this point saw my wife look quickly al
the bedroom key she had in her hand
knew she was thinking of George
William.
Il stood entranced," continued the
burglar, gazing upon this babe, for
was very fond of children, but remem-
bered that l must not waste time, and
stepped softly into the next room. There
l beheld Mr.. and Mrs. Williamson
Green in bed, both fast asleep, the gen.
tleman breathing a little hard. In a
corner just where my father told me /
should find it, stood the box upon the
table.
"But could not Immediately pick it
up and depart. The beautiful room in
which found myself was a revelation
to me. Until that moment 1 had not
known that had tastes and sympathies
of higher order than might have been
expected of the youthful son of a boat
builder. Those artistic furnishings
aroused within love of the beautiful
which did not know 1 possessed. The
carpets, the walls, the pictures, the
hangings in the windows, the furniture,
the ornaments, every thing Ill fact i'm
pressed me with such O delight that l
did not wish to move or go away.
Unto my young soul there came a
longing. 'Ohr said to myself, that my
parents had belonged to the same So
cial grade as that worthy couple repos-
ing N that bed, and oh! that 1, in my
infancy, had been as beautiful and as
likely to be so carefully nurtured
and cultured as that sweet babe in the
next ROOM l almost heaved sigh as
l thought of the difference between
these surroundings and my own, but 1
checked myself, it would not do to
make a noise and spoil my fathers
joke.
'There were great many things in
that luxurious apartment which it
would have delighted me to look upon
and examine, but forebore."
ST wish I'd been there" said the
stout man, "there wouldn't have been
any forbearin'."
The speaker turned sharply upon
him.
Don't you interrupt me again." he
said, angrily. Then, instantly resuming
his deferential tone, he continued the
story.
But 1 had come there by the COM
mand of my parent and this command
must be Obeyed without trifing or loss
of time. Ny father did not approve of
trifing or loss of time. moved quiet
ly towards the table in the corner, on
which stood my fathers box. l was
just about to put my hand upon it when
heard slight movement behind me.
gave a start and glanced backward.
1t was Mr.. Williamson Green turning
over in his bed; what if he should
awake? His back was now towards me
and my impulse was to fly and leave
every thing behind me, but my father
had ordered me to bring the box, and
he expected his orders to be obeyed. l
had often been convinced of that.
II stood perfectly motionless for a
minute or so, and when the gentleman
recommended his regular and very audi
BILE breathing 1 felt it safe to proceed
with my task. Taking hold of the box
l found it was much heavier than ex-
pected it to be, but moved gently away
with it and passed into the back room.
''There could not refrain from stop
ping moment by the side of the sleep
ing babe, upon whose cherub-like face
the light of the night-lamp dimly shone.
The little child was still sleeping sweet
ly, and my impulse was to stop and kiss
it, but knew that this would be wrong.
The infant might awake and utter a cry
and my fathers joke be spoiled. l
moved to the open window, and with