The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-20

men hurrying by, with now ana then q
hasty word to each other-SouthwicE
people in haste for once.
"The warehouses, the Touring mills.
1.-The Methodist church"
est. Luke's hospital" they heard al
intervals. Ali now Katherine's heart
stopped beating. ST. Luke's hospital
If Dr. Van Duyn should be there! He
was always there. IF he should be hurt
Alack, she who had SO cruelty hurt him
now cried to heaven for his safety.
What choking feeling in her throat at
thought Of his danger. In fash she
saw what life would be without him; to
have him never again for physician for
friend-oh, for something more than
friend; for at that moment, and as never
before, strong, overmastering love for
John Van Duyn, the noble, self sacrinc-
ing man-so strong, so gentle, so patient.
swept over her. flooding her heart like
a mighty torrent against which she was
powerless She knew then that she had
never before known love. In all the
world he was the one to whom her whole
being turned. Her heart lay in his hand
as Jewel to be cherished, or worthless
pebble to be spurned and flung away.
Hot tears sprang to her eyes-tears of
JOY, tears of contrihon, of alarm, of
many mingled emotions. She hardly
knew when or how she got into the light
wagon with John Pidgin, TO speed along
over the dark road, lit only by the ftful
red light of the increasing flames
On reaching North End they stopped
at the school house steps, where with
many others they could look down on
the red docks and the flaming ware
houses now given up for lost The
church and the hospital might perchance
be saved. Two women under one light
shawl stood near Katherine watching
the progress of the fire and recounting
the scenes il the street below.
There goes load of -four barrels
and some pews from the Methodist
| church"
There's the organ and the ten COM
mandments," said the second speaker,
land a covered carriage-hospital pa
tents, shouldn't wonder"
ooh, seer' said the taller woman, with
a rasping voice: there's DR.. Van Duyn
in his two wheeler. Guess he's carrying
off that pretty little nurse-Miss What's
er-Name"
Miss Stauffer-Angela Stauffer. For
eigner, reckon. They do say she is go
ing to marry DR.. Van Duyn. Hope she
is worth him"
Looks like they're savin' the church,
don't it,"
How OdlOus those women were In their
coarse comments! How chill the night
was growing. How the flames, now
getting under control, seemed like the
fires of the under world consuming all
that was bright and beautiful in this
world that had once been fair
A glance into the street below con-
fr1ned to Katherine Weatherlys eyes
the talk of the gossiping women. She
caught one glimpse of the feet horse,
flying wheels and familiar figure, sup
porting on his arm an almost PROSTATE
form. The red light was on everything,
on that strong face which, turning for
moment with quick gesture to look
back at the fire, revealed to Katherine
the well known features, the bushy brows
almost she fancied she could discover
the kindly but reproachful eyes, which
now would probably never again look
into hers.
Angela Stauffer-she had forgotten the
very name until thus rudely recalled to
her. Van Duyn had spoken of her more
than once, had remarked upon her name
Angela.
"a veritable angel she is" he had said
at one time; $50 the patients think. She
sings to them in the twilight when
they are able to listen" At another time
he said:
Little Angela, the nurse, has the
voice of an angel. Last night she sang
something like this:
Sleep, dear one. sleep, and well for thee
Such rest is thine.
The fate to walk life desolate
Alone is mine.
Twas pathetic. She has the heart
ache, I'm sure, or she couldn't sing So"
How Katherine recalled every word,
branded upon her heart now as by fire.
Let rs go home, John, she said, "it is
all over" and as they took their home
ward way in the fading light of the
dying flames she felt that the light had
gone out of her life as well, leaving only
darkness through the coming days. That
light so kindly, so benignant her own
hand had rudely quenched.
Angela Staufferl Angela Stauffer! How
the name rang in her ears. She woke at
midnight from vivid dream of q young
g1r1, ner Drows bound with a wreaJn OF
flame, singing with the ''voice of an
angel:
The fate to walk life desolste
Alone Is mine
Summer advanced with ardor, waxed
and waned. The cool of the year drew
on apace. The groves about Fernwood
turned from emerald to ruby and gar
net, then sobered down to duh topaz.
Katherine was much out Of doors with
Star, who had not been well through the
summer. Twice hal he lain very low.
She had called DR.. Mcneil, the old Scotch
physician, from Southwick- Notin pride,
not in revenge had she called in the new
and forsaksn the Old katherine was very
humble now. Her past was ever before
her, sometimes to accuse and reproach,
always to humble and soften her. No
one would call he- proud now nor
naughty. But she had called Dr. Mcneil
in order to spare herself and out Of pity
to herself
Il cannot endure to see what have
lost" she thought; that might have
been mine, but which now belongs to an