The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-02
THE TALE OF A JAGUAR.

Mr.. Thomas HanscoIn is the junior part
ner in the great coffee and spice house OF
Hanscom, Blackstone & Co., of New
York, Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City and
San Francisco. The senior partner is Mr..
Joseph HanscoIn, who lives ct Lake View,
near Chicago. Until within the last two
years Thomas has had the management Of
the Omaha house; the other member OF
the firm, Dir. Blackstone, was the pur-
chasing agent at Rio Janeiro. It was Just
little over two years ago that dispatch
arrived announcing his death. It came.
too, at particularly inopportune moment.
Thomas, on the day previous, had mar
ried very charming young lady, Lydia
Lathrop, of Council Bluffs, and the intel
ligence of his uncle'S death necessitated
that the newly made husband-who. by
the way, had only become acquainted with
his bride some six weeks before marriage
should without a moments delay take
the train to New York and thence sail for
Rio.
The affair was pressing. Mr.. Black
stones death would certainly throw the
business into confusion, and any hesita-
ton on the part of the home partners
might imperil the future of the firm
go at once, my dear boy" wrote Mr.
Joseph Hansco7n to his son, land send
your wife to me. l would go myself, but
my health will not permit me-"
There was no help for it. Mr.. Hanscom,
Jr., felt that he must go; so go he did,
putting the best face on the matter and
bidding his poor young wife a very long
and tender farewell. She settled down in
her new home and he for many months
afterward worked hard at his desk in Rio,
arranging the worldly affairs of his dead
uncle, and from time to time sending home
reports of his progress and sending his
love to Lydia.
Two years, in fact, elapsed ere he was
able TO return, and then he returned as he
had gone, without a moments notice
Unforeseen circumstances suddenly left
him free, and unwilling TO lose day he
took the first homeward bound steamer
which, so it happened, was also taking to
Richmond a letter written a few days
earlier, in which he regretted to his wife
that the pressure of business would not
leave him at liberty for at least a month.
He travelled home without adventure and
in due course landed in New York, and
without having written a word of warn
ing TO Lydia hurried on next morning to
Lake View. just why he did not write or
telegraph is not known; perhaps he thought
his sudden appearance would agreeably
surprise his wife, or perhaps he was too
excited to be able to think at all.
But in any case he neither wrote nor
telegraphed a single word Of preparation.
He arrived in Chicago, but was at the
home he had purchased, before his depart
ure in Omaha 1t was one Of the most
lovely Of June days, and he was walk
ing eagerly up the carriage drive leading
TO the house, when, happening to cast his
gaze toward the upper windows, he caught
sight of a fair, white, draped figure that
was watering some flower plants that
stood in row On the sill. He at once
recognized the figure as that of his wife
and was about to utter a cry of salutation
when became conscious that she did not
recognize him, for with graceful medssty
she withdrew from the window and disap-
,carcd rs soon as she became conscious of
lbs gaze
IN idea struck him.
Il was a foolish but not wholly unnat-
ural one. He w0-ld pretend 10 be some
one elsa fliead, say, OF her husbands
aad would ask to see her as such. OF course
she would at once recognizes his voice, but
would be the more complies. To the serv
ana who appeared he announced that he
had tust returned from Brasil and desired
TO see Mrs. Hanscom, ia gave no name,
but he was admitted and shown into the
reception room, where ga some perturba-
ton of mind he awaited tae appearance of
the wife fSepl whom he had been SO long
and SO cruelty separated.
4 suppose shat she viii know me-" he
reflected, although l R:a considerably
tanned and have grown r. very large beard,
hut l suppose chat will make no difference,
aud she would know nae in my shirt
sleeves and with both legs cat OF at the
knees On the other hand, she thinks | am
still in Rio, for sac mast have had my
letter this morning ] hope nay sudden
appearance won t upset her"
Herr his Thoughts were switched aside
by the unrlst2kable sound Of rustling
skirts in the passage without, and as the
door opened he voluntarily turned and
gazed into the garden.
May offer you chair'" said a soft
voice behind him