The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-16

fellow went str1dlng across the street
and ran up the steps The front door
blew open with a bang and Over-the.
Way had him by the arm and was drag
ging him inside in second. Then she
let go of him in hurry and ran in
quicker than she came out. If she hadn't
she'd have been kissed right there on
the front porch in plain sight Of every
body.
We knew they'd show up in the big
bay window sooner or later, and, sure
enough, just after dinner they came
into sight. She was clinging to his arm
and just dancing On her toes, she was so
happy; and just as she was right in the
midst of telling him how fine it all was
she discovered US at the windows We
could almost see her blush clear across
the street, and her young husband
Strengthened up and looked daggerS
But John Berry rose to the occasion
nobly. He had his overcoat and hat on
he was just going out-and he took off
his hat and made a bow respectful and
friendly like, as much as to say, Were
glad to see you, SIR" And we women
clapped our hands and smiled, as much
as to say, Were glad he's come at last. !"
And then Over-the- Way and her hus-
band saw it was all right and they
smiled and bowed, Over-the- Way patted
him on the arm as much as to say,
"Here he is; isn't he nice" And the
young husband put his arm around
Over-the- Way and gave her little hug
right before our eyes, as much as to say,
'It's all right now; I'll make up for lost
time" And then we came away from
the windows
Young Mr.. Over-the-Way-we found
afterward that in public life he was a
travelling salesman for big drug firm
stayed three days. Then he went away.
And Over-the- Way went up into her bay
window and bravely kissed her hand to
him till he turned the corner. Then she
dropped down into her big armchair and
turned its broad back to us.
He was gone two weeks, and they
were long weeks for Oyer-the-Way. But
everything human has an end and he
came back at last. Well, it was the
same thing over again. Only he stayed
but one day. Then he was gone ten
days. Next time it was week. and af-
ter that it was every Sunday when we
sat down to breakfast we found them to-
gether in the big bay window. But Sun
days are invariably followed by Mon
days, and poor Over-the-Way had hard
work enough to lay in happiness enough
in one day to last her six. Still, from
Monday morning to Wednesday night
she lived on remembrance, and from
Thursday morning to Saturday night on
anticipation, so she got along pretty well.
But one day, after six or seven months
of this alternate sunshine and shadow,
the clouds settled down in earnest over
the little cottage. He came home in the
middle of the week, and Over-the- Way
met him at the door with a scared face.
The next morning he left with big
trunk. He had his hat down over his
eyes and never looked back at the bay
window. He knew Over-the- Way wasn't
there to kiss her hand to him. We
didn't see her at all that day, for by and
by Aunt Amanda came and pulled down
the shades.
He had been ordered off on a three
months trip to South America, and John
Berry said reciprocity" or some such
thing was the cause of it. l know we
women all hated it, whatever it was.
Over-the-W Way came back to her bou-
DOR after while, but she didn't seem
to be quite the same old Over-the- Way.
She got letters, but they didn't come
every day now. Sometimes we fairly
hated the postman-just as if it was his
fault! But when she did get one-why,
we could tell block off when the post
man had letter by the way he walked.
By and by Over-the-Way had a broad,
comfortable lounge put in her window
and deserted her armchair for it. There
she would lie for hours reading or look
ing idly out of the window. And Jim
Gray said one day that he hoped Over
the-Way wasn't going to grieve herself
into decline. If she didn't chirk up
pretty soon he believed he'd get her hus-
bands address and write to him to throw
up his job and come home And Harry
Roberts said that may be Over-the- Way
wasn't so much better than every other
woman after all, and liked to lie around
in loose gown and read novels just like
the rest of them. Nobody said a word,
and the next day Harry Roberts told
Mrs. Smith that he guessed he'd leave at
the end of the week, and he did.
But Jim Gray didn't write, for Over
the-Way did chirk up right away. She
got an industrious streak all of a sudden
and sat in her big armchair and cut and
basted and sewed until Jim said he was
afraid she was getting vain and thinking
too much of her clothing for such SEN
sible young woman. Then he discovered
that all her sewing was white, and he
suggested that most likely she was get
ting ready to join her husband in South
America; it was so hot there that every
one had to wear white all the time. We
women all began to talk about spring
Donnets and Mrs. Smith left the room.
She suddenly remembered that she had
eft something in the oven.
jim grew reconciled to the sewing,
but he found other things to worry him.
He elected himself a bulletin committee
IF one and made frequent reports.
When there were no facts he gave Us the
benefit of his speculations One day he
that he guessed Over-the-Way
would begin to pack up before long; she
lad pretty much finished her sewing.
he could see that she was just puttering
md putting in fancy stitches. Another
line he said he was afraid that Over
he-Way was i'll; there was a light in
he bay window when he crOt horna or A