Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-09-24
"And what are you doingT"

| ana Wnat are you dOlngP
''Its none Of your business. I've a
right to walk about in my own house
when please, haven't I?'
Tom sneaked away to bed, and slept
so late the next morning he was not
present at the breakfast table. When
Mary, the maid, rushed in with a white
face and great frightened eyes to say
that Miss Kitty's bed had not been dis
turbed over night, and she had found a
note pinned to the toilet cushion ad-
dressed to her father, Mr.. Childers ran
his hands through his hair in wild dis
traction. At the same moment a mes.
Eenger boy was ushered in with tels.
gram. He tore open the dispatch, which
read as follows:
Mark and were married last night at Ames-
| vile. Are coming home on the noon train, and
hope to be forgiven KITTY.
Mr.. Childers evidently was quite be-
side himself. He dropped his napkin on
the floor, tipped over his cup of coffee on
the tablecloth, and rushed round the
room like man distracted. Suddenly
ne stopped, with his hair in fine frenzy
and with the telegram in his hand, and
after a moments consideration stepped
out on the veranda. Mr.. Spofford stood
on the veranda of his own house erect
and precise as usual, but with some visi-
BILE disturbance of his facial angles. He
held in his hand a similar yellow paper.
The two men looked at each other
glared would perhaps be the better word
across the intervening distance. They
had not spoken for more than three
years. Now Mr.. Childers descended in
his disheveled state and made few steps
toward the fence dividing the two
places. Mr.. Spoford did the same.
$50 it appears your scapegrace of
son has run off with my daughter" be-
gan Childers, tapping the yellow paper.
eyes, sir" returned Spoford stiffly, Il
have found telephone in his room con-
Meeting with your daughters window"
ga pretty kettle of fish," said Mr..
Childers grimly. ''He your only boy.
How badly you must have brought him
up"
'Be careful, sir, how you throw stones.
You are yourself in glass house."
81 did not begin the stone throwing,
sir; it was you that began it. Your
treatment of me has been odious."
''And your conduct, sir, fail to find
words to characterize it."
keep cool, sir, and let us reason to-
gether in view of this untoward situa-
ton. It only remains for you to cast off
your son and for me to disown my
daughter. Under the circumstances
there is nothing else to do"
Mr.. SpofOrd hung his head and sud
denly exclaimed: 81 can't do it, Childers.
He is our only boy; as good q boy as
ever lived. 1t would break his mothers
heart. They were married last night, it
seems. The thing is irrevocable. Is
there no other way?'
Mr.. Childers was contemplating a
stone on the ground at his feet. kitty
is a dear girl" he said, ''the idol of US
all. OF course we don't mean to give MP
Kitty. But we can't live side by side,
Spoford, as intimate enemies and near
relatives. We can't fight over our chill
dren's hearts"
Spoford also was gazing hard at his
boots. Look here" said he, suddenly
pOking his hand through the fence,
Benjamin Childers, I've never known
happy day since we quarreled, not one.
l say protection be hanged, and the town
offices be hanged, and the sewer ques-
ton be hanged, and every other bone of
contention, and let rs bury the hatchet
and begin where we left off"
"And say free trade be hanged,
Stephen, my old friend Stephen. This
thing has nearly killed my wife," and
he struck his hand into Spoford's, and
the two men stood looking at each other
with tears in their eyes.
eve have both been fools, Steve"
COMPOUNDED fools, Bel,"
1--WE must do something for the young
couple. If you will give the land viii
build them house next to ours"
agreed, Ben; and now isn't it about |
time to telegraph to them to come right |
homer"
The little colony of SpoffOrd and Child !
eFs is now perhaps the happiest group of |
homes in Littlefeld. The wall and fence |
have been leveled between the two |
places, and any evening you may hear
the old gentlemen laughing together on
the veranda of Gne or the other house
as they clap each other on the back and |
recall the days of their youth. Mrs.
ChildeFs has recovered her health, and
again knows the Joy of having her best
friend for her next door neighboF. Tom,
any fine day, may be seen riding tyran-
nous, curly pated boy of three, Kitty's
eldest, on his shoulder about the place.
There is a scrap of yellowed paper
with some cabalistic symbols upon it
hat Kitty cherishes as her dearest treas
Ire, a little bit of shorthand writing
,nce thrown over the garden wall. Mark
las connected all the houses by tele-
,hone, but the primitive instrument that
le and Kitty used in the old days of
,ourtship is now a sacred fetch.
THE END.
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