Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-09-10


about his round, full moon face, beam
ing with a cheerful ruddy hue. He
was soft of heart, but irate Of temper,
obstinate and pigheaded, and absurdly
suspicious and yet easy to deceive, with
a propensity for taking the wrong side
of every question, and sticking TO 1t
through thick and thin that almost
amounted to genius. In argument he
was one of the most provoking of men,
and yet the necessity of arguing, espe-
cially on topics he knew nothing about,
was as the breath to his nostrils. 1t was
this peculiarly of B. Childers that had
involved him in this quarrel with his old
friend and college chum, Stephen Spot
ford. There was something magnetic
and inspirational about the little man,
and in spite of his perversity and faults
Of temper he was well liked. He had
his own cOterie, his own snug corner at
the club, where he spent long evenings
playing whist with his cronies, and
where he bibed more punch and hot
teddy than was quite good for man Of
his apopleetic turn. Through his infu-
ence a bylaw had been added to the
constitution to the effect that one black
ball should exclude a name proposed for
membership, and when Stephen Spoford
was proposed he dropped the one black
ball with cheerful alacrity.
Mr.. Childers was sometimes a little
mellow from the effects of the aforesaid
punch and hot toddy when he returned
home at a late hour of the evening, but
never so confused as to landmarks that he
could not find his own door with perfect
ease. His wife being an invalid, he gen
orally took off his shoes and stole up
stairs, candle in hand, with catlike step
to avoid disturbing her.
But now let us return to the lucllless
little note Mark SpofOrd had dropped
over the garden wall. When Tom Chill
ders had conveyed it to his father the
old man, with his usual suspicious OBJ
stinacy, saw in it all manner of traps
and pitfalls laid by the enemy. The
maid Mary was called. Other members
of the family also were put through an
inquisitOrial examination. Kitty CHANGED
to be out at the moment, and the old
man awaited her return with fretful i'm
patience. He had already dispatched
his letter to Mr.. SpoffOrd, acting on a
fOregone conclusion with his usual i'm
petuosity of temper. The moment Kitty
came in from her drive he put the paper
in her hand.
"Here is an insulting note of some
kind, Kitty, that the SpOffords have sent
over the garden wall. 1t is disguised
writing or a cipher. Now want you
to see if you can make out its meaning"
Kitty took the scrap of paper, her
heart beating with kind of guilty con-
sciOusness. Fortunately the broad brim
back was partly turned the old mans
prying little ferret eyes
failed to see the flush of sweet and agi-
tated color that swept up over her
cheek and neck. The paper trembled
slightly in her hand, and what she did
read thereon were these words, in the
well remembered shorthand she had
learned under Marks tuition:
DEAR K.-I love you with my whole heart,
and it is absolute torture to be so near, yet
never to see you or hear you speak. Why do
you so jealousy guard the window on our side
of the house? Do, beg, cOntrive to let me
have glimpse of your dear face. Your own
unfortunate and desperate MARK.
''Well," said the old man, fussily i'm
patient, ''what do you make of it,
''How can 1 make anything of it,
papa? 1t appears to me to be written in
Every well, very WE'LL" he returned
testify, taking it from her hand. III
be bound it's actionable, and will come
under the head of malicious annoyance"
He folded it lengthwise and put it care
fully in large red morocco paper case
which he carried in an inside pocket of
his coat. Il am going to town tomor-
row, and will take this in to Grundy,
my attorney. He keeps stenographer.
Mr.. Fish is his name"
The thought of having this precious
bit of paper placed under the cold, fshy
eye of old Grundy's stenographer gave
Kitty a little shiver down her spine
She must get it back at all cost. How
could Mark be so rash as to cOnfide this
precious secret he had never before
breathed into her ear, though she had
always known that he loved her, to such
terrible risks? Mark evidently had grown
and there was no knowing what
he might do next. Kitty was thoroughly
miserable that evening. She sang her
most dismal songs, and the tones foated
over to Mark in the Spofford garden,
Eelling him there was no hope.
In the early evening hours Kitty had
been In attendance on her invalid moth
er, who was still confined to her own
room. A cloud was on Kitty's face,
which the mother eye soon detected.
Kitty, my dear, something has hap
pened. Has Mr.. Rigs
Dear mamma, don't speak of him.
BE is simply ridiculous. Do you think 1
,an bring myself to marry a handsome
suit of clothes, lined with bank notes,
and stuffed out and padded with self
conceit?"
Then there is some one else, my
child" and the mothers languid eyes
began to scrutinize her daughters blush
ing, downcast face.
Suppose, mamma, you had been
brought up with somebody from child
hood, had known all the good and bad
N him from your earliest years-a care
less fellow. perhaps, with not particle
Of vanity, or conceit, or smallness, or
meanness in his composition, but with
great, generous, warm heart, mamma,
and the best head possible, and a genius
that will one day make him known and