Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1891-09-12

tIOOUlSs
But If, instead. I should entertain
you?"
"You cannot"
@Why?"
"You could tell me nothing new. You
are only crucible for converting bales
of cloth into the precious ore that all
the world goes mad after. No doubt
you are ali very we'll in your way, but
there are alchemists who could trans
mute our hum-drum, daily life into
golden verse or heavenly thought. To
such one might listen, but you and
I have nothing in common"
Not even our humanity ?" asked Sol.
The stern face of the young girl soft
ened little. but only for moment.
"No," she answered angrily. mot even
that. I, you know, am made OF the
inferior clay, you of the pure porcelain.
Do you not remember how even good,
kind Aunt Hester told you there were
no young ladies with her, only the
seamstress? You are slightly bored
already and think me odd enough to
amuse you for awhile, but if some of
those gay ladies-among whom 1 hear
you are such great favorite-were to
come here, you would not even know
me. Good evening, SIR"
what a furious little radical!'
thought SOL, with an uneasy laugh, as
he watched her retreating figure.
After all, he was not quite sure that
she had not spoken the truth. If the
calico frock had been q founced silk.
for instance, how many degrees more
deferential would have been his manner
in presenting the cherries?
Query the second.
If the calico frock had been waking
down Broadway about o'clock in the
afternoon, would he, Solomon Griggs,
of Griggs, Makem & Co.. Is willingly
escort it as across those green fields,
where, if the robins and blue-birds did
make remarks, it was in their own Ian
guage?
Sol couldn't answer the questions sat
isfactorily. but he went to bed and
dreamed all night of the little Diogenes
in her calico frock.
That week and the next he waited
patiently for the first glimpse of that
remarkable garment coming around
the corner, but in vain. And when, in
such very careless manner that it was
quite remarkable, he wondered audibly
where that odd little girl lived whom
he saw on the eve of his arrival" Aunt
Hester answered drily:
Away up-thereabouts," pointing
with her hand.
She boarded, she believed, with some
queer sort of folks there though, for
that matter, she was queer enough her
self. And this was absolutely all she
would say on the subject.
The next day Sol took it upon himself
to wander up that way, whereabouts"
and was rewarded with glimpse of the
calico frock going through . broken
gate, and, following it closely, came up
with the wearer as she was about to en-
ter the dilapidated front door, at which
piece of impertinence she was so much
incensed as to turn very red, while tears
actually started to her eyes.
"What do you want?" she inquired,
sharply enough.
"To see you" replied Sol, who, taken
by surprise, could think of nothing but
the truth.
"Well, you have seen me; now go"
But it's warm day, and I am very
tired"
"You might ask me- to walk in and sit
down, if you we're not as hard-hearted
as Huron"
"This is not my house."
"You would, then, if it were
II don't say that"
We'll, then, I am thirsty; give me a
glass of water"
@There is the we'll, and an iron cup
fastened to it by a chain; help your
SELF"
"You inhospitable little misanthropep
But she was gone; and the next time
he inquired for her, Aunt Hester told
him, with q malicious twinkle of the
eye. that she had gone to the city to find
work.
Perhaps the good soul had been
troubled with visions of future Mrs.
Griggs, and was not altogether dis
pleased that an insurmountable barrier
was placed between shat odd Rachel
Hart and her nephew Sol, who was a
good boy, but didn't know the ways of
women"
Be that as it may. her joy was shortly
turned into mourning, for Solomon re-
ceived dispatches requiring his i'm
mediate presence in the city. At least
so he said, for Aunt Hester was immov-
able in her conviction that @that Rachel
was somehow at the bottom of it. She
even limited as much to Sol when he
bade her good-by; but he only laughed
and told her to take care of herself.
After all, business could not have
been so very pressing, as he spent the
greater portion of his time wandering
through the lanes and back streets, not
unfrequently dashing down alleys with
the inexplicable exclamation of "That's
her!" from whence he always returned
very red in the face aud sheepish in ex-
preston.
Three months had passed away, when
he nearly ran against . little woman.
who looked up in his face with . sar-
donic smile.
Your eyesight is not 40 good in tho
city, Mr.. Griggs. You don't know me
here.