The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-09

\ M obICCS Ill
kW S which / dwell.
NxEM Men and WON
en-, boys and girls, go and come day
after day. Dozens of them carry din
ner pals and lunch boxes. In the
morning they go by with bright faces and
sprightly steps, many of them wearing
fresh flower on their breast. In the
evening they return, not few of them
weary and worn, and l wonder who,
beside the Great Pitier of us all, waits
for their coming with a welcome of
love. All day long they have been busy
at Office, store, factory and mill, and
the thousand and one places where
duty has called them Work, work,
work, hour after hour, day in and
day out. And while hands are
delving, minds are busy with the
thoughts of fading yesterdays. earnest
to-days and brighter to-morrows. How
many of them will ever realize the hope
that is sustaining muscle and mind?
How many of them are performing a
labor of love for those who are worthy
of the offering and the sacrifice? Day
after day the lunch boxes go and come
while the hands that are carrying them
are building city, copying the books
and documents, and are mingling all
the checkered thoughts and deeds from
which the mighty weaver, Time, is
making the worlds history. What in
significant, and yet what all-important,
parts these humble toilers play! Down
in dingy Easements, up in towering
Office buildings, everywhere amid the
busy marts of trade they perform the
work that fate or fortune has brought
to them. AS 1 watch them go and come
/ try to imagine what hopes inspire
their hearts, what love sustains their
hands. 1 wonder if the aged laborer,
homeward bound, still loves the old
wife as he did long years ago when
they together dreamed sweet dreams.
He was to be prince of men and she
his loving princess. / am sure the gor-
geous palace in which they were TO
dwell has faded away, and in it's place
is an humble cottage or rented fat.
And the coach and four has never, new
er stood before their door. Neither has
any other conveyance designed for
pleasure. Only the wagons belonging
to the grocer, the baker and the milk
man have ever stopped there. Or it may
be yet one other vehicle-the symbol Of
death-the hcarse.
But if tonight they can greet each
other at the door and call back the old
love light to fading eyes-if he can
hold her worn palm in his, or press
against his cheek the one whose touch
once brought such exquisite pleasure
If the fire in the heart still burns, fate
has been kind to them, and their paths
have not yet led them out of Paradise
Sometimes there passes my window
a face that awakens in my mind more
than usual interest and I watch its
goings and comings with a deeper
thought than that born of curiosity.
remember very distinctly the first
time l saw Blossom" pass my win
dow. She wore pink dress and hat
trimmed with ribbons of the same
color; she looked like fresh spring
flower. Her real name ! have never
known; to me she will always be "Blos-
SON." Her face was as bright and pref
ty as a dew-washed clover mead on a
June morning, and her neatly-ftting
dress and very becoming bat added to
the winsomeness of her appearance.
The street in which dwell is by no
means the most aristocratic in the city.
1t is what some would call plebeian
neigh borhood. There are saloons on
he business corners and all about is an
lir of arrested growth that for some
,hadowy reason seems to be sadly sat
SIZED with the present state of things.
All the people who go by my window
10 not possess bright, happy and intel
igent faces. | always watched for
Blossoms" coming. Her presence was
and reminded LIE of sweet
ose growing among the palmer grasses.
Ter step was elastic, her manner
brightly. fancied she had recently |
ONE from a home in the country, |
where the odor of apple-blooms and the
ongs of birds filed the air. One morn
ng l saw her going toward the sub
Irban station, carrying a lunch-box; /
hen | knew she was member of the |
.reat company of toilers. Thereafter
he went and came regularly. By-aud- !
" a sturdy young mechanic. whom l
ad often seen pass my window alone,
walked beside Blossom" one evening
n her way home. He had frank, |
lanly face, but his working clothes
we're soiled and worn and his hands
we're rough. After that l saw them
ass by together quite often. He seemed .
0 be very happy in her society, but
Blossom" with her pretty pink dresses
nd pink ribbons, often looked far
way as though she were trying to dis
over some one whose appearance was
lore in harmony with her ideal
Near the walk at the side OF the
aIoon that stood at the corner was a
arge maple tree. Men used to bring
hairs from the saloon and sit in the
Rade of the tree during the long June
fternoons and smoke, and chat and |
,ugh boisterously. Some of the men
Tho used to meet there became familiar
cures to my eye. Among the number
-as young man who dressed SPLEEN
idly, though somewhat fiashiIy. From
IL window across the street, ! could
&c the sparkle of his diamonds set
! his rings and pins. lie wore heavy
old chain and an elaborate charm. and
arried massive gold-headed cane and
mbrella- should have guessed that
e had plenty Of money, but l would
OF have dared to commend his method
getting it. Something in his appear
nee led me to believe he could deal
imself an extra card, or turn 4 trump
rom the bottom of the deck After all,