The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-08

reveal my love in some manner.
A little cloud came over the bright
ness of the day when discovered that
she was not outdoors. To tell ones
love in room where twenty pairs of
curious eyes may be watching you is
not just what an ardent lover desires.
But, sitting my regrets, entered the
sitting-room.
All was exactly as on the day of my
previous visit. All--with one excep-
ton. The graceful. girlish figure, with
the crown of golden hair, was not
drawing melody from the keys OF the
grand piano.
looked there instinctively at first,
then my eager eyes looked around the
room. But S1byl was not there. A
nameless terror seized me. Had they
confined my poor darling in solitary
cell, or, worse still, might her tender
body &c lying in one of those cruel
cribs? / shuddered at the thought
The middle-aged woman was sitting
with the patients, and was evidently a
nurse. AT this moment she saw me
and approached. In the terror and
confusion occasioned by my fears for
Sibyl seemed to lose the faculty OF
speech. All / could do was to seize her
hand and say: "Sibyl," and look at her
imploringly.
''Miss Sibyl has gone" she an
swered, betraying no surprise, al
though she must have felt it, al my
emotion.
Gomez 1 groaned, and sank into a
chair
The woman regarded me with won
dering pity in her eyes, but said moth
ing Presently l reused myself.
did she escape. or did her people
remove her to another asylum" /
asked, hoping she would answer the
latter half of my inquiry in the affirm
ative. For, dreadful as was the thought
of the poor girl being shut up in an
asylum, the thought of her wandering
around in the cold, wicked world alone
with none to protect her, was far more
dreadful
The nurse gazed at me, a look of
mingled horror and amusement upon
her face.
did yon-you surely didn'tthink her
one of Them" she cried, waving her
hand in the direction of the patients.
"Why was she here, then?" / de-
manded, stupidity staring at her.
"Dr. Holcombe, our president, is
Miss Sibyl's brother. When she came
home from abroad after finishing her
education, she came here to visit him.
Her brother and herself are all Of the
family that are left, with the exception
of one aunt. When Miss. Sibyl was
here she felt so sorry for the poor un-
fortunates she did all she could for
them, singing and playing for them by
the hour. But being with them SO
much did not agree with her. She grew
melancholy, and DR.. Holcombe declared
she must go away. She didn't want to
go, but he insisted and sent her to their
aunt in Saratoga"
Before she had finished my heart felt
as light as if it would leave my body
and fly to Saratoga to greet my love.
''If you want to know anything more
about Miss Sibyl, I'd advise you to go
to DIR. Holcombe and talk to him.
The nurse evidently understood the
affair, with woman's ready intuition.
Thank you, | will, replied.
l slipped bank-note of such goodly
value in her hand that her eyes opened
to their fullest extent in delighted sur
prise.
"You will never speak of my mis-
take?" l said, and left the room to find
the doctor, taking her promise with me.
To my relief he was young and
friendly in his manner. / told him my
story, confessing all-my sudden great
love for Sibyl, which had become a
part of my life, and the absurd error ]
had made.
He laughed at me good bit in
kindly way, but said my mistake was
perhaps natural under the circum-
stances
After had told him about my family
connections and my standing in bust
ness circles, and we discovered we had
several mutual friends, he sat down at
his desk and began to write. After a
few moments he brought me letter.
1t was addressed to Miss Sibyl Hol-
combe, Saratoga Springs, n. Y"
There" he said, in his genial way,
"this will introduce you into Sibyrs
good graces, / think, if you are not in
them already"
/ wrung his hand and tried to ex.
press my thanks, and then hurried back
to the sanitarium to pack up. AS soon
as possible | presented her brothers
letter to Miss Holcombe.
She was more lovely and attractive
in the midst of the gay throng than at
Longvue. devoted myself so assidi-
ously to her that before she left Sara.
toga at the end of the season for her
aunt's New York home had her sweet
promise that she would be mine.
The love that was SO strangely
awakened in my breast that August
day at Lougvue asylum has never
waned. To this day do not know of
a certainty whether Sibyl ever found
out the monstrous mistake made.
But one day, during our honeymoon,
my wife came in and found me reading.
What are you reading?" she asked
A Question: l replied, referring
10 the title of the work.
rs it Question of Sanity" she
asked, in peculiar tone of voice.
looked up hastily and regarded her
with glances of suspicion.
But she was looking calmly out of
the window and made no further
reference to the question" when did
not answer her. except by drawing her
gently to nv knee and putting my arms