The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-22
THE RED TENEMENT.


came interested the first time | saw hin
and my interest never waned for the mex
ffty-two weeks. There was rustic seal
on the corner of the street just opposite tC
where lived, and on this he was seated the
first time | saw him. By his side was
dark haired. brown eyed child-the only
person whom he looked at the second time
and the only thing that seemed to have any
attraction for him, except something in the
direction of my house. He sat there fol
about three hours, then, taking the child:
hand in his, walked away and did not see
him again for two weeks.
1t was on Sunday morning, as it was be
fore, and near the same hour when he seat
ed himself in the same place, and divided
| his attention between the child and what ]
| thought to be my house. He staid there
for about two hours, then went away as he
| did before. After he had turned the cor.
ner | stepped out on the banquette and sur
veyed my premises to see if could discover
wherein lay the attraction for the man. but
| / failed, so went indoors NO wiser than
when came out.
pondered over it for some time, and Just
| as concluded to give it no more thought
saw Simon again in his usual place and as
much occupied as ever in house gazing.
| And there he came with the child always
on Sunday-twice month for the next ten
months. He had good looking, though a
very serious face, and the child was quite
| pretty. Many woman smiled at the littl.
one and threw a second glance at him
My housemaid, girl of sixteen, became
very absentminded, and my powder box
and pinching irons were far more frequent
| ly in her room than in mine. This made
me think Of something else, and after no
ticing her more closely l saw her sitting at
the window, considerably bedecked and
adorned. coquetting with or at Simon
Webber
l thought at once that she was the mag
net which had such drawing effect upon
the man, but in this was mistaken. as |
afterward found out, for not once did he
nod his head to her, and long after she left
he continued to come at regular intervals.
And | continually wondered what his busi-
ness was-if my house was haunted and he
on the lookout for the ghost. This was not
very soothing thought, SO 1 determined
to put the question to him and rest easily
or uneasily, according to his answer.
When l did he looked at me calmly for a
moment, then replied: Your house haunt
ing another word he turned the corner,
leading the child, and l went back wonder
ing if he was altogether right in his mind,
and this continued to think over until
one day several months later
There had been severe storm the night
before, particularly damaging to the elec.
trio wires. Many of the poles were split
from end to end, others bent, and most OF
hon lNTIn iCt flNa
were kinked, twisted in knots and scat
tered all over the streets. Betimes the
next morning men were busily engaged in
setting new poles and putting the fixtures
into proper condition. As | glanced down
the long line of men working like SO many
bees my eyes fell on the familiar face of
Simon Webber, whom | had not seen for
several weeks, and his little companion.
The little one sat on the lower step of a.
cottage, swinging her feet and seemingly
perfectly contented with herself and the
world in general. 1t was too cold, thought.
for child of such tender years to be so
long without fire, so permission to bring
her indoors was granted me reluctantly by
Simon.
When the work had reached completion,
he stood at my door waiting for the child,
and partook with great zest cup of steam
ing coffee. AS he returned to me the cup,
he said gravely: You some time ago asked
me question which answered rather un-
civily. l was very unhappy that morn
ing. knowing this, hope you will pardon
me-"
AfterI replied he dropped his eyes to the
floor, and allowing them to follow the out
lines of figure in the carpet, he in his
Slow, measured tone went on.
Il think you must have seen me many
times on this street, looking intently at
something which you no doubt for a time
imagined to be this house, but it was not
The red tenement sits one block back of
there. To avoid the publicity that would
have been the consequence of going on the
street on which it was built came here.
where a pretty fair view of it is to be had
by looking between AS and Al, a little west
ward, which gave you the impression that
was watching your house. Three years
ago | was lineman and had been since
was quite youth. One evening Just about
dusk, | went up to a pole that hadn't been
IN order for quite awhile. While was ex-
amlnlng some of the wires a voice asked
me, almost in whisper, TO come down
a minute. Of course my first impulse
before moving an inch was to look for
the person, and | saw young woman
standing at the base of the pole.
In one moment l was beside her, look
ing into her pretty face and wondering who
she was and what her business could be
with lineman. She looked around
little nervously, then said: Won't YOU
please lend me your spurs for one mo-
ment? | stayed out a little late SO I dare
not climb the stairs and there's but one
other way 10 reach my room-by climbing
the pole | must hurry or he'll see me.
Please dent refuse
Il was so astonished at the request that
l took no time to ask myself whether she
was rlsklns her life or not, but went back
up the pole as fast as | could, marking
with chalk where she should put her
hands, and quicker than it takes to tell it.
l strapped my spurs around her feet and
watched her ascend that pole almost as
well us | could.
when she reached the top she gave
spring, and clinging TO the window for one
moment 10 regain her breath she made a
swinging motion and landed safely in her
room She disappeared for few seconds, (
then tossed into my hands nv spurs /
wrapped in a thick towel. together with a (
slip OF paper on which was written: Don't /
think strangely of me. l VIII explain first I
opportunity. I thank you thousand
times
That pole was on the right hand corner I
OF the red tenement looking north ! had
been there many times, but had never seen I
her before, but that may have been attrib- |
uted 70 the fact of my never looking to the /
right or left, or ever having paid any at