The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-10-28
THE GIRL ACROSS THE WAY,

When first saw her She sat by the
window, her !.ena bent over some
sweet Romance, a story of love l knew
by the tender smile that came and
went rs she turned the pages.
She was the unly child Of some new
comers in otr street. They we're peo6--
pie VINO moved III Il different. social
sphere from ours and it was impossi-
bic that | should ever know her, but
al least ! could watch her--there was
nothing to prevent that.
She was very young, n mere'school-
girl, but nh Unborn dignity and grace
lifted her above the level of the chat
tering magpies that invariably SUR
rounded her when | met her Oh her
way TO and from school
There WIS i long bridge of years be-
tween us, and we had never spoken,
yet loved her. 1t seems incredible
that love should dawn and develop I'M
der such adverse circumstances, vet so
II was.
| left my Office earlier than had been
my wont. hoping that | might see her
MS she walked home, every afternoon,
from tho academy she attended.
When chance favored me | would
follow her, and the day seemed bright
though skies were cloudy and sunlight
absent.
Mouths passed and school days end
CD. summer came and parted me
from my pretty neighbour. In the late
autumn, when | returned to the city,
l looked eagerly at the house across
the way. Signs of fcstiviuy were in
evidence, an awning vas being put in
place, men were carrying in huge
palms.
OWNED the reason d know that
any little girl,"as 1 ca led her in my
heart, WIS about 10 mr. 6 her bow to
society. The plants inspired ms with
nn idea. | hurried to a florists and
ordered q bouquet of the brightest,
sweetest flowers TO be sent aholy.
mously to The .a%ebutantc. When /
gave her nahie Tie tradesman waxed
loquacious.
"a very great beauty she is, sir,
and they do say as how she's to be
married soon, through she's a mere bit
of II girl"
There was a strange grief in nv
heart rs | LETT the shop. Could tho
florists story be true, OF was 1t simply
idle gossip? Engaged-why, It was
absurd. She was nothing but a child,
innocent and %unworldly. What brute
OF II man had dared 10 hope that she
would be his wife? Wife? ALI. no;
the thought was maddening; ii should
not be. ] would-nlasi l could do
nothing. She was not now md never
would be a part of my life. | could
look at her, dream of her, love her
from afar, but that was all. | won
dered ii she had cvcv noticed me.
il she had, she could only have Won
t!ered Mt The intensity with whichfI
looked Mt her. She probably thought
me a strange old man; for am old
not in years. it is true, but cares and
troubles have left their mark upon my
face. Ny clerks call nc "Old Caruw."
hear them sometimes laughing over
their little escapades, but when | APP
proach their merrimcnt is. hushed.
We're l to tell them that !, too, am
young at heart, that | can sympa-
thize with them, that I can still love,
what would they say?
They would probably think me 4
mailman or mnrmm poor Carew, he's
Older than we thought-in his dotage
event."
The night of my neighbours debut |
sat alone in my darkencd room, watch
ing tue shadows on the curtain of the
house across the way. Once they
opened Il window and the strains OF
8 lively waltz made my blood Jingle.
! longcd to join The throng Of dancers.
What JOY it would have been to have
waltzed with her, to have placed my
arms around her slender waist, to
have seen her red lips ~close-close to
mine!
Tho music ceased, the window was
shut. tried to sleep in vain. was
haunted by visions of n tair-halred
girl smiling Mt me, with love in her
innocent eyes.
l saw my little girl very often after
that night. Once W. met Mt the opera,
and she, seeing a familiar face. half
bowed; then realizing her mistake she
blushed Sc pretlily | could have kissed
her then and there. Fortunately the
crowd bore her on and out of sight.
AL last, ono drcary day-drcary,
though the sun shonc-l realized that
some important event was taking
place in the house across the way.
People hurried in and ont, there was
an air Of joyous excitement about cv-
cry one. Even my valet relaxed his
dignity sufficiently TO inform ME that
the yong "oman opposite was TO be
married.
told him not 10 annoy me with 9TH
er peoples affairs that l was i'll and
wished TO be left alone.
could not bear to 20 to business. I
wanted to be rs neal rs possible, and yet
! dared not watch tho outward evidence
of her wedding festivities.
AT last. when | thought all must be
over. went to tho window to look at
he house robbed of all that made it
beautiful to me. The had
evidently been n quiet affair; there
was no awning, and but one carriage
stood ut the door.
just as | looked out my sweetheart
appeared on the threshold. There
wus II happy light in her face that |
had never seen there before. A man
was with her. He was young and
handsome. | looked at him with ewes
OF passionate envy. For n moment
fear there was murder in my heart.
reason came and told me that,
after all, this grief of mine was folly.
l loved her: therefore her i,aupiuess
shonid be my only thought. What
had to do with youth and love and
dreams?
My dear ono kissed the elderly
couple that had followed her 10 the
ddor; then the young people started
iown the steps. MY sweetheart look.
np once and saw me. Ii seemed as
she wished to Include The whole
world inner joy, for | swear She smiled
a. me ~mnnocently and as sweetlv as n
.hild. Then she entered her carrjupo I
viii, ncr husband aud they drove away
Of my lif" forever.
There were binding tears in nv
bn. | brnshedAlllem away as nv
Dom was entered by the woman who
AlSs llfl.nns my IN, k, a, =, ,,,l I,.l.A, E y