The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-05

ment; but this does not necessarily
point to any scheuirg propensity on
his part. Frequently he caught him.
self staring at her steadily; sometimes
she caught him, too, and then they
would both laugh-he, rather confused
~, she, merrily.
Gradually she frightened up her half
and even carpeted it; there were flow
ers in the window, and new-made
friends frequently dropped in She
seemed capital entertainer, and Sam
uel futile watched proceedings with
quiet and envious eve. His half looked
cherries. and he felt out II the cold.
She was as pleasant as ever, but per-
sisted in treating him as business
acquaintance; she never laughed and
johed with him the way she did with
other callers. He began to feel ag-
grieved, and his eyebrows were often
drawn down into 2 straight line, much
to her secret enjoyment.
In reckless moment he cut gate
in the hateful barricade; after doing it,
he felt rather nervous as to how she
would take it. When she came in she
stopped short for moment, and then
said: Row nice,'
Mr.. futile could have blessed her
The gate stood open the greater part
of the time, and he had full view OF
her; they even couversed at odd
moments, and he began to feel con-
tented with life. and whistled again.
She had no headaches, and surprised
him by singing 10 herself now and
then. In short, Samuel Tuttle was be-
coming more and more entangled by
this careless, happy little woman, and
he did not even try to extricate him
self.
But the fence! That monument OF
perverse moment. Every morning he
groaned when its staring yellow face
met him, and he was daily over
whelmed with contrition when Laura
Wolcott's bright face greeted him.
Something had come over her of late;
she did not avoid him, but she was
quieter; she did not look at him so
bravely as at first
Samuel futile was worried about it,
for he could not understand; and a
dozen times a day he wanted to cross
through the gate and end it all by tell
ing her his feelings: but he was afraid
she would simply look at the fence and
smile He knew he could never endure
it If she should.
One day message came for the
operator herself, and with little cry
she rose.
Il must go home" she said, as he
came to her. MY mother is dying"
He did not think of anything to say,
and silently helped her on with her
things.
Thank you" she said, as she
stepped out OF the door, her eyes full
of tears.
1t was very lonely for Mr.. futile the
week she was away. The office
seemed dingier than ever. He sat one
day looking through the gate, out of
sheer force of ha bit, when an idea
came to him SO suddenly that it took
his breath away. He laid down his PEN
ell and went outside; presently he came
back with an AK. There were blows
and crashes, till, finally, Samuel futile,
red and perspiring, stood triumphant
amidst the ruins of the long-hated
fence. His spirits rose wonderfully
after that, and he could bre athe easier;
he was wildly anxious for Monday
morning and Miss Wolcott's return.
lie saw her coming down The street,
and rose To meet her, with a great
wave of tenderness surging over him
as she stepped in the door, a black
robed little figure. She hesitated in
bewilderment as she looked across the
cleared room to where Samuel Tuttle
stood with beseeching look in his
ewes. She had not known before how
the fence had wounded her feelings,
and she was suddenly overcome.
Laura" he cried, 80 Laura as he
quickly crossed over to the chair into
which she had dropped.
She did not repulse him, and sobbed
ont her pent-up feelings on his shout
der.
Il was afraid you could never for
give my--the fence" he faltered.
She began to laugh through her
tears.
"Oh, the fence" she said. ''lt was
hateful of you, Samuel, but forgive
You now. Cotton Woodruff, in Dem
orest's Magazine.