The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-09

| III 69I5Es
| @s I,ypzn
EEEf.HE copyright 1893 By
A&lR(tAW >. tae Apshor.l
K4 kNrfggRS9A NE GUTTER
MIiEaSSyfElt tIfhsffi daughter of a
| HINig] I'LL, Elm 3i(lldIH drum k n ia
lAMl3 JNfY Their and con-
| & fste su m'ptiv
| @Es HAE. 14M Il mother. T h e
| NHisr latter was 2
xIs s -3.I respecta b le
| g woman, born
Of honest, hardswofkipB parents. Fo,
several years she lived miserable life.
Her husbands infrmityproved a source
of constant shame toher. In the first
days of their union she discovered his
besetting sin and. in spite of the repul-
sion wbsth it inspired, tried earnestly
to reform him. Her endeavors were sc
unsuccessful that, after awhile she gave
them up in despair. Worn out by sor-
row and anxiety her health completely
| gave way and she died, feaving behind
| an inbecile son and little daughter
named Jane.
In her carly youth the gizhshowed
| symptoms of mental weakness, but
these disappeared as she grew older
and stronger. She went to the board
school and passed the various stand
ards creditabfy enough. Her home. "a
may be imagined, was not happy
one, Her father inspired Jane with a
mingled feeling of fear andAleashing.
When he cauaes reeling back from, his
days work. ana the little Kitchen of
their fonr-roomed cottage rang with
his blasphemaus oaths. the poor child
would shrink into q corner. cover her
face with hC' hands, and murmuF to
to herself: "Ah! how very terrible.
Why-why does he go on Nlse that9"
But sometimes, in spite Of her repul-
sion and disgust, a secret conviction
would obtrude itself that she was too
nearly allied TO him for the. sa~se Wild
blood which flowed through h,f vefhs
MOTTO flow also in hers TIE tic of
consequently was strong, and IS spoke
with powerful if silent, voice with
in her breast. And Jane was fright
ened. At this period she WIS too
young, too ignorant to. analyze her sem
sations. She only knew that while her
whole soul rose up in, revolt against
her fathers, dEalnazennsss, there were
times when it possessed a,mysterious
fascinatioa.for her. which she felt al
most unable to resist. II made her
dread, with a pslptating dread, shat
given the temRtsfion she TOO might
succumb. She foresaw that in all
proba bility familiarity would accus-
tom her to tho debasing and degrading
spectacle Of a strong man an abject
slave to that awful ctirse-driuk
So, to keep herself pune and upstained,
it came about that the girl fed from
home. Through the intervention Of a
friend she, obtained service with an
elderly ,spinster lady, living in a re-
mote, country village. Here her moral
atmosphere seemedtp grow clearer. At
times, however, strange fancies fitted
through her brain, for. which she was
at a setai loss To- account Her em-
pl6yer, whoee name was;Aalss Eliza .Lor-
ton, quickly succeetef, ID hars kindness
and gentieness in gaining jones af-
fections. Mistress and maid lived
quiet, peaceful aid uneaentfiA lie.
Jane performed her little round of-daily
duties apparently to theold laly's salts.
faction, and on either side, feeling of
good will subsisted.
Thus several months passed. James
health was good on the whole, but her
siunbers We're Frequently disturbed by
uneasy dreams Often they were so
vivid that, during. the day, she went
about almost entirely under their in
fuence. She could not shake of the
impression they produced.
The winter season set in, and the
weather proved unusually severe.
Snow fell in large, irregular flakes, and
covered the ground to a depth of sew
era1 inches. In many places commune
cation was interrupted.
The cold,' white snow, the leaden,
gray sky and the cherries aspect of
nature in general had depressing ef-
feet on James Observation-Disclosures
nervous organization. She felt restless
and oppressed The sight of the snow
filed her with kind of blind rage.
She went into tho back yard, and,
stretching out her s7ms, tried with all
her feeble strength 60 check it's down.
fall. Angered by the futility of her
efforts, she seized spade and dug
viciously into the soft, white mass at
her feet Strange, fierce impulses fit
ted like red-hot sparks through her be-
ing.
That evening, Miss Lorton retired
early to rest, complaining of bad
headache.
Left alone, Jane followed'her exam
pie. During the early hours Of the
night she could not sleep, but at last
she fell into a troubled slumber, and,
as was often the case, she dreamed.
She drsamt that she heard 1.-THE wind
bowling out Of doors, and the sound of
it, signing and moaning, like living
thing. caused spirit of unrest to de-
scend upon her. Still sleeping. in fancy
she rose from her couch and CROPPED her
way to the kitchen. A large meat
knife lay upon the table. She took it
up and felt the blade with her fore
finger. A shudder ran through her
frame. Then, al at once, with that
sudden transition of scene which in
dreams appears SO natural and lifelike,
she found herself transported 20 her
mistress room.
Miss Lorton was lying On her back.
fast asleep. A smile illunined her face.