The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-01

yes or no, to his suit, or whether he
might hope or whether it was hopeless
This was February-June might wit
ness the making of one life or it might
not.
While James Ellis was content to
wait, he was not hopeful He was only
Jimmy" to Julia Jimmy. the boy
the playmate with the pretty face and
a woman's voice. Julia wished man
for her husband, representative of man
hood and strength. He feared the
decision. The time crept on fast;
weeks had flown, month passed.
There was no change in Julia's feelings
that he could detect.
1t was in the latter part of March
that, in the dead of night, fire-alarm
was sounded. Men sprang from their
beds, jumped into their clothes TWAS
a country town in which every man and
many women were needed to fight the
dread fiend. It was soon discovered
had taken fire at the roof. When the
crowd reached the house the top of it
was wrapped in flames. James Ellis
was among the first on the ground. It
was thought that every soul had left
the house. There was terrible scream.
In the second-story room, by the blaze
of the fire, could be seen q woman.
The blood froze in the mems faces as
they looked at the awful scene. They
looked at each other, then back at the
woman. Who would make move to
save her? Like fash James Ellis
rushed toward the house, kicked open
the door, disappeared, fought his way
through the smoke and heat in the Sec
ond story until he reached the woman.
He dashed out window and helped
her to the ladder that had been raised
disappeared. Another second and there
was fall of heavy timber into the
house; column of sparks went up
ward. Seconds passed. The fire was
making Roadway rapidly. James Ellis
had not appeared. At last anxious
watchers crept into the house and came
upon the body of Ellis lying at the bot
tom of the stairs. He had been knocked
down by the falling timber. The fire
had not reached the place where he was
lying.
He was tenderly picked up, carried
out of the house and to his home. The
falling timber had struck him in the
face, cutting and tearing great gashes
the whole length. The hot embers OF
the wood had burned great red blotches
along the wound.
It was only after weeks Of careful
nursing by the faithful aunt that James
Ellis was pronounced well. He had re-
covered from the wound to fall into
fever. It was June when the doctor
told him he had done all he could for
him, that it was for him to grow in
strength. It was not until that time
that James realized that great change
had taken place.
Jimmy" with the baby face was a
thing of the past. There was an ugly
scar on the forehead, another on the
chin, and one on the cheek There
were red patches where he had been
burned. He was no longer pretty. He
was ugly, yet not repulsively so-no |
uglier than many other men. With the |
ANVSA hnA NAoO SOAO lAC WOiAdn VO1CCs
It was now like that of other men.
1t was four months since that day in
February that he decided to venture
out. He waited until it was dusk. |
Then he made his way to the home OF !
Julia. He was ushered into the parlor,
where a half-light burned. In a mo-
ment Julia came, coming quickly to
see her "Jimmy"-the much talked-ot
and admired hero of the night of the
fire-and to congratulate him on his
She rushed up to him, and,
taking his outstretched hand, ex.
claimed:
"Oh. jim" stopping startled as she
looked in his face, then stammering.
continued: Observation-Disclosures
I'm so glad to see your
The man was surprised into formal
ty. ''Mr. Ellisw Julia had never ad-
dressed him thus before. What did it
mean?
AS the evening passed they talked
II the events of the past months. As
ne spoke in that low, tender, pleading,
manly voice Julia listened enraptured.
There were chords in her being that
we're touched, and responded as they
lad never done before. There was
something in her being that went out
20 the mantle SCARED hero. At last,
n low, passionate tones, he pleaded:
Julia, darling, have come for the
answer promised. that can make life
he sweetest thing on earth to me. l
lave come now to know whether dare
nope for happiness. I'm disfgured
low-ugly, but love you-love you, if
possible, more than l ever have. Can
'ou love me?"
AS he held her in his arms, Julia,
enderly caressing the scars with the
Ups of her fingers, whispered:
These don't disfgure you. dear. You
re not ugly to me. William A. Nc
,leary, in Leslie's Newspaper.
Stub Ends Of Thought.
Some old people have an idea they
re occupying space which younger ones
want.