The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-30

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more if the town pump had suddenl,
commenced narrative.
II was born in the little village W,
passed through back yonder, and 81
was Fanny Davis. We went to schoo
together, sat in the same seat at church
rode in the same hay wagon. skated OF
the same ice ponds, went to the sam.
husking bees; but we didn't love eacl
other much for all that.
81 was one of the first of the country
boys who enlisted. There wasn't NOR.
awkward boy in the regiment
'I'll skip the history of the war, anc
only say that after more than three long
years spent in marching and counter
marching from battlefield to battlefield
l came back to the village down there
different man from the one who went
away.
''Such time as they made over the
| little fragment Of our regiment, wher
we came home all ragged and weary
and worn. The folks got up big re
ception down in the old church.
''They gave us more good things than
we could eat in month, and made
! speeches that were good deal more
howery than our path had been.
81 had often dreamed of this home
coming, down under the southern stars,
and thought of the old familiar faces
that would brighten when they saw me,
and the friends whose hands would
like to take first, but in all my dreams
l had never thought of Fanny.
by and by there was a little pause.
l looked up and there, not more than
| three yards off. with cheeks like roses
and eyes like stars, she stood looking
at me with such look as ! never
! thought she could have for anyone,
much less for me.
1T was SO unexpected my heart stood
still for moment She came forward,
! and seized hold Of both my hands and
said, in choked voice:
Sam, you are 3 brave man. I am not
worthy to unite your shoe; but want
to take your hand and tell You how l
honor you. and how sorry 1 am for all
the unkind things have done and said
in days gone by
you see the war had educated her.
too
"All the long years of the war rolled
like flashing panorama before my
brain. Commonplace actions that had
before counted only as my duty grew
strangely heroic. 1 was proud of the
ba rs on my shoulders. l felt every inch
hero.
And yet it seemed as if I would
rather have her tear-filled eyes look at
me in that way than to have all the
honors the world could afford.
''Of course I went to see Fanny. No
distance would have been too great, no
storm too severe to hinder me. And
many a time when l have walked q
mile or more just to touch her little
soft hand or look into her eyes would
think of the times upon times 1 had
gone almost as far the other way so
that / should not see her.
81 followed Fanny like shadow.
asked her to marry me over and over
again. From taciturn man grew to
be great talker.
''She must havesinspired me, think.
for when | was with her something
within me would speak'by the hour with
an eloquence and force that l would
have been incapab BILE of!in ordinary mo-
ments.
AT first she always,said No to nv
question; not harshly, or with ridicule,
but just little soft No, 1 don't love
YOU that seemed as if it was SO frail
and so slight that l could overcome it
if l only persevered.
$50 things went on for over a wear.
Everybody in the village got to know
our affair, If it could be called by that
name, and some said l was fool to
think for a moment that Fanny Davis
would have me; and some said she was
fool not to take me, if she could
get me.
Finally, we had what I thought was
the very last quarrel we should ever
have. Fanny, worn out by my persist
ency, had angrily told me never to
speak to her of love again; never even
to come where she was.
Then for the first time I think I
gave up all hope. 1 avoided Fanny. as
she wished me to for a, long time, but !
couldn't stop thinking of her for all
that.
'Oneday was walking up the street,
thinking 1or the hundsredth time of our
last interview, and irving to be a man
again without her. 1 said over and
over again that l would conquer the
mad feeling that seemed to rush
through my veins. that l would put her
out of my thoughts forever.
81 was thinking over all these things
that day, as l said, and had just given
Fanny up. and then concluded 1 could
not give her up, when Tsaw her coming
toward me.
Il did not even know if she would
speak to me, but she did-just a cool
little nod. At first l thought 1 would
pass her, but I deliberately walked
back with her
''She said nothing after the first
greeting. nor did / speak after that,
either. The silence was just beginning
to get little awkward, when we met
Judge Bentley going down town. evil
IDENTIFY in a hurry; but he stopped
moment, gave each of US sharp look
through his gold-bowed spec:acles, and
said:
Haven't been quarreling again,
Ell? Now, why can't you be
reconciled and happy? It's just as easy
to be good and happy as-the other
thing. Let us bury the Ratchet on the
spot. I'll be the peaceuialzer. I'll tell
You what I'll do. I'll marry you out of
hand. and then you will be happy for.
ever.
Samuel. do you take Fanny to be
Cnll.. UeG6ed wife "a Lara AID q. Ill. Z