Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-08-10
HIS BABY FACE.
It's Disagreement Brought Heppi-
ness TO James Ellis.

Jimmy Ellis IL indeed a funny boy"
nRhed Julia Costello to friend.
They say he Is head over heels In
love with you-follows you, Is TO DO
found somewhere near you most Of his
time. They tell me you have complete
ly bewitched the boy" rejoined the
friend.
II must confess he seems TO act very
foolishly. No matter what do or say,
or ignore him, can't scare him away.
have never done the slightest thing
TO encourage him." Julia soberly re-
piled.
whats the matter with the boy,
then, that he hangs around you so
much?" the friend asked.
II don't know" Julia slowly said,
and added In a wistful manner, az won
der whether Jimmie will ever be a man
will ever look like a man"
Hes pretty boy, anyhow" laughed
the friend.
Pretty as a baby" said Julia, join
ing in the laugh.
The subject Of this conversation was
not boy, but "a man OF thirty years.
A man Of full stature, yet with the ex-
pressionless face OF baby. 1t was
round and full. The skin was of soft
pink color, with tinge OF darker color
in the cheeks The eyes were large
and of light blue, and opened in an
innocent surprise when their owner
was spoken TO. He had little chubby
nose and small mouth. There were
no lines or shadows on his face
He was Q pretty man; 80 pretty that
his face was repulsive TO man and TO
womsnkind. There was nothing about
| the face TO counteract the sc emingly
expressionless vacuity there. Strangers
continually asked: "Who Is the man
with the baby face2' The reply was
always Jimmy Ellis. The man James
Ellis was swallowed up in the boy
Jimmy.
Another characteristic heightened
the effect of this boyishncss. His voice
was pitched an octave higher than is
usual In men. lie spoke in light,
chattering tone that went off into a
screech. lie talked and laughed like
| woman. All his male associates us he
became older grew away from him, de-
| riding the man with baby face and a
| woman's voice. Womankind seemed
ever TO be making sport of him.
James Ellis was extremely sensitive
| in respect to these characteristics. He
was conscious of the fun and sport
| others were having at his expense. In
consequence he gave humanity wide
berth While he did so, he hated that
big baby face of his. II made life mis-
cradle to him. 1t angered him at times
| l. =. n l.. A.. 4 l.
vain TO coax a growth Of whiskers TO
hide the face. A tuft Of yellow hair
here and there was all that made It's
appearance. In despair he had given
up any further attempts in this direc-
| ton.
| Notwithstanding these outward signs,
James Ellis was man OF true, honest
and honorable instincts and aspira-
tions. lie delighted in the pleasures OF
a robust manhood. lie was an all-round
athlete. There was not better horse
back rider in the town in which he
lived His mother had died when he
was n child. His father died when he
reached his majority, leaving him n
home in the Pennsylvania town of
b and two farms lying near the viii
lage. An aunt had been installed as
housekeeper over the home.
James Ellis was better manager of
the farms than his father had been be
fore him. lie gave them his constant
attention. There was no part of the
work on the farm he could not do.
Those under him knew what he expect
ed from them. James Ellis not only
knew how TO manage the farms better
than his father, but knew how TO live
and enjoy life and that which he made
better.
There was not better library In
the town than his; he had collected II
himself. He was lover OF art. James
Ellis was talented man. His large
hunting dog heard many a soliloquy
that for originality and brightness
would have rivaled the mental calibei
Of by far the greater number of his
fellow-townsmen
James Ellis life had been, however, 9
failure, as he looked at tan unhappy
failure-a miserable existence, caused
by baby face and n woman's voice,
His greatest happiness, and at the
same time his greatest unhappiness
was his love for Julia Costello He wal
not content unless near her. lie wor
SHIPPED her. II was the love of strong
man; the only love of n lonely life. HI
had known her from childhood anC
had always loved her. He loved he
! because he could not conceive how If
, could be complete without her. BE
cause he believed that with woman
/ the best gift TO man-this woman
could he alone reach the great bless
ings Of existence-home, love, happi
ness. He was miserable because IN
had been and was no more to Juli
than Jimmy" lie felt that, with hi
baby face and woman's voice, he ha,
failed to awaken the chords of love- L
sound the depths of her heart. Sh
liked him, respected him, but he wa
only Jimmy" her boy playmate.
Shortly after the conversation be
tween Julia and her friend, james Eli
succeeded In gaining u long -looked-fo
opportunity, Taking Julia's hand i
his, he said, in his squealSy voice:
Julia, darling, | love thee, Low
thee This love is the sweetest, tn
only thing ON earth that makes III
worth the living to me. BE mine. Low
me-marry me-"
Julia could not help but see the ridi,
ulous in the voice, in the face, and il
, terrupted him several times as h