The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-11
no" says she.

well, can't tell YOU" says he,
because there is nothing on earth fit
to compare you with. You are You, and
| that's allr'
What lovely speech! No wonder
love you" says Letitia, naively: but, y
| collapsing into gloom, whats the
good of it all? Auntie will never let
you marry me-"
I'VE could marry without her per-
mission" says he, slowly.
No, we couldn't" says Letitia, with
decision She looks at him earnestly.
Il wouldn't marry you without her
permission for anything. We would
have to run aw ay and that would break
her heart. / am all she has in the
world and though she scolds me good
deal love her. | wouldn't desert her. "
You could come back again." says
he.
'Of course, know that But then
she would always feel disappointed in
me. and hurt, and No, no. I shall
never do that She trusts me So
Then don't know what's going to
be the end of it." says he
I'VE must only wait" says Letitia,
despondingIy. And now, Jack, you
had better go. She is sure to come up
here presently 70 see how the men are
getting on with that fence. You know
what an excellent woman of business
she is. If she caught you here"
There would be wigs on the green"
says Jack, laughing. ''WelL. goed-by
for awhile. suppose If I come back
again this evening L shall find you
here?''
Yes! Oh, yes, Jack, do take care;
the men will see your
Not they" says Jack, kissing her
again And yoa; what are you going
to do while I'm away?"
Think Of YOU" with little saucy
glance at him from under her long
lashes. by the by, have you got q
match about you?''
What on earth do you want il for?"
says he, giving her some wax lights
out of little silver box as he speaks
''Going to have a cigarette?"
Nonsense! I feel as if I want to
set fire to some of those dry little
punches of grass; fairy tufts we used
to call them long ago. They would
burn beautifully to-day. the sun is SO
hot"
We'll, don't set fire to yourself,
whatever you do" says he, thought
lessly. Once again they kiss, and this
time really part
Lesitia stands watching him till he rs
out OF sight, standing on tiptoe as he
gets over the wall to blow last kiss
TO him. Then coming out from the
shelter Of her trysting-piace she walks
into the old MEADOW. now beaten down
save where the tall, coarse tufts of
grass are growing. Lighting one of her
matches she kneels down and sets fire
to the tuft nearest her. It used to be
and she is not yet SO far removed from
those days as 10 have lost all childish
fancies- Sitting down on the side of a
tiny hillock at a distance, she watches
the dancing fames-so small, SO flick
ering, so harmless
She leans back against the bank be-
hind her and crosses her white arms
behind her head. What day it ISL
most heavenly sweet-quite drovsy
day. How lovely that light smoke is
climbing slowly uphill aud fading
away among the young beech trees
above. And the little Games. like
fairies dancing. Perhaps they are fairies
who dwell in those cid dry tufts No
wonder they are dancing-with rage,
evidently. Their stroDgholds are
seized, destroyed. by the ,yrans mani
this time. All, ali! In this
case woman has come to the front, at
all events. She had been reading bout
the emancipation of women last night,
and had laughed over it. After all, she
didn't want TO be emancipated; she
only wanted Jack to love her always;
nothing more. Perhaps the other queer
women only meant that too, only they
hadn't found their Jacks yet Pouf.
How warm it Is!
Gradually her head sinks back upon
her srEs. her eyelids droop over the
soft, clear eyes. How delicious it is
here. How cozv. Again the eyes open,
but very lazily this time. See how the
little insects run TO aud fro over her
white froclS. hither sad thither. all in
search of the great want-food. A
passing thought makes her laugh in
islently. She hopes they will not
make food Of her And then the eve
ids close rescl1teIy; she leans back
Sleep has caught her.
So sound. indeed is her siun Der that
he does not know that now the little
black insects are rushing over her, not
ia search Of food, but OF safe v-safety
from the tiny hot flames that are creep I
ing every moment closer to the thin (
white frock. Now they have touched
her foot and have so far penetrated the .
.hln slipper as to make her unpleasant (
v warm, but not enough 10 waken her
She only turns little and signs; but .
now! /
Now she springs to her fees with an .
,ffrIghted scream. Smoke. Smoke .
,verywhere! And what is this creeping
Up the front of her gown? A thread Of
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