Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1894-12-15
THE LITTLE WIDOW.

not more than tWenty-SlX at Jne OUT
side, and in spite of her widowhood,
as fresh ard winning as any belle in
her first season.
What has become of your friend,
Mr. Temple, lately" asked the little
widows friend and confdante, Eva
cray ave all thought you and he
were going to make match Of il,
ard now he suddenly disappears from
the social horizon and we hear NO
more about him. Have you quar-
relied, or have you refused him or
WHAT"
HE hasn't given me the chance
to refuse him" Then, as an after
thought, she added: DO you know
the reason?'
mo- what is it," cried her COM
panion, all the woman's love of a Sc
cret reused within her.
There are two reasons" said the
widow, still with smile on her face,
and there they are" AS she spoke
she pointed to corner Of the room,
where two pretty little children were
at play.
''My incum brances. DO you know
when l made Mr.. Temples acQuaint-
ance at Brighton the children were
away at their grandmothers, and he
never knew till fortnight ago that
there were any such young people in
the world.
''He heard of them the day before
they came home, and since that day
he's never been near the place. while,
as you know, before that he was here
pretty nearly every day.
ut seems they used to chaff Ted
about me at the club-the bright
eyed little widow they used to call
me-and when Mr.. Barrowclough
said something of the kind the day
alter he'd been told about the chill
dren he said:
.sOh be hanged! She's a lovely
little woman, but do you know
there's a family tackled on-two
squalling little brats?'
1.-THE horrid wretchr exclaimed
Eva Grey, Ito go regarding those two
little darlings as an incum brance."
The two friends continued talking,
and 81 interested were they that they
did not notice the Two children leave
the corner in which they were play
ing and take up position close be-
side them, listening intently to all
that was being said.
Now it so happened that the chill
dren, unknown to their mother, had
seen Mr.. Temple and seen him often.
Since he had given up visiting her
he had taken to strolling aimlessly
about in one of the public parks not
far away.
MI Temple had noticed the pretty
children. who seemed to be con-
Stantly falling across his path, and
more than once had spoken with them
and with their rosy faced little nurse,
the latter never for d moment doubt
ing that he knew all the time whose
| children they were.
1t was owing to this that the chill
dren were able to grasp the meaning
of their mothers conversation from
the point where their sharp ears first
caught Mr.. Temples naue.
He was their friend of the public
park, the tall, handsome gentleman
whom nurse had told them was one
| day to be their father From that
! point they were all ears, till at
| length one of them startled the
ladies by breaking into conversation
with the words:
won't Mr.. Tempoo marwy you,
muvver. betause you've dot us to
look after? I'm sure we wouldn't be
naughty, and we's bofe vove him if
he'd be our faver."
L dare say you would, but you
won't have the chance" said their
mother.
That afternoon the two children,
still full OF the idea that Mr.. Temple
was not going to marry their mother
because he declined to take the re-
4 sponsibility of two naughty children
upon his hands, conceived the scheme
of calling upon him and assuring him
that they would give him absolutely
no trouble and would be indeed the
best children in the world if only he
would give them the opportunity.
When Mr.. Temples old housekeepel
opened the door she was addressed By
little girl deliberately dressed in q
white embroidered frock with blue
SASH Her little ankles were encircle6
by diminutive silken socks and hel
feet encased in tiny bucKled shoes.
"Oh, Mrs. Whitaker" she said,
Twill you please come and open the
gate for Phebe? 1t won't come un
fastened and she can't get in"
Then how did you get in?" asked
the housekeeper. knowing that the
gate had been left fastened from the
inside.
"Oh, l came over the wall" sht
answered as though it was the most
natural thing in the world for lit
tie tot standing three feet nothing in
her stocking feet to Chamber over Z
six-foot wall il il INSTRUCTED her way
We'll. young ladies, how do yOr
do3 This is an unexpected pleasure
I'VE are very we'll thank you, Mr.
Temple, and hope you are the same, ,
said Floss speaking for the two o
them.
You seem to know my name, but
you have the advantage of me
Please tell me whose little girl yoI
are. Do l know your father o.
mother?:n
'tWhy. of course you do; we'r,
Mrs Telford's little girls, and W,
haven't got any father"
s.Whatl the little widows chill
dren!', he exclaimed under his breath
Yes said Phebe, joining in TO
the first time; watts what Miss Da.
L ~