The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1895-01-11

but the entrance upon that which ON
earth, at least, Is final. There were
music and dancing, play acting and
feasting; therefore, through the WIN
ter at Ransom, and frequent exchange
of jovial hospitality with the big
hearted townsfolk over and away at
the transeontinenta1 road, but thera
wasn't q day when somebody, from
Tintop down, wasn't sure to drop in
and have a chat or game of checkers,
or in the evening hand at whist,
with Morgan, who sat up in an easy
chair and was made as comfortable
as willing hearts and hands could
devise, and Mrs. vinton not only taught
Lot and Billy as she taught her own,
but time and again sent them home in
garments newly fashioned, but with
pardonable mendacity represented to
be something she had that didn't fit
her daughter or that her little Jim had
outgrown. Comics clear eyes saw
through the stratagem, and her soft
red lips quivered as she kissed the fair
round cheek of the loving woman who
so well knew how to bless and comfort,
yet rob the act of every hint of charity.
And strangely, too, Comics scant sup
ply of commissary was eked out by
many dainty sent to Morgan's door
from somewhere along the line. No
one ever gave a dinner or luncheon, or
supper party, that long winter, with
out remembrance Of some kind for
those motherless kids, often times in
Guiding some comforting beverage for
old Morgan himself. Eventhe sutler,
whom the men damned for skinfint,
found means to "chip in" unknown to
Morgan, who didn't atan like him, and
the surreptitious dozens of stone bot
ties of stout, glass dittoes Of Bass and
Budweiser, that had been Struggled in
by the back gate during the last year
of Mrs. Morgan's illness, never found
their way on the bill. He had sent
Connie at Christmas dress of soft
black cashmere over which the child's
womanly eyes had glistened, and
which, impulsively, she had taken to
her fathers room, opening it before
him and saying: "Isn't it lovely?
Wasn't it just lovely of him?" And
then she was brought to sudden real
ization of this rancor towards the
trader by the flush that overspread
Morgan's face and the heavy frown be-
tween his eyes.
Connie, child, you shall have it, of
course; you need it; but we can't take
presents from Curran. He must put 1t
on the BILL" he said.
But neither on Comics slender back
nor Curran's bulky bill did those dress
goods ever appear. She sent him a
misspelled, grateful little note, saying
how it touched them all that he should
have SO kindly remembered her, but
papa was so ''infexible" in his views
about accepting 'presants" from friends
they might never be able to repay,
and honest Curran-honest at least in
his desire to do a kindness to the tall
slip of girl with the big brown
eyes and auburn hair that made him
think, he sometimes said; of a colleen
he'd lost longyears before-honest Cur
ran mistook her meaning entirely,
thought her words Morgan's, and,
mindful of some caustic comments, the
big lieutenant had made anent suffers
checks he sought to collect at the pay
table several years before, had all his
Irish aroused and was made fighting
mad. "I1l sind him a resated bill, be-
dad, and cut his acquaintance intire-
lee," said Curran that night, in relat-
ing the incident to some of the boys in
the club-room, whereupon that ne'er-do-
well scapegrace Briggs promptly be-
sought him to take like cognizance OF
the first thing he, Lieut.. Briggs, might
say, as he despaired otherwise of ever
squaring his account.
But the incident bore its weight OF
woe to Connie, despite the merrinent
it gave the boys. Acting under the
advice of his colonel and his friends,
Morgan was diligently turning over to
the adjutant fifty dollars month of
his scanty pay in order that critics and
ing all poor devil of broken-down
lieutenant could do to pay his debts
without absolutely starving his house
hold. The balance went to Con-
ME, and with this she was expected to
feed, clothe and comfort the family,
pay the cook, laundress and striker.
Morgan had no Gfe-insurance, and in
those days could get none. Curran was
one of his heaviest creditors, and Cur
ran had been perfectly willing not only
to wait, but to open his storehouse OF
purse-strings still wider for the strug.
Cling fellows benefit. Only so many
dollars a month could be parcelled out
for the butcher and baker, the grocer
and the commissary, and Connie kept
her books, and, aided by her lady
friends, kept her accounts. But over
e @m