Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-01-03


way--li,;c she was longin' for some
one to come in anu Do little soe..bly
with her, thought hadn't time.
aud | mathematician | might q
made time aud been none the worse
for it, Omcl twas IN opportunity
and now it's gone from me. She was
. stranger and didn't take her in"
Left to herself an hour later Mrs
brewster sat face to face with h,r
lost opportunity, and with every
thought the sting OF self-rcproach grew
deeper
"She was so poor and didn't hold
out hand to her might have
stopped for her Is | drove By to
church, when | knew she was often
kept to home by her lamenesa |
meant to send her apples and things
and didn't. thought sometimes of
sending her my reli sious paper when
I'D done reading it--and | lot the time
slip
There was 4 SILVER Of excitement as
Miss Abigail Meekcr pressed through
the village Oh her way home, telling
her startling news
! Does any life 20 out among us-poor
careless rrocrastinators that we are
without leaving behind its train OF
bitter thought of what we might have
done and did not do? OF the words
which might have been spoken to ears
now closed, OF acts which might have
brought comfort and cheer? May VIC
be pitied In our aching for a sound
from dumb lips In acknowledgment OF
blessing which should have been be.
stowed-in our crav ng for time, time,
time In which to do the thousand and
one things which never now can be
done!
More than one turned with dimming
eyes toward the window from which
the patient face had looked out.
II meant TO carry some o them
flower seeds to her She'd "a like
'sm-she set such store by flowers"
II could u stopped and plowcd up
her bit Of garden Just as well as
not"
why didn't l invite her to my
quiltin'T
II might" ~ could have" |
meant to- ~ wish | had" "Why
didn't -
Miss Susan Petit was brought home
10 tho little house for the funeral
Crushed and broken--the plain, scaled
coffin borne reversntly among those
TO whom tho awful thing camo as the
excitement OF . lifetime. Ilysterical
sobs and wailinR were heard as flowers
were piled over the still form.
Il didn't bring one OF en-, said Mrs
Brewster, pointing to them in halfin
dignant agitation, mo, | didn't Two
read piece o poetry about layin'
flowers on folkses' eravcs--ald--"
Mrs. Brewster choke l-"nevcr layin
deeds OF loving.kindncss onto Their
Lives. And-have you read tho pic,
about her In the paper? Ali about The
sweetness and loveliness2 Queer hahn.
IL" with . gnsping laugh, that no.
body Aeemcd TO find II out till No,
you don't catch me carryin' flowers to
her grave. They might n comlorted
her livn'."
Tho house was shut and locked after
the funeral, Its closed blinds bearing
mournful look tn those who passed
1t was said that 1t had fcIlcn to II dis.
tant connection Of Miss buaan, but no
one know certainly
Three weeks later IN uNrretcntiou5,
shabby-ncat little 1yuro lett tac after
noon train and walked with limp.
tng stsps up tho street OF the small
village, followed by wIde.staring, won.
dering eyeA
"lley?
THAT amt Susan pcttt!"
"Well. II she want dead I'd say
twas"
hut she ID dead"
II don't carc--it's her anyways"
Mlss Susan wont quietly up 10 The
door OF the littlo house, still dreary
with It's closed windows, too; tho key
from her pocket ard opened II.
ut WINS oil o mistake" sho said her
face l'eaming In appreciation OF th'
cordiality with which tho amazed
neighbors crowded about her II
wasn't hurt mite, but they got
names mixed up Aud didn't try 10
set things right, because, you see,
there wasn't anybody II would make
any difference to, except the folks be.
longin' TO the poor soul that's dead.
And they don't know yet who Il was In
that-Ah, mc!'
Miss Susan shuddcrcd at the dread.
full memory
70, Susan, II docs--it did make n
difference" eric Abigail Mccker. wip-
ing her eyes "Wherc have you bgca
al this time-as it seems pretty sure
you amt bcel in Heaven,
1--WE been with LAZY that rot hurt
took care Of her thai nght." Miss
Susan closed her eyes with another
nervous shul'lcr, "and the next day
whcr she came to nothing woul do
but must 70 with her She's gcttn'
well now, so come home Sydney
Dayrc, in n Y Observer