Kansas City daily journal., 1895-06-09

lnE on our lawn, Where we had partcu-
larly fine court
several times when We lacked player
Freddie's name was proposed-he gener-
would annoy Maude II he played. so never
encouraged him any. After a time he did
At first he often stayed In the parlor in
the evening when we had callers, espe-
cially II there were music. lie was Won
and played a number of pretty little airs
himself. | used to like to hear him; his
touch Was eXquistely earesslng and gentle.
nocturn Of Chopins opus .. No &
] heard celebrated y!oinist play Il in
could almost imagine ] was again in the
opera house listening TO the magic strains
of that most voice-like musical instrument,
| the violin. Maude smiled rather disdain-
fully. when ] made some such remark to
her, and said: What! that. boys drum
ming! You have a vivid Imagination, Mann
ie. must confess, ] am not equal to it,
/ felt somewhat chilled. and after that
kept my ideas in regard to Freddie's music
one evening when the bell rang he was
II t9e parlor. ! had been singing for
with all his soul in his eyes.
"Fred," whispered. as | passed him on
my way to the door, II think you had bet
friends who are coming nii this this evening" ven q" U0e
| He got up quickly and started toward the
door door into the back parlor. AS he passed
| his foot caught and he came near falling
| at Maude's feet
She gave a little impatient shrug and
said something about being too awkward
| to live and always in the way" F'reddie's
| face flushed and his feet could hardly carry
| him out of the room fast enough.
He never came into the parlor after that
unless he was sure that Maude was alb
sent. learned sometime later that he
| played ball with the boys in the neighbor-
My mother did not like TO have him with
them for they were older and apt to be
II father
for few days and l did not give the mat
| ter much thought.
one day in August we young folks plan
ned a drive to the river several miles dis
tant, lunch on the bluffs and ride home
| by moonlight.
I felt no misglvngs about going, as nurse
attended to the housekeeping in my
mothers absence and l was accustomed 10
coming and going much as pleased
The day was perfect and the drive out
delightful ! was unusually llsht-hearted
and merry that day.
in the evening n cloud had enveloped the
moon, making it dark and chilly, by no
pressed and unnatural and did not even try
to join in with the others in their gay talk
and songs For some reason Freddie's
face would keep, coming before me- with
the little sober look about the eyes and
mouth that had grown so noticeable since
Maude had been with us.
last, quickly jumped out, bade a hasty
goodnight to my friends. and not waiting
passed up the walk. through the somber
shrnboery, the round pebbles crunching
under my hurrying feet.
The house looked dark and deserted, no
light to be seen anywere, except a dim ray
from the library lamp shining out fitfully
aero across so,i thS side piazza closed the from;
wraps or. the, hall table. went on UP the
stairs, not caring; ,sppar1ently what became
door saw that It stood ajar and / thought
heard sound of sobbing. l stopped.
clingng TO the bansters listened. Yes it
wa. was Freddie sobbing, ! hadn't heard him
m with hot tears yet / could not. go to
him something seemed to hold me back;
heard his bovish voice trembling with
the weight OF his, sobs saying: "Oh, God.
there's lots of room, and | won't be in any
body's way. I'm SO homely and awkward
and nobody loves me but mamma and she
wouldn't miss me very much when sister
Mamie IS here. ] amt afraid to die, II
would, wondn't be ,i half 50 hard as 70 be called
How my heart ached, waited to hear no
more, but sprnSing into the room, | threw
kneelng by the little bed. The pale moon
light making, the little thin face look white
and and death-like, ana drawing my brother
die, don't ask God to take you to heaven.
| do love you, dear, Oh; more than
called ,homely and awkward again, or
have anyone say that you are in the
way" Here I broke down and sobhed so
TO lovingly call him. had To turn comforter.
After, that We had long, beautiful. con-
l went away to Maude
! did not tell her about Freddie. I could
would not understand. but during the re-
mainder of her visit made it extremely
my only brother and did not consider him
ever in the way.