People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-01-03


1t seemed to me as if that man had
taken his seat on the pit of my stom-
ach, so to speak, and the worst was,
that Dona Eduvigis encouraged him,
and on the other hand, would allow
me to say nothing that might offend
him.
He is somewhat ordinary in his
manners" she allowed one day; but
then he is so clever. Why, he is
thinking of opening a pawn shop,
where he intends to advance small
sums of money on articles of clothing
and jewels. If he were not a man of
talent do you think that such a thing
would have occurred to him?"
Laura continued to fascinate me
more and more with her poetical con-
duct.
"Leoncio,7 she whispered to me
one dreamy night, "doyou still per-
spire?"
Never"
"Leoncio, do you suffer with chill
blains?'
Il would die first"
"Leoncio, can it be true that you
use suspenders?"
mo, my Laura, it is the basest cal
umny."
Invent one evening to see my be-
loved, and, as usual, Dona Eduvigis
received me at the door with frown.
where are you going?" she asked
me, Grossly.
Inside" | answered, endeavoring
to speak naturally.
Never" she cried.
why not?"
Laura is at this moment a victim
Of nervous attack. You are killing
her.
"I?"
Yes; she has lust discovered that
you are exceedingly fond of garlic
soup"
well, what of ito"
MY daughter cannot endure any
more of this prose. She wishes the
engagement to be broken off for
ever"
Great heavens"
Here are your letters"
l leaned against piece of furniture
to prevent myself from falling against
Dona Eduvigis.
My heart was torn with anguish as l
left the house.
A year afterward, | was wandering
about the city in search of a friend
who would lend me the money with
which 20 buy revolver.
l had determined to put an end to
my existence. | had found it impossi-
BILE to live without Laura.
What had become of her?"
asked myself. Perhaps finding in
this world nothing but prose, she had
sought in the solitude of the cloister
the sweet poetry to which her dream
ing soul had aspired. Or perchance
she had retired to some balmy grove,
where 500 thed by the songs of little
birds, she was BILE to forget all the
vulgar details of existence. In any
case she was lost to me, and could
live no longer under the weight of
those memories. Why had l not been
born more spiritual? Why had l
loved garlic soup?
Let US finish with all these repin-
ings," cried resolutely. Il will
pawn my cloak. shall have no
further need Of it, and with what it
will bring l can obtain a revolver
that will be the means of putting an
END to so much suffering"
| found my way to pawn shop and
entered it with determination.
who waits on one here?" | cried.
rapping on the counter
Suddenly man presented himself
to view; man who looked more like
a beast than anything else, SO
hideous was he, and with such an
abundance of hair covering his face.
l gave scream of surprise. In
that horrible object l had recognized
Don Cipriano, the friend of Dona
Eduvigis.
Laura he yelled, paying no at
tention to me. Leave off sweeping
and come and attend to this Gus
toner"
A dirty, unkempt woman appeared
behind the counter. She was attlred
in faded wrapper, and her slippers,
down at the heel, disclosed her feet
incased in pair of ragged stockings.
"Leoncio!" she screamed, as she
caught sight of me.
Laura" l shrieked. believing my
self the victim Of some horrible
nightmare.
Mufiing myself in my cloak, fed,
convinced at last of the fact that he
who kills himself for love is but
driveling idiot.