Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-04-13
half involuntarily. he was searching the

half involuntarily, he was searching the
congregation below with his eyes for
glimpse of a certain maid bearing q lily.
1t would be q sacrifice for him to leave
town now. 1t occurred to him that life
had been pleasant to him of late amid his
present surroundings in the city. For the
first time in five years, existence had re-
Gently begun to have some piquancy for
him. He had not sought the cause. AS
suredly, he was showing rare considera-
ton for this girl in deciding to leave the
city in order that she might be spared
the pain of a hopeless love. There were
few others, if any, for whom he would
so readily disturb the routine of his life.
He would like, however, to see her face
once more before putting it forever into
his past. It was such charming face.
Now that he game to think of it, was
there ever more charming face-but
one? Why could he not single her out
in the gently swaying surface of flower
trimmed bonnets stretched out before his
gaze? Why had he not ascertained the
location of her aunt's pew?
He found her at last, far to the front
and to the left. He knew her by the lily
in her hand. She sat perfectly still, in a
ray of light from a high window. She
seemed wrapt in contemplation.
How pleasant it would be to sit beside
her!
And when at last the "Gloria in Elk
celsis" was swelling up to the vaulted
roof he had begun to ask himself whether
it were necessary to leave town, after all.
He found himself unwontedly eager to
reach the front of the crowd as it made
| it's way to the doors after the service. He
| pushed his way down the stairs, out from
the place of subdued light and flowers
| and fragrance, into the sunlight.
How long the time seemed as he waited
while the multitude poured out and sep
| arated into hundreds of groups upon the
sidewalk! He watched the lines of faces
| as they appeared at the head of the steps,
| coming from the comparative shade with
| in. At last! She still held her lily. She
cast a quick glance around as she stood
on the topmost step. Then she descend
ed, followed by her aunt and two cousins.
| His heart beat rapidly as he elbowed his
way through the throng that he might
appear at her side as if brought there by
| chance.
He raised his hat to her aunt and cous-
ms. She herself dropped her eyes and
| bowed rather stif1y when she saw him.
| He adroitly managed to keep by her
side as the group moved up the sidewalk.
| Inc aunt anu the cousins Iell DeH1nU.
| Yet he could find little to say upon the
homeward walk. She was inclined to be
! f1ippant and inattentive in her share of
| the conversation.
! When they reached her house, she al
lowed her aunt and cousins to precede her
up the steps. Then she tarried for sec
ond.
"Good by" she said, standing upon the
| second step.
"Good BY" he answered, 'but first 1
should like"
'Wen?"
''May 1 have the lily and begin the new
story?''
She looked into his eyes moment; then
hastily thrust the lily into his outstretched
hand and tripped up the steps. Within
the doorway, turned and kissed her hand
to him.
In the evening, when church bells again
were ringing and the hum of people walk
ing came up from the street below, he
stood before the mirror in his chamber
and contemplated a long dead lily, a
mere mummy of lily in the Grecian vase
beside it. Presently he took the shriveled
| flower from the vase and placed it in the
furthest corner of a dressing case drawer.
And thus an old love was changed into a
memory and he uttered a sigh.
But a moment later he hummed a tune
as he put in the vase, in place of the old
dead flower, an Easter lily that was still
white and fresh.-Robert \. Stephens.