The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-05-04

EN ache: ! don't
see any especial
reason why a
young man of
good moral character and temperate
habits. who takes eight hours sleep
seven nights in the week, should have
a headache, but did. 1t was one of
those popping kinds of headaches that
make one feel as If his lungs had gone
to his head and they were trying to ex-
pand there about four diameters, at in
tervals of a minute. I believe they
fancy they wouldn't be any more
agreeable by any other name. Then
my heart was as heavy as lead, and
once or twice as l walked along l
really feared it was going to pull loose
from its fastenings and drop down
upon my duodenuIn, or whatever it is
that the doctors tell us is concealed in
our persons in that neiRhborhood. Pos
sibly it was the heavy heart that gave
me the headache. But no. 1 recall
now that was going to see Kitty, the
one girl in the whole world that made
1T any kind of n world for me, and we
had had q slight misunderstanding. 1t
wasn't the head that gave me the
heart ache; it was the heart that give
me the headache. l believe I said that
I took eight hours sleep seven nights
in the week. At this point I wish to
modify that statement. In the week
past, had done SO only six nights, for
the night before the day which
was on my way to see Kitty we had
disagreed with each other. I don't
think 1 slept at all.
l was going now to see the young
woman and settle the matter finally,
and though 1 was a promising young
lawyer ready to make u case for any
body else, I had no papers in this
case and was going empty-handed. l
didn't even have SO much us my brief
with me.
At the door Mrs. Miltby-Mrs. Milt-
by is Kitty's mother, and a most ex-
emplary and motherly soul-met me
and on the instant started back in
amazement.
why, John'-shc always called me
John, for she had known me since
was a mere baby-''why john" she
with You? You look like you were GO
Ing to have n bad SPELL
ooh, that will be all right in a day
or so,' replied, evasively. Il have a
severe headache. Is your daughter at
home?''
prise.
''Of course" said I. "You haven't
any other daughter, have you?" and
made believe to smile.
''Oh, 1 didn't know" she stammered.
1t was cruel to tease her, and with d
supreme effort 1 talked nationally to
her for a few minutes-they seemed
like hours to me-and then she said
she would go and tell Kitty.
AS for myself, 1 went into the little
parlor and waited. How sweet and
pretty it looked. and how like q sand
stone on a gold setting 1 felt. Every
thing was as had seen it SO often, the
picture of her grandpa over the cot
tage piano; the frame in which my pic
ture had been for SO many months,
but empty now, on the corner of the
mantel; the large photograph of Saint
Cecilia looking heavenward, as we had
so often told each other we always felt
when we were together; the two big
friendly chairs inviting each other to
come nearer, which we always sat in
when 1 first came in the evening, and
the snug little sofa in the corner that
was always my point of departure
when told her good night, and went
my way back to my own cheerless
apartments in homeless boarding.
house. 1 looked at them all, and as
the drowning man sees all his sins be-
fore him, SO did see all these things
twice over, and multiplied by the thou
sand as the greatest blessings of my
life Then 1 shut my eyes. 1 couldn't
help it. My head felt as if a dozen
sets of lungs had got into it and were
doing expansion turns for prize.
l opened my eyes suddenly at the
sound of a voice.
Mother told me you wished to see
me-" it said, as chilly as if it had been
left out over night in the frost.
''Oh, XII" 1 began, as stood up be-
fore her. Il beg your pardon" con-
tinued; ''your mother was quite right.
did wish to see you"
II can scarcely understand why
she went on, latter what occurred last
night. Still, you may be able to ex-
plain and I am willing to listen, at
least for a few minutes. I have an
engagement she added, with the
faiptest kind OF a smile.
II was such a miserably mean little
smile, thought, that it was ashamed
to show itself openly.
''Oh, don't let me detain you,' tried
to say, with biting sarcasm, but 1 only
bit my tongue in saying it.
II shall not" she replied. s'When I
am ready to go I will let you know.
Fray be seated and she waved me to
my chair again, taking one of our
our think of that--big chairs and
wanted to throw book at her.
ment is with that Mr.. Kilmer and my
''Oh, no. she said, mo intrusion at
all. At least, not yet He was here
this morning and told me he would
She looked up at the pretty brass
4 Hl,