The Portland daily press., 1895-04-30
A HEADACHE.

Ii WIS one OIL Un2U popping klilsi OIL Heau-
aches that make one feel as if his lungs
had gone to his head and they were trying
to expand there about four diameters at
intervals of minute. 1 believe they call
them nervous headaches, but I fancy they
woa25n't be any more agreeable by any
other name. Then my heart was as heavy
as lead, and once or twice as I walked
along really feared it was going to pull
loose from its fastenings and drop. Pos
sibly it was the heavy heart that gave me
the headache. But no. I recall now that
was going to see Kitty, the one girl in
the whole world that made it any kind of
a world for me, and we had had a slight
misunderstanding. 1t wasn't the head
that gave me the heartache; it was the
heart that gave me the headache. be-
lieve 1 said that 1 took eight hours sleep
seven nights in the week. AT this point
wish to modify that statement. In the
week past I had done so only six nights,
for the night before the day on which I
was on my way to see Kitty we had dis
agreed With each other. 7 don't think I
slept at all.
was going now to see the young wom-
oil anu SOUU1C uL0 I1ooUOl AhesllyJ oId
though was a promising young lawyer,
ready to make a case for anybody else,
had no papers in this case and was going
empty handed. didn't even have so much
as my brief with me.
At the door Mrs. Miltby-Mrs. Miltby
is Kitty's mother, and most exemplary
and motherly soul-met me and on the in
slant started back in amazement.
ttWbu Tobp,t- cha oil oa1Iad ,,,o
John, for she had known me since was
mere baby-"why, john" she exclaimed,
whatever is the matter with you? You
spell"
sob, that will be all right in day or
so'' replied evasively. 81 have a severe
headache. Is your daughter at home9''
"You mean Kitty?' she asked in sur
prise.
''Of course" said T. @You haven't any
other daughter, have you?'' and made
believe to smile.
"Oh, didn't know she stammered.
Didn't know what?" and I tried to
smile again. Didn't know whether you
had another daughter or not9"
"Why, to be-certainly I know that.
Why, how queer you do ta1k!' she ratified
on half Historically, and laughing one of
that creepy kind of laughs one dreams of
when he hasn't eaten the right thing for
supper. "Are-are-you quite sure John,
she broke out excitedly, "that that head
ache hasn't gone to your head?"
1t was cruel to tease her, and with a SUI
preme effort 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, I went into the little
parlor and waited. How sweet and pretty
it looked and how like sandstone on a
gold setting felt! Everything was as I
had seen it SO often, the picture of her
grandpa over the cottage piano, the frame
in which my picture had been for so many
months, but empty now, on the corner of
the mantel; the large photograph of ST.
Cecilia looked heavenward, as we had Of
ten 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 first came
in the evening, and the snug little sofa in
the corner that was always my point of de-
parture when I babe her good night and
went my way back to my own cherries
apartments in homeless boarding house.
] looked at them all, and as the drowning
man sees all his sins before him so did see
all these things twice over and multiplied
by thousand as the greatest blessings of
my life. Then I shut my eyes. couldn't
help it. My head felt as if dozen sets of
lungs had got into it and were doing ex-
pansion turns for a prize.
I opened my eyes suddenly at the sound
of 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, Ki'-I began, as I stood up be-
fore her. 81 beg your pardon, - continued;
s'your mother was quite right. I did wish
to see you"
81 can scarcely understand why" she
went on, latter what occurred last night
Still, you may be able to explain, and am
willing to listen, at least for few min
utes, as have an engagement, " she add
ed, with the faintest kind of smile.
1t 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 only bit
my tongue in saying it.
81 shall not" she replied. "When am
ready to go, I will let you know. Pray be
seated" and she waved me to my chair
again, taking one of our-"our, F." think of
that-big chairs and Nesting down into it
SO cozily that 1 wanted to throw a book at
her. really wanted to throw myself at
her, but had never dared do that, and this
was scarcely an appropriate time to begin.
III presume, 1 said, your engagement
is with Mr. Kilmer and my presence here
is an intrGson?"
Kihner had been the cause of the trouble
the night before, and IEillner was such q
good fellow generally that | couldn't help
bJShwish that he had died several years
before with the cholera Or some OF the 9th
er epidemics which visit cur shores and
carry away so many excellent people.
"Oh, nc" fhe said, mo intrusion at all.
At least not yet. He was here this morn
ing and told me he would not be around
again until O'Clock"
She looked W at the pretty brass clock