Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-07-10

taken in the situation, said one day in
German. HE is a good son to me, and
he is not unfriendly to thee, but he does
not understand; he is bashful before
any woman but his mother"
His attitude toward her and the con-
tinued separation from her little one
were the only trials Roberts widow was
called to bear while her life with the
kind old German woman lasted And
as she was allowed to see the little one
every week, and as the child seemed
always well and happy, this latter was
not so much of a trial after all.
But there came time when Shultz
could no longer avoid his mothers
friend, nor yet keep silent before her.
1t was on the day she found the good
old woman, sitting peacefully in her
easy chair, her knitting in her hands IS
usual, but quite dead, with smile on
her face that was not soon forgotten
by either of the two that were left.
To Roberts widow this seemed the
very climax of her bereavements. For
the third time in her life she was left
alone, and once more she must begin
all over again. But she had learned
fortitude from her earlier griefs, and
her feeling was not, as before, that she
was entirely desolate.
The day after the mothers funeral
Shultz found voice before Roberts
widow, though he began his talk as
awkwardly as of old, and in almost the
same words he had used before.
MY mother said to me more than
once" he began, hooking and unhook-
ing his index fingers, that you would
be a good wife for me-
She stopped him with a flash from
her eyes.
But your mother is Dead" she cried,
land you are not a child to talk of mar
riage because your mother advised it.
Why do you not, just once, speak for
yourself? Why"
And then she checked herself, remem-
bering she was Roberts widow But
she had loosed the mans tongue, and,
speaking in German, as his mother had
always done when her emotions were
reused, he poured forth such a torrent
of passionate protest of love, of suppli-
cation, that she was positively fright
ened. She had not dreamed that this
slow, awkward man was capable of
intense feeling; he had always seemed
to her to think only of his drugs and
the money they sold for. She had
thought the entrance of herself, third
person, into his little home, had always
been dlstasteful to him. Yet here he
was, making most passionate declara-
ton of love. But she hesitated. Could
she, Roberts widow, marry this drug
g1st? Suddenly she knew she loved
time.
And SO, after an interval, they were
married and life was happily begun
again for her who had been Roberts
widow Her happiness was not ex-
actly like the happiness she had felt
as Roberts wife, yet it was real, and
Shultz knew it and rejoiced
But the little girl still remained with
the KIND sisters, and this was Just a lit
tie mote in the sunshine for the mother
Every Sunday she visited the child. lust
as before, though this was never men
toned in the fiat over the drugstore.
But one Sunday when the mother went
away Shultz looked very serious, and
when he was alone he began walking
up and down the floor.
shall be back soon, DEAR" she had
sald with smile on her lips, ON leav-
ing; but there had been a tear in her
eye, and perhaps that was what made
him impatient and caused his index
fingers to hook and unlock themselves
in the old way, automatically, as if
they were parts of an unthinking piece
OF machinery. After a time he put on
his hat with a determined air, and went
heavily down the stairs, muttering I'M
der his breath:
Yes, yes! 1t is better that she should
make no more Sunday visits to the Sis
tiers home, and l will see to that. Obi
will see to that. Yes, yes!"
On the car which he boarded he con-
tinued to talk below his breath, to the
establishment of his fellow passengers
His wife was bidding good[by to the
little one when he entered the visitors
room of the home; and mother and
daughter were too absorbed in one an
other to note his approach, in spite of
his heavy tread. He was thinking how
like the mother was the child when his
wife saw him, and his look was so in
tense as to startle her as she had before
been startled by him.
MOL! he said in German: Thou
shouldst not say good-by! The child
shall no more be left in this place
Come to me, little one; come to our
home. Come! there is room enough for
three and thol1 shalt not lorpar J,o