The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-09
THROUGH A WINDOW.

IIlSn nau gathered ABOUT rude GaDleS 1Or 3
few social words before retiring, for even
men who are in hopelessly hard luck are
won't to crafty their gregarious instincts.
They were telling their life stories. Some
of these tales were obviously untrue. Joe
Rogers voice had the ring of sincerity.
81 don't blame Katie for leaving me-
he said. At least 1 wouldn't if didn't
know that a man had persuaded her to give
me up. He courted her before VIC were
married, but ne had courted a long time,
and she had got used to seeing him around
just as she was to seeing the pump in the
yard and the front gate. 1 came to town
later and took her fancy somehow, though
1 wasn't the solid man the other fellow
was. I had hoated too long and got too
much like the water soaked driftwood that
has been cast on the bank. But she took
to me, and l bestowed upon her the one
honest affection of my life. surprised
myself by the way 1 stuck TO work after
we were married, and when the baby vas
born was proud and happy as q king.
I was too happy, I guess, for you We got to
take good deal OF vinegar with your sugar
to make the sugar last, find. The trou-
BILE came with the failure of the house
worked for. tried in vain to get other
work after the concern broke up. We lived
in a village, and thought if L went to a
city I could get something to do. kissed
for them sure in a month or two, but it's
been two years now and here l am" He
looked at the rude tables and the flicker
ing lights that served only to emphasize
the darkness. The sta1wart mans face
took on a deeper mCodiness. The weakened
old man opposite him asked in weak,
little voice, IAN didn t they wait for you,
Joe?'' y
''She didn't" said the stalwart man.
"She wrote me kind letters at first and
tried to cheer me when 1 complained of
not finding anything to do, but after six
months they changed, and after awhile
there were no more. kept on hunting
employment and trying to keep out of bad
company until notice that she was going
to bring suit for divorce on grounds of
desertion and failure to support was served
on me. After that didn't care and never
have since very nuch-at least not about
her But I don't mind telling you, boys,
that I cried for the child. Many night
I've dreamed 1 felt his little arms about
my neck, and when awoke and missed
him I've cried like child. 1 heard three
months ago that my wife had married the
man that had courted her first. I didn't
much blame her, but hated to let him
rule my little one. 1t nearly drove me
crazy.
1--WE been in hard luck ever since I lost
my job in that little town in Ohio. I've
brlcu ndrQ 10 geU on my ICeG You Know
how it is. But here am. Along about a
week before Christmas 1 couldn't stand it
any longer. l felt that I must see that kid.
I couldn t have raised So to save my life
But L haven't been beating around this
country for nothing, and / got over to
Ohio on a side door Pullman without much
trouble.
There WASN'T any danger of being rec
ognlzed in the town where had spent the
happiest year and a half of my life When
I was there 1 was well dressed and acted
as though the earth and the fullness there
of were mine. Now go at different
gait, and I didn't take the trouble to pull
my old hat over my face. The poor clothes
would discourage any interest So they
did. passed some old neighbors on the
street, but they didn't give me glance.
You may imagine that 1 hadn't light
heart that Christmas eve. 1t wasn't the
sort OF a return l had thought about all
day and dreamed about at night, but
braced up, for had made up my mind
that 1 would see the baby. They conldn't
deny me that.
81 made straight for the house of the
man my wife had married. 1t was a cot
tage set back from the street little,
among evergreen trees. 1t was a better
home than ever could have provided for
them. My heart softened little toward
my wife as 1 opened the gate. One could
woman, but light one, one of those who
never get beneath the surface of things.
She may have believed that l wasn't doing
my level best to get something together
for the baby and her, though God knows
did. Ny hunger was not for her, but the
baby.
"a light shone from one of the side win
dows. I made my way around to the tree
that cast its shadow the window. A
terrible thought came to me as put out
my hand to lean against the tree. 1t had
never seemed to me that the baby could be
dead. What if it We're? 1 felt as though
some one had struck me a fearful blow.
1t was so sudden and so strong that 1 stag
gered and gripped the tree harder. Then l
got courage to look at the window.
"a boy stood with his back to me. He
was watching the woman, once my wife,
who was clearing the table. She spoke to
him, and as she leaned over him l caught
sight of her face, changed very little since
1 met her first, three years ago. Women
like that get few lines on their faces. They
can't suffer much. The boy still stood
with his curly, yellow poll toward the win
dow. l remember thinking in q stunned
kind of way that all the sunshine of my
life was imprisoned in that little head. I
prayed for the first time in my life, and
God answered my prayer. The little fell
low turned around and pressed his rosy
face to the window. 1t was my boy, bigger
and stronger and older than when 1 kissed
him goodby two years ago. 1t was the
same sweet baby face, and he was smiling.
He must have discerned some shape in
tho darkness for he puckered his little
lips into a suppressed 'OhH His mother
came to the window and drew down the
shade 1t was the second time she had
shut out all the light from my life. That
was all, boys. 1 felt for a minute that
1 would cut my throat and let them find
my body ON their doorstep for Christmas
present Then it came to me that ought
to come back to St. Louis. A man has
promised me work as soon as the winter is
ever. 1 thought L would wait for it, for,
fellows, I don't want that boy to be any
asl,.,, fatl,nr. tl,a1a