The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-11-26
The Shamrock Ring.
From Household Words In Four Parts.
PART II.

The Shamrock Ring.
From Household Words In Four Parts,
| PART II
The week slipped by. my Indian sum
mer," Helen said to herself in those glad
September mornings. when. with tender
| heart a-thrill, she looked shyly from hel
corner of the padded compartment, and
| felt her days brightness and blessing
come from the two keen, kindly looks ht
| gave her.
| She asked no more She had outgrowr
the hushes and tremors of youth, the hopes
and fears of dawning passion She be-
| heved that the season Of love was over fol
her, buried with her dead girihood, Tapped
under the grasses OF Eric Stanham'
| never-seen grave.
| But now that it had come to the last
| day. the morning when. leaving the train
| at Eari's Court, she could not reasonably
| expect to see her unknown friend again,
| the truth came upon her with rush. Her
Indian summer. Yes, she had lived in
| warmth and brightness for a season: not
| the warmth and brightness of capr1cious,
| often-clouded spring, but the glow of gra-
| cious autumn, the glory of Efes harvest
| time That she had felt this Joy silently
and unshared was as nothing to her un-
assuming unselfish soul Suppose IL was
| love that she felt for this stranger, to
| whom she had never spoken, yet whose
mere presence made home of the prosaic
| District train? Suppose 1t was
| love? Need she grudge 1t. the precious,
| revived feeling which secretly comforted
her, and DID harm to no creature on earth
He could never know it; but she might
~ 80 AIoe1
happy autumn mornings in her heart, a
sweet little secret, and call the experience
what she knew it must be-her last ro-
nance.
Suppose she did love him? And suppose
il was all in vain-what of that? Some
half-forgotten words ran in her mind as
she walked up and down the station:
In vain? Love shames the selfish cry;
Love giveth unreservedly,
Without a thought of gain!
What gain could come to her? Her Sc
cret was her own; he would never know.
He would miss her tomorrow, she knew
that; he would wonder, and, perhaps,
watch, day by day for time; then he
would forget to miss her, forget to won
der, forget to watch; and so she would
pass from his mind or remain only as an
episode, faint, a fragrant memory, re-
turning in some idle moment, to vanish
the next.
The platform gate opened. and Helen
passed through to her usual seat in the
Mansion House train. Her heart was
strangely divided in sensation-light, be-
cause she would soon see him; heavy, be-
cause 1t was the last time. Today came
the close of her Indian summer, and she
would soon realize, of a surety, that IL
was chill October in the land, and the real
beginning of winter in her life.
But" she thought, as the station bell
rang 'it has been very sweet. Not for
worlds would I have missed it.'
District train! called the porter, and
the guard hastily pushed passenger into
Helen's compartment with a sharp, Come
along. ma'am, hurry up."
A stout, red-faced female, with a rose
crowned bonnet and pepper-and-salt hair,
dropped breathlessly on the padded seat
opposite Helen.
I'm shook out of my seven senses, that
ami remarked the aggrieved female.
catching a sympathetic look in Helen's
eyes as she SAID kindly:
You nearly missed the train
Eyes, and if I'd knew I had cut II so
fine, I'd have walked. I'm only going to
Kew Gardens. It's just in and out again,
but ] thought I'd plenty of time to catch
the train. and 1 was on my feet all day
yesterday. Holiday-makin's the hardest
work there is, in my opinion"
The red-faced female proceeded to
smooth her ruffied feathers. She wore a
cloth mantle of the exploded dolman cut,
much bc-braided ard be-cat-furred, and
fastening at the throat by a broad satin
ribbon. In her clumsy and irritated haste
to unite these strings for more breathing
space, she tangled the knot, and drew 1t
tighter about her neck.
II declare I'm choking she snapped,
wrenching viciously at the ribbon.
Let me help you." said Helen, seeing the
dilemma. and wishing to be of use.
Her quiet manner soothed the impatient
woman, who, dropping her restless hands,
said civilly:
IF you would be so good, ma'am. I
can't see the knot, that's the worst OF
it."
Helen applied herself to the knot, which
proved obstinate.
I'll take off my gloves" she said; then
1 can unfasten it
I'm really sorry to give you such trou-
BILE, ma'am," replied the haIf-strangied
lady. Break the knot, please, or cut IL,
or anything
"Oh, no." responded Helen, applying her
bare white fingers to the intricacy. II was
a tough not. and only yielded 10 that per-
sistent, persuasive touch as the train en-
tered Kew Garden station Here, in an
avalanche of drapery and a profus:on of
thanks, the stout lady left the compart- |
ment, dragging the doiman round her neck |
10 re-tying the satin strings. |
She smiled and curtesied a grateful fare |
well, which Helen pleasantly returned, as |
she settled herself again in her favorite |
corner.
Broad Thames was crossed with the |
usual lingering up-and-down look. and |
riding through the bare narket-gardens. |
Helen pat on her right-hand glove. But |
where was the other? Not on her lap, not |
On the seat, not on the floor. A swift |
Oh; exhaustive search convinced her of
his as the train stopped at Gunnersbury.
The glove must have been swept out in
he rush and fiutter of the dolman-wearer's
departure. and was doubtless lying on the
.ne at Kew Gardens. perhaps cut in bits
1y the next following train.
To be well gloved and shod was one OF
delen's pet vanites, and thereon this
-ery morning wnen she wanted to look
Ter best, since she could be only a memory
o him Observation-Disclosures was her lett
lsnd bare.
In all respects her attire was faultiess
n its simple way; coat ana shirt OF navy
erge, with tasty lines OF fine braiding;
White cellar. cuffs and satin tie; soft fei,
lat with cocks plumes with bright and
till abundant brown hair tastefully coiled
.nder Il; cluster OF Gar violets-and one
love,
The carriage nearly filed at Gunners-
,,-.- H,,,- eha corner Sear WAITED tha a5- I