The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-10
The Enshn nement of an Idol.
(From Temple Bar. In Three Parts)
PART III

ing red geranIunS as they s,Felca their
| long necks towards him
| The white rose In Mss El:zabeth's bosom
| droops for shame. thinking OF the tales il
| has been told by the moonlight. Of kisses
I that fell shyly on lips that trembled 10 re-
! ceive them.
! Miss Elizabeth is thinking of those kisses
| too. as her needles wink connivance al
| the sun.
Frivolous needless you are dropping the
stitches. and the sun has dazzled Mss
El!zabeth's eyes SO that they are TOO misty
TO pick them up.
a cinder falls into the CRATE and Miss
| Elizabeth starts to find that the fire IS
sulking; SO she bustles actively round
coaxing Il into brightness again. putting
on the kettle and laying the cloth for tea
Then she goes TO tbs door and sits on
the little green bench within the porch.
/, She hears the gate click-no-she will not
look-yet- She Will wait. smiling.
The steps are hurrying IN frantic. rush
ing haste. Dear Lefty, Is she then so
glad?
Is it Lefty. this wild. dishevelled woman.
with her hat falling backwards and the
agonized, fearful eyes? She cannot speak.
nor ask what il is.
With a scarcely articulate cry. Misc Le-
titia falls at her sisters feet, who sits stiil
gazing at the ndless market-basket. She
can hear the kettle singing its impatient in
vitation, and the haif-stified note of a
cuckoo, who is changing his song now that
love-time is past.
Sister, says Miss Letitia's voice, gasp
ing between her sobs. Il have them in
my pocket-you can alter them a bit
maybe her ladyship Will forget what they
looked like"
What do you mean?" says Miss Eliza
beh, with dry lips.
And then, sobbing, trembling, hesitating,
Miss Letitia tells her tale of folly. ill-luck
and disaster-a tale of Mother Eve and the
fruit again. She tried one cuff on to see
how it looked. and then the other and then
the collar-they looked so nice; and she
had some cottons to buy from Mr.. Denyer,
so she kept them on-she meant TO take
them Off when she got in the field again.
And just as she was coming out of the
shop her ladyship drove up, and asked her
il the lace was finished. and II her sister
hade made those she had on-how nice
they were-a pattern she was very fond
Of. and had only seen once before. She
hoped hers would be as nice.
Poor. poor Miss Letitia, what a penalty
of shame, remorse and terror TO pay for
few minutes admiration and gratified
vanity!
She dared not go the Hall-she might
meet her ladyship again. and then the
shameful truth would be OUT so she has
come home with the lace In her pocket.
You can take them 10 her In a few
days, Elizabeth; she need never know"
No answer-no word Of condemnation or
forgiveness. Miss Elizabeth is looking at
the pale. smooth bands of her sisters hair.
and making little pleats in her black silk
apron.
1T would not be honest, sister," she says
at last in a fat voice. There's a fortnight
yet: 1 can make another set Teas wait
ing
So Miss Elizabeth begins again, YEARLY.
mechanically, an old pattern this time, that
she knows by heart. coarser, and more
easily done. There Is not time for my
ladys pattern" she says, In answer 10
Miss Letitia's queries.
At the end of the fortnight the sisters
are once more on their way to the Hall.
Miss Letitia wears the first set at Miss
EEzabeth's special request. My lady may
as we'll see what can do" she says. with
disappointed pride. Miss Letitia demurs
that her ladyship has already seen, but
II suppose" asks Miss Eliza eth's pa
iron. when they reach the Hall, with a
wistful glance at Miss Lert!a's fimy
lace some time ago?'
Yes" answered Miss Elizabeth, guard
edly-"some little time ago."
Her iadyship looks In pity on the faded
faces before her. and wonders IL any
thing has ever happened in the lives of
either to distinguish one year from another.
She does not remember the morning Miss
Letitia got Mr.. Denyers valentine, tied
with silver cord. or know the difference be-
tween the years when one gathers white
roses and those other years when one
leaves them. from green bud 70 red berry,
unnoticed on the tree
Shall We say, God keep thee, my lady.
from the knowledge of such years? Nay.
rather God give thee patience TO bear them
when thy time comes-as IL surely will,
And now the sisters are bound for the
town-for the jewelers. shop-at last.
Miss Elizabeth is not hurrying now. She
walks with the firm and light step of as
sured realization. II one hand she carries
her precious gold pieces. IN the other her
reucule. with the glass photograph, d.
vested OF its frame. in II.
The breeze whispers through the mead
ows. ruffiing the tufted heads Of the brown
and purple grasses; the field sorrel swirls
In rudy curves over the placid moon
daisies, and the corn-crake speaks monot-
onous content
The stle which divides Simpsons mead
ow from the level-clossing is almost reach
ed when Miss Letitia says:
Let me look a the picture again. SIS
ter" And Miss Elizabeth gives her idol
into her sisters keeping.
She mounts the sule and descends on
the other side; Miss Letitia does likewise,
but her gown catches on wandering rose
brisr: she pulls, and the founce tears as
Il is released.
Suddenly Miss Elizabeth shrills from the
other side OF the rails. The express. sis
ter, Be Qu!ck-be quick.'
Ii is characteristic OF Miss Letitia that
she should at this supreme moment. fall
prone upon the c!nder track OF the ad-
vancing train: equally characteristics is /,
OF Miss Elizabeth that, with bound. she
Is al her sisters side and has dragged
her, stumbling. to a place of safety on the
green bank opposite. The train PUSHES past.
leaving the two white and terrified women
cnnging 20 one another. Miss Letita Is
sobblng Historically. MY picture" says
Miss Elizabeth. in sharp voice-"xhere
is Il. s.s,sr?'
There" says Miss Let,tia, rocking her
self 20 and tro. sac pointing with out
stretched finger 20 tbs shining iron rails.
Gllsteuias among The coai-dust lie tie
fragments CT Mis-. Elizaeeth's IDOL
/; Is Sunday. and TIE vicar u reses-s-
ing he Commandments: Thou shalt nci
make 20 thyseif any craven image. nor
the likeness CT anything that :. II heaven
above, or "a the earth beneath. or n TIE