The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-27
Stories of an inland State.

| Douglas Martins visits at the charming
Widow Banks had now become danger
| ously near regularity, for on Wednesday
nights he was sure to mount to the little
| vine-enclosed porch and TO pass the hours
away in his fretful, enthusiastic impet-
| uosity, keeping the pretty woman in sea
| of perplexity as to just what he did mean.
| For she certainly found it difficult at times
| to tell when he was ironically sober and
when he was not, and when ne was con-
,ent:onally pleasant and when he was not.
! Neither had she quite made up her mind
whether he was feeling for this new sutton
| (for she believed HIN thaO was completely
or even justly reciprocal. She did not
understand him, and was perpetually on
| her guard. And one can not be cautious
| and be in love at the same time.
| 1t is not to be understood from this that
the charming Widow Banks was unmindful
of the approach of Wednesday night. Far
from it. Wednesday night, in fact, was
ever present in her mind; il came TO super
cede the quiet and rest of Sunday in her
affection; became. in short, the keystone
OF the whole week, for had you removed
Wednesday night from Lucilla Banks
week, down would have tumbled the ca
endar in heap; yes, the whole structure
Of time, on which eternity rests, might
have dissolved like the baseless Pigment o.
dream. She loved Wednesday night 1t
is easy enough to insert here, to satisfy
thoughtless readers, that Widow Banks
love for Wednesday evening and her feel
ing for him who called on that evening
were OF the same degree of warmth, in
fact, were the same affection; that she
did not love Wednesday evening at all,
but Mr.. Douglas Martin.
This would be cruelty untrue, however,
for when Luc!lla Banks would not concede
even to herself that it was Douglas Mar
tin and not Wednesday evening she loved.
what right have any Of us TO presume 20
know the inner secrets of the young heart
Of charming. but perfectly proper widow?
But one Wednesday night, even Luc:ila
herself began to doubt whether she really
loved Wednesday evening with that fer
vency she had supposed.
She certainly looked charming that even
irg. She had taken extraordinary pains
to enhance her natural charms. Her hair
lay fioss;ly about her temples and her lips
were burning red with perpetual freshness
and her cheeks seemed 70 color under the
kiss and loving stroke of the evening
breeze, with the faint protest which strong
t. invites. The arrangement of her dress
about her neck revealed a teasing INSULT
cheney of marble breast, and from the top
of her lustrous hair knotted high. 10 the
tips of her little boots which peeped with
saucy, mouse-lke timidity from beneath a
fluffy skirt she came forth as a peremp-
tory command for that anxious admiration,
which If given license, speedily grows to
blind and furious servility Of heart.
She waited for him; started at footsteps:
wondered if he again would try to kiss
her-he had tried twice before; started
again and sulked when the footsteps went
en- by and he did not come. Why did he
not come? She became impatient Where
were the delights of Wednesday evening as
such? She shook out her handkerchief
nervously and so hurled the impudent. in
trudng question from her. Why didn't he
come? She wouldn't have cared so much
but she had fixed up" so finely. For
whom? For him. Yes, she confessed ii.
And why for him? Well, she would have
fixed up for any visitor. But with such
pains as she had used for him? She could
not answer that, maintain herself, and not
falsify, so she took another tack and as
another hour of vain waiting passed, she
resolved that she would go into the house
refuse to answer his summons. That was
what he deserved. That was her resolution.
But love for Wednesday evenings knows
neither justice nor determine ton, and re-
solving to do this, she refused angrily to
do II and burst into tears. When vanity
meets vexat.on on the field Of woman's
face, vexation If she has tears for cohort.
will go down TO gnominious defeat. So
Lucilla remembering that her tears might
weaken the charm of her face, and still
hopeful of his coming, stopped crying as
quickly and as impulsively as she had be-
gun.
And then she heard his steps No not
his She had given up looking for him.
But yes, that must be he II was he,
Slowly, Lucilla. Restraint IS an excellent
thing in women. But sometimes so hard.
The delay had sweetened his coming, now
that he had come at last. But you must
rot reveal that, Lucila. Neither must
you be provoked at the delay. for that were
more open confession than unbounded
adulat:on.
She stood quite still. trembling under her
enforced captive. savage Indifference. while
he came 10 her quickly and took her hand.
HIS quick eye caught the trace OF recent
tears.
"Luc.lla." he cried. taking hand in each
of his. deity dropping her left hand in
bis right, turning slightly about and
slipping his right arm about her waist,
suddenly relaxing The grasp of his left hand
or her right, and slipping his left hand
to the right cheek. while his right arm
drew her to him, pressing her head against
his shoulder, and Gaping this whole rather
mechanical maneuyer with a SIGH LII
ella, Weeping
She thought Of protesting against this
demonstration. But she was so happy:
and a protest would have been such a
shallow deception, that she could not make
1t. In overcoming The suggestion of pro-
testing she unconsciously Struggled nearer
him.
Douglas Martin throwing his head back, |
in the way Columbus must have done |
when he kneeled on Cat Island, Douglas !
Martin, with great soemnity brsathcd |
rather than spoke the word: Happiness" |
Angel he continued a moment later. |
Light OF my life! Beacon of safety and |
rest IN q storm-to a storm-tossed soul |
Luciila, Darling! Angel, Salve to a
wounded heart. Drink 10 a thirsty soul, |
Food to a starving-wel l don't know |
what, and sleep 10 a weary-a weary-a |
weary--but Lucilla. angel loved one, how |
dear you are 10 me, TO NE, how dear you |
are 10 me-
Pausing here a moment ana allowing his /
10 catch up with his rapidly OF /
speech which was frequently the case with /
Mr.. Douglas Martin. he said again Angel: