Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-06-16


what frail, but not invalid mother
make in the burden he must carry?
He shook his head sadly over the blue
print that claimed his attention, and
set to work doggedly, feeling that
there was really nothing in life to
work for, and that he WAS working
on. on, on, simply on blind instinct
not to fall behind in his profession.
1t turned out fine, after al, that
Decoration Day. The morang had
been so showery and threatening that
committees had reserved quite hail
their display of bunting until the AZ
lternoon. Not until 2 o'clock did the
sun seem determind to give his full
and unqualified counienance TO the
National holiday. When he did, how
ever, the May-day brlliancy Hooded
Everything, as if flowers and gloom
were thing unheard of in that corner
of the world, and red, white and blue
bunting were a natural growth. 1t
was an exceptionally vivid and i'm
pressive illustration of the proverD,
Better late than never" The cere-
monies were fully an hour late, but
never, since the first Decoration Day,
had they been so triumphantly bright
for, besides the contrast with the
mornings gloom, there was no dust
to dull or obscure the brightness OF
the flags, uniforms, and the gay
dresses of women, or to hide the gilt
tier of arms, accoutrements and musi-
cal instruments. ......
As a direct result of the delay Ches-
ney Payne was able to be present IN
the ceremony before the ceremonies
were over. Had everything gone on
|strictly according to the program
published the day before would
Ihave thought it hardly worth his
while to hurry to the spot at the end
of hard days work, and to struggle
through Il dense crowd, chiefly OF wo-
men and children, to the white head
stone opposite the third platform. AZ
lit was, having told lIilda and her
mother that he could not be with
them, he made up his mind to give
them surprise which, he believed,
would be pleasant to one, at least OF
the two.
The afternoon sun slanted, already
yellow, over the rain-lrt snened lllacs
and the patches of grass here and
there left uncovered by the crowds IN
the places more remote from Inc
speakers stands. The sunlight seem
ed to Just gid the b9isat-coIored hats
of the women and sNial the darker
heaylgear Of the mca, IN anthem had
closed in one grand swelling chord as
Chesney entered, the gate, and as ne
could see that many Who had uneov'
cred for the sineay If the sacrel
song still held their has to shaI'
their eyes. Looking down into INC
hollow. he coull see Just where llIlda
and her mother oNqh' u b. STAINING
but it was not until Ne had squ1e~
his way for some distance and save,
much time here and there by taking
roundabout side-paths, that he wa
near enough to distinguish the two
women. Strangely enough, for mai
not apt by nature or training to M
tice such minutiae, he remembers
the lilac and white trimmings OF III
das spring hat.
He smiled TO himself in anticipation
of the pleasure he would have irod
their surprise when he would SJtt.
take his place behind them and 'hel
call Mrs. Scot by name. An" I'll, a
too. there was that delicious thf'
which he always felt when he wa
near a meeting with Ililda-an un
\ varying experience which alone woI'
have been enough to make him rec
. the shrewd advice OF older frlen I
who consulted him to "qu.. haugint
around that girl, she'll never MARI,
YOU" and to look for some one NOR
inclined to malrimonN
He stopped when he was at las
about foar yards away from IA
= mother and daugbter-Stopped to fur
ther consider how he should bes
. creep up en- them. The eloquence o
the congressman, who was in the yer
g. middle Of his speech at the time mad
{ nc impression upon Chesney. II
could not see lllla's face--wishing Y
{ approach from behind; 50 he wateh'
her lilac-trimmel hat as he woul
It have kissed her glove in the ahSenc
" of her hand. Then, suddenly, he nc
: tced. by a turn Of that hat that II
was talking to some one standing DC
IS side her-a man. lnstinctVe IS, III
e lover was filed with curiosity ms !
this mans identity, and from tina
moment Chesney payue's attento
was transferred from IIlda's lilac t
II cray felt hat to the right OF them
e He pushed on a few feet nearer an
l. Il LITTLE to the left. The man wore
u cl,--that was the first thin
u Chesney discovered. Next, he sa.
Is that the man was young looking !
the third place, being himself FAM
ii Jar with most of the men of that cit
Sc who were at all likely to be there M
ID day and dressed as this one was ]
felt sure that this man was s'ranI
y err. Only for one instant did he III
a agine that the person who seemed
d take 50 keen an interest in Hilda See
and who whispered to her from TN
~ ITO time during the progress oil u
IL .....,.al .,ulj ba a mann her uf the M