The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-13

they are coming" she interrupted, and
with that she went to the window, drew
aside the curtain and looked out.
1T Is a bad night" she said. THE
snow is beginning to fall again. That
may keep some Of them away, but not
ALL"
The clock struck s. It struck vicious
! ly. The noise disturbed the cat. She
stretched herself full length, her claws
showing, rolled over on her other side,
curled up in a fluffy ball, then dropped
OF to sleep once more, her face up
| turned.
There were voices outside. Two PEG.
pie under an umbrella, upon which the
snow fell in large flakes, hurriedly APP
preached the house.
You'd better go to the door, Mary"
said the old man, who was also listen
ing, though he pretended not to be,
land take the little brush broom with
you to brush the snow OF their cloth
ing"
She turned disconsolately away from
the window.
They have gone by" she said.
He set himself to comfort her. "Nev-
er mind; it is early yet" he reminded
her. 1T is only half past s. Nowadays
people don't come to parties until near
ly 9, they tell me. 1t Is different from
what 1t was when we were young"
"Our crystal wedding wasn't so very
| long ago." said she, and they came
early enough to that" She looked back
over her shoulder through the window
at the shining walk, along which cou-
Piles passed. laughing and talking to-
gether, their wet umbrellas bobbing up
and down. But we were rich then,
she added, with a sigh.
The clock pointed to nearly g." Ma
~ sat in her rocking chair once more.
listening. At every footstep she raised
her head. her eyes Frightening with
hope behind the gold rims of her old
spectacles. AS they passed by her
head dropped again, and her eyes fixed
themselves upon the flames. whose
flicker drew out the amber lights from
her tortoise shell comb and the left
over yellow in her hair which in her
young days had been golden.
The old man dozed. Now and then
his head. bent upon his breast, raised
itself with a sudden jerk and dropped
again.
He sat thus for a long time. nodding.
BY and by he grasped the handles OF
his armchair and slowly rose, bowling
courteously to the right and TO the left
! They are beautiful, these presents"
he said unctuously. They glisten Ike
diamonds. They quite dazzle me- /
thank you. 1 thank you &.
His wife had also risen. watching
him wonderingly. She went to him and
/ took him by the arm. gently pushing
him back into his chair.
! sit down. Richard" she command
; ed: you have been asleep. You are
/ talking now in your sleep Were you
dreaming OF our crystal wedding and
/ the beautiful presents they brought US
l-presents We didn't need. because We
| had plenty them This Is not our crysS
tai wedding. This is our golden we'd
/ ding"
J He blinked his dim eyes open
! And isn't the house full OF peopleT
I he asked her. Haven't they come.
/ these good friends OF ours. bringing Us
/ presents. handsome, shining presents.
armfuls Of them? / thought ] saw
them"
Nc" she answered bitterly. We are
! no longer rich II IL years Esnce our
crystal wedding. and we have descend
ed in the scale Of fortune. This 10 our
golden wedding. and We ara old and
poor. ! have been sitting here watch