Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-02-03
A Perfectly Model Man
By Ella Higginson.
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I'D 1t was near midnight When the
| lights had been dimmed throughout
| the house. and stiffness had settled
| upon everything. he had arisen in I'M
| bearable suffering and gone softly
! down stairs. 1t was her last night in
| the house. whose every chair and cur
tain seemed to thrill as he passed. and
| he must be nearer the room in which
| she lay asleep-forevermore asleep.
| He threw himself upon a couch in
the hall. He lay on his back with one
arm thrown over his eyes. He was
| trembling like an old. old manor like
| dog that lies out in the cold and wet
and hears a fire cracking within the
house.
A fine rain was beating ceaselessly
against the windows and doors. The
climbing rose against the side of the
house moved its arms as the wind bore
down upon it. 1t had not been a month
since she had asked him to tack it
more securely. as the autumn winds
were coming on; and he had replied
that he. would do it-some other time
be had an engagement now. The en-
gagement had been to play billiards
with a man for whom he cared moth
ing. She was standing on the steps in
her pale blue gown. with tacks and bits
Of leather and a long-handled hammer
in her hands. He recalled the cloud of
disappointment that had drifted sud-
denly across her face. The following
morning he had observed that the vine
was tackled in place, and he had not
thought of it again. Until now! Why
on earth should he think of it now?
Was not his anguish deep enough? Why
could he not remember rather the
things he had done to make her
happy-the pleasant home he had given
her. the jewels, the pretty gowns, the
carriag@ah, the carriage! His heart
opened and closed suddenly. The car
rage in which she seemed to take no
| pleasure because he never went driv-
| ing with her! He had told her that he
| was too busy! Good God! his heart
cried out roughly. why need he have
| lied to her? She must have known
then that he was lying to her; surely
| she knew it now.
| Presently he became aware that two
| women had entered an adjoining room.
They drew their chairs to the fire and
sewed and talked. The door leading
into the dark hall was open. 1t seemed
good to him-less lonely-that they
should be there. They spoke in I'M
| hushed voices, as If to make 1t more
cheerful for themselves.
| 'Well," said one, after they bad talked
| of other things, biting a thread and
| rolling the end between her thumb and
| forefnger, "she had everything that
| heart could want. He's good man. an
he was mighty good to her" She bent
| toward the lamp to thread her needle.
Her eyelids hickered close together.
! Tiny wrinkles ran around her eyes.
| The other woman was silent.
| YES continued Mrs. Gregg, begin
| n1ng to sew. there amt many men as
| good to woman's he was. She had
nice home. all furnished up nice-wy,
| that sideboard alone cost 5000 if it cost
| Is cent! She had cook an a second
girl never could see why they call
| 'em second girls-an' heritage, an
fine jewelry. an dresses. She had a
plenty O. spending money besides"
The other woman was silent. Why
did she not speak. He lifted his head
and looked at her. She rocked back
and forth as she sewed. Her eyes were
on her work. He knew her well-a poor
e
much sewing and of whom she had al
ways been fond. Only few hours be-
fore her death she had spoken to him
| of this woman. You'll do somethin G
for her sometimes. dearest" she had
whispered. even after speech was diff
ficult thing for her. DO little things
for her and the children-and do them
de ficately-so you will not-hurt-
her" She had sunk back in his arms,
exhausted. and finished the sentence
with smile.
Look at her front door," went on
Mrs. Gregg. SHE wanted a fine one, an
she got it. She got every blessed.thing
proof closet for her silverware TO a
Poppa Gonteer rosebush. You got that
seam done. Mis- Medcaf?"
Mrs. Medcalf held up the seam to show
that it lacked several inches of being
finished.
"Oh, you'll soon have it done. It's a
pity she amt got any children. He'll
be SO much more lonesome. acomin'
home at night an not findiu' anybody
here
Then of sudden the other woman
spoke: 81 reckon he won't be any lone
scmer'n she's been all these years,
a-settin' here alone. night after night,
till II o'clock"
| No knife ever sent a more sickenin g
pain through a heart than those words
sent through the heart of the man who
lay there in the dark and heard.
"Hum-er-hum.' said Mrs. Gregg
l"! expect it did get kind of lonesome
for her. H@hethat is. I guess he
did have to stay downtown most Of the
time. But he didn't have any bad hab-
its-didn't drink or gamble or look al
other women. He was perfectly mod