The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-25

eeObs0e ~ Slst'sCs
Poor, sorrowfui grill There IN the dar-
kened room. before a little white cas-
ket, she sat, an open letter In her lap.
Hot tear drops Stained the haIf-read
sheets and sobs shook the small, ema-
ciated form convulsively.
''Ahi'' she cried. sGod has forsalen
me, or would not suffer thus. o, Char
lie. my darling, come back to nae! O,
how cruel twas to take you from me!
Would, my precious-yes, fain would ]
share your fate!''
She bent over the little coffin where
the remains Of a beautiful child lay. The
sunny curls, the parted lips she had so
often caressed. the dimpled hands so
icy now-a1l augmented her loneliness and
grief. At last she resumed her reading,
uttering her desultory thoughts aloud:
20, LyndalL my cousin, well you know
not what pain your letter gives me!
Take Charlie and come to spend the sum-
mer with US. You are alone and friend
less there in the East, so have nothing
to detain you. We have often spoken
about you, Jennie; thought you must
struggle to get along, and We want you
here Take little Charlie-we do want to
see the darling so much, and come as
soon as you can.'''
Again the delicate frame was bowed and
quivering; and agitated, bank note fell
from q folded sheet. Almost glad. Jennie
grasped It and gazed on 1t tenderly.
Nov. my darling. you shall have flow-
ers, at least" she said.
Memory's food kept in with its mourn
ful force. 1t brought back thoughts OF
her once sunny home, to which one sad
A. - r. t. 4,~.v
moments to expire. She thought how
she. with her delicate mother and little
brother Charlie, had been left alone to
battle in perjury with life; how she had
watched her mothers cheeks grow thin
ner- and paler until the dear form was
lowered to its grave; how nimbly she
had worked with shuttle and needle for
nine Tong months to support herself and
Charlie; and now-O, painful past and
more pathetic present!-before the sun
would send its parting rays this last loved
form must rest beneath the sod. Grief
stricken grill She thought her heart must
throb its last.
Soon she was awakened from her sad
musings by the entrance of her compan-
ion, low-voiced, sweet-faced girl, who
seemed to trail the sunbeams along her
path.
Come, Jennie, take this tea, and let
me dress your hair" the cheerful Olive
said as she took her friends arm. They
were interrupted, however, by a gentle
tap at the door. Olive opened 1t, and
the old janitrees announced that a gen.
tleman wished to see Miss Howe. Jen-
ME made her way to the little bare par
Tor. 1t was the gray old sexton. per-
haps, or the undertaken How stupid
N6ax, - 81
She opened the door hastily, but a cry
Of bewilderment and gladness burst from
her lips as a tail, fair-haired Scot caught
both her hands.
Ave foun' We. Jennie, ma ain true
lass" he said. But" noting her altered
mien, "ye're no so bonny moo. It's Ill
with ye, KEN"
Jennie did not heed his remark. but ex-
claimed:
20, willlaml 1 thought you were
drowned! Where have you been all these
days?"
Then two stories had to be told. They
went back to the rye fields in the glen.
where they had worked together. They
talked about the little stone kirk where
they had planned to take the marriage
vows. They fingered on their parting,
when Williams family had emigrated to
America; and William explained how he
had been shipwrecked and that after
ward he had written back to her in the
parish, only to learn that she, too. had
left the Scottish hills. He told her about
his wanderings and privations since; how
but the day before he had seen her in
the street, andAasls had traced and found
her.
The little talk soon terminated. Jennie
had to prepare to follow her little brother
to his tomb. Still, in that short hour, the
bitterness of her grief seemed to have SUBJ
sided, for the despairing thought Of lone
illness had lost It's pang.
Despite all circumstances, Jennie could
not be induced to leave the lonely
graves entirely, but fingered at the spot,
constantly replacing the faded flowers
with fresh ones. William thought her like
some lone star that seemingly would send
its scintillations where others have shone
and set. At last, however. as the leaves
Of autumn changed to their varied hues.
Jennie laid aside her black robe for a
white bridal gown.
Iyndall had occasion to write again:
do take little Charlie and come here:
we want to see the darling so much"
The proud young mother. now signing as
she thought Of past sorrow, at last COM
piled with her cousins request. and went
with her husband to prairie farm.
Lone Jennie was to see better days
Boston Post.