The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-03
Mrs, TempIetons Conversion.

| ungracious response, and Mrs. Temple
| ton flung herself into a chair and gazed
| into the fire until she heard the bang OF
the street door. Then:
80 commonplace, So hopelessly com
monplace.' she said. IF he would enly
| beat me once in a while. Anything to
make life interesting. But this dreary
waste OF dreary inanity-this barren,
| empty goodnessi I'm sick of it," and
she pounded the soft sofa cushion VI
ciously and tucked it behind her head.
| Then, resting both feet on the fender,
she gave herself up to dreams of what
her husband might have been-the hero
of her life, the master, guide, lover,
| friend, in one gracious whole.
! Instead, what was ne? Kind, good,
attentive enough; but, after all. only a
prOvider-a vis-a-vis in the chimney cor
ner walking-stick.
| She was aroused from unquiet brooding
| by the sudden entrance of a tall, cloak
| ed figure, man or woman, she could not
| tell Silently it beckoned, and as silent
! ly, impelled by a power she did not I'M
derstand, the young wife rose. Out into
I the night, to a part Of the city entirely
unfamiliar, she followed. A singing
snow blew in their faces with the reck-
| less impartiality with which ii beat upin
| the thinly clad shoulders and frost-bitten
| fingers of a tiny woman who left the
| car at one of the many crowded thor
oughfares of the West Side.
Mrs. Templeton and her strange guide
| followed her past grimy houses until she
! turned into a narrow entry separating
| two Of the dirtiest ones in the squalid
row. An unhealthy dampness reeked
| everywhere and the air was colder here
and foul Away bacy up a labyrinth Of
stairs, leading to a black and flowning
sky, the shiverng little woman climbed,
| and Mrs. Templeton, obeying the mystic
rious figure, followed-up sooty, icy steps
that creaked with a surprised whine at
| the tread of such dainty feet.
The unconscious guide paused at a door
on the top landing, blew on her stiff FIN
gers, then turned the knob and entered
still followed by the others in silence.
Mrs Templeton was affrighted at the
sense that she and her companion were
! ghostly visitants. The room was meagar-
| ly furnished, and with a pitiful attempt
at neatness. A breath of better days
| fingered about the place. in the ribboned
| work basket, one or two rugs and an
easy chair. In this sat a haggard man,
old before his time, the weak, handsome
face marked with dissipation and i'll
health. One arm supported his head, the
other sleeve was empty. To the new
conner he gave no greeting, only coughed
| hoarseiy.
Bending down to kiss him, she said
fondly: Did you miss me, dear? Has
the day seemed long?"
Everlasting! Don't touch me. Your
| hands are cold. Hurry and get me a
| bite to eat. I've been neglected all day."
ne added, ENORMOUSLY.
I'm sorry, dear, but since your acct
dent you know I've had to"
| "Oh, yes" he interrupted harshly, ST
| I'm hat fo
mind me of my drunken fall and my bad
conduct and how you have to support
me-go on! I'm used to it,
| Unheeding, she went on pleasantly:
| THE fire is nearly out. No wonder you
are cold And in the little stove, red
with rust, she coaxed an unwilling flame
Such luck today, Sam! I'm engaged
TO sew all next week at Is cents a day.
Plain sewing. of course, until I get into
practice and can command better
prices
Yes and then you will leave the
good-for-nothing husband whose cursed
luck brought you to this! All women are
alike
She did not demonstrate. and his i'll
humor continued and grew with each
word. Ugh. How the wind blows
through that broken pane! I guess that
| Is WleTe love new out Wnen poverty
| came in at the door"
The visitors stayed to hear no more
Down the slippery stairs they went, but
at the last landing paused and drew
! back in the shadow, as the door a few
steps below them was violently opened.
A mans bloated, bestiaI face and sury
shoulders forced their way into the open
ing. He dragged, half carried an uncon-
scious woman. With an oath he thrust
her out and shut the door. In the cold
and dark she lay an inert heap, the
| snow sprinkled her hair with the only
diamonds it would ever wear, and cover
ing her bruised shoulder with powder
as white as any ladq's own. Still, like
! ghosts the two watchers glided away
! back where the air was purer-where
vice and death, if abroad, were cloaked
at least
1t was very late, and the aristocratic
avenue into which they turned was given
| over to a riot of snow, through which
stately lamps converged in a glittering
triangle. Up the steps of a stone man
sion they went; the door opening for
them as if by magic On davenport
| ciu the drawing-room woman half in
clined, her breast under its covering of
| lace and Jewels heaving with sobs.
! At their entrance she rose and thrust
toward them a letter. crumpled and wet
! with tears. Sect she cried, the proof
the proof Then in low frenzy she
muttered: IT have feared it for months.
! feared that she, this other woman. had
alI-all that I crave. Nothing Of his
| wealth is mine but this" And she
! glanced contemptuously about the mag
nifcent apartment, and at her own
| sumptUous attire None of all the
! wealth Of his heart his soul It is all
! hers, l have only his name" She burst
I into q passion of hopeless sobbing And
| they gliGed out with her words ringing
| in their ears. "Oh, give me back his
! love! Take his name, his wealth, every
thing, but let me keep his love"
! Mrs. Templet0n begged her guide
| Home! oh. take me home" but "One
more the voice whispered. and led the
way to another stately palace The win
! dOws were dark, only one faint light
sparkled In a room above. At the en-
trance she started and almost shrieked
/ aloud as a knot OF something soft and
black, which hung from the door. was
/ blown by the wind against her cheek
/ Silently they proceeded above to where
/ the one light fickered- They entered
the room, It was very cold and almost
| empty, save for long. sheeted thing in
the center. BY It kHeIt another figure.
! who. not needing the presence OF the
! living. called ceaselessly upon the iaad.
and threw her arms about the silent clay.
/ and tried 20 warm Il. so cold. so cold. %
/ she moaped, and Mrs. Temp}eton awoke
The IRE was low and she shiveres:
! then. r5using herself with hystericaI
laugh s1e poked the embers vigorously.
then started violently al sudden
/ sound Il was only the sIamming ~
the front door she spra1g 20 meet her
husband.
tOh. 7 an 81 glad you have come