The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-15
Mems

'Tt is easy enough 10 break of with a
| woman, Jack; don't worry so. She will
take it hard for time, but if you must
| break her heart sooner or later. save
your own out of the wreck if you can.
| After all, a won1an's heart is hard to
| break It is off with the old love and
on with the new with the whole sex, 1
| find"
But you don't know the girl, Ben. She
| is a blamed sight too good for me. She
| is one of those sweet. refined girls, whose
| affection absorbs her whole soul. and
l know she loves me as few men are ever
| loved. Every look, word or action tells
me it is true, and though / feel that /
| have made mistake, Ben, l cannot tell
| her So.
Don't tell her a thing. Jack. That is
not the way to manage a woman. Sim
| ply disgust her with herself. Stop send
ing her flowers and nicknacks; don't take
/ her out so much, and when you do, praise
| up some other woman to her. And,
| Jack, don't so over so often; tell ner You
| are taking up a new study or working
| nights. She won't believe you, OF course,
| but that won't matter. Make engage
ments and fail to keep them. or go over
late, or be seized with a desire to return
early. Oh, there are a hundred and one
ways to aid you. You can tease her a
little when she IS serious and be serious
| when she is gay. In fact, differ with
| her as much as possible without being
| antagonistic, and find fault and pick TO
| pieces the little arguments she may give
in defense. And be as entertaingly disa-
greeable as YOU can without really ap-
pearing to be so. will wager that with
in a month you will be as free as air.
| The girl will shake you. No woman can
| stand the pressure. / have tried it, my
! boy, and know. My old-time sweetheart,
| Frances Grayson, is now the wife of a
| far better man than myself, and the
| happy mother of a charming boy. OF
course, she did not name the child for
! me-but 1 did not expect it,
| Il believe L viii try it, old man. But
1 am fond of the girl in a way, and if
| you hear of our marriage you can know
I lost heart"
Cheer up, Jack, my boy" said Ben
| Mallory, wringiug his hands. Love is a
lottery, and Cupid is a merry little fell
| low when you know how to manage
| him.
! Ben Mallory and Jack Downs had
| known one another but month, yet in
that short time had developed firm
| friendship that only the confidence of
youth can install. They were both
! strangers in the city and brother lawyers
! in the same firm, which added to their
| congeniality.
| Jack was an only child, adored by his
| parents, while Ben was one Of a large
| family of two marriages, whose place in
! his home numerous brothers and sisters
usurped. He had been reared by a
wealthy uncle of no family, with whom
he had lived for years, returning to his
| own home once a year for a short vaca-
! ton. For his own people he cared little
/ and seldom spoke of them, not wishing
| to explain their strained relations. Yet if
| Ben Mallory ever truly loved a being on
| earth he loved his sweet littleN half-sis-
| ter, Kitty Kempster. She was now at
| college, and had lately ceased to write
| to her big, handsome brother as often as
! was her wont.
| Ben had not seen Jack Downs since
their talk, though he heard from him
now and then from his home, whittier he
had gone for rest. II am taking your
| advice" he wrote. 'but the girl battles
me. I don't know how to take her. and
1 feel like a COMPOUNDED brute. I've "a
mind to make clean breast of It,"
The next letter said: Ben, 1 am free
After all, am not happy. wish 1 had
been square with the little girl. She let
| me down hard. Mother has set her heart
on my marrying an heiress in town, but
of the two the little girl suits me best"
THAT fellow is fool murmured Ben,
as he unfolded a small missive from
home. He loved that girl and didn't
know 1t.
Ben smoothed out the paper and read:
kitty does not seem happy. The child
never complains, but she always loved
you, and you might cheer her up bit.
MOTHER"
Kitty unhappy" Ben ran his fingers
through his straight, black hair and
! thought hard. ct is some man." he
RI ca1 CHI +o
two hands about his ugly throat and
choke him, so.' and he crushed the let
ter in his strong hands, then threw it
from him fmpatiently. Yes I will go
and cheer up the little girl Poor little
Kit! She is not like other girls"
Two days later Ben sat in Kitty's cozy
sitting-roOm, with the bright freight
shining on her pale little face, and re-
fecting the tears in her honest gray
eyes.
Ben drew her down beside him on a
diyan. Tell me about it, little girl" he
said
There is not much to tell" she whis-
pered, nesting close in his strong, loving
arms, as a tired child might do when
weary with play.
Il loved him, Ben. o, 1 did love him
so, He was kind and true at first, and
then he seemed to grow moody and sui
4cIi, anu OLtcIA u utA u4N4I uuutISldNu
at first"
Ben shuddered as strange feeling of
horror crept into his heart.
Go on, little girl" His voice sounded
unsteady.
Sometimes I would not see him for
days, and he got so I could never de-
pend upon him, and he never kept his
word. He could not kill my love, Ben,
though I finally tried TO hate him. But
he spoiled my life and killed my respect
for him. and now 1 despise him. thor
oughly despise him-yet love him still"
Ben's face had lost its gentle express
sion, and with stern set features he
stared at the polished DOOR
What is his name, and who is hep
His hard voice startled the girl
Jack Downs. 1 met him a college"
answered Kitty.
Ben Mallory sank back among the soft
cushions while a look Of pitiable remorse
crept into his dark eyes. and the lines IN
his face deepened, az with age. Kitty
crossed the room and gently stirred the
Goals in the open CRATE. The dying en-
bers threw a shadow light on Ben's dark
face as he watched the girl
May God forgive me- he nurmured
inaudibly. i have broken the heart OF
the only creature ever given ne to love
Frances, you are avenged
Effect of Thought
(FrorY the Detroit Journal)