The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-23
INV Parking. :

/ t"hBs
/ IT never saw a married woman yet
| that I would change places with, said
/ 1 TO myself one bright May morning as
/ took seat on one of the benches in
/ Drexel Park
had just busted or the seat with my
handkerchief and had seen two young
girls smile at each other. and the
| thought had come to me that perhaps 1
did few old-rnaidish things
| That thought ranked. 1 felt my fore
\ head wrinkle. 1 resolved 10 look pleas
ant. and young. and happy. One makes
so many good resolutions on ones birth
| day.
| I tried to forget how old I was
| tried to forget that had reached the
| shady side OF life And then I squared
my shoulders and looked directly through
my glasses and asked myself a few lead
| ing questions.
why was 1 alone. unprotected. and
unloved AT 502 Yes. So I said IL over
10 myself Neutrality-suspicious. quaver-
or thought I did.
| why did I grow defiant when age was
mentioned?''
why was left out Of the boarding
| house cliques7 Was it because was
so old? Had all the sunshine disap-
peared out of my life?"
| well, It was no wonder The trou-
| bles had come SO fast. I sat brood
| ing.
| I suppose the lilacs were pertaining the
air, the birds twitteFing, the nuTsemaids
congregating with the baby carriages,
| and that the trees, grass. and shTubbery
were just as green as they were the day
/ before, but somehow I was deaf and
/ blind TO it ALL
| BY and by q quick step sounded on the
gravel walk, and a man sat down on a
bench near ne. He was an old man,
| but then, 1. too, shall be 65 some day.
I looked him over carefully. He was
{ well dressed and had n air Of the world
about him. He turned and caught my
eye. I locked away / suppose he
studied me
Then I heard step and a voice: Net
tie, IS that your
why, Londy Laird, 1 didn't know
you. But so many years have passed y
Yes" said he. shaking hands. 80
many years have passed. And how have
they treated Eou?"
His voice was so sympathetic, and
wasn't used TO sympathy-not then. Il
hadn't meant to. but before I knew it
I had told him my tale OF woe.
81 taught school in that same room In
Kansas City for eighteen years. Then I
had a frightful accident and Jay in a
sanitarium for months. Ny constitut on
I
said: Die I was sorry for that con-
stitution. My doctor said I needed a
complete change so / came to Chicago
1 have been here for three years and
over. At first l was unable to do any
thing except to go parking"
He smiled at the word.
And afterwards" he questioned. with
And afterwards 1 found some private
pupils to teach
And now7" said he, as though he had
a right 10 ply me with questions.
1 readjusted my glasses and set my
hat on straight.
And now" said I. ST go parking
little because my time is not my own.
I have all the pupils that I can teach.
I am on my way home now from giving
a lesson, and stopped for few minutes
rest. / am so glad to meet you hare,
too
Yes, it seems like old times to see
each other" he replied. what a long
time ago it was that 1 proposed to you
and you refused me, Nettie. Do you re-
member?"
Yes"
My gloves lay on my lap. I picked the
fingers out straight and felt provoked
at myself because deep flush dyed my
cheeks.
Three years after you refused me
married pretty girl from a good old
family. I am ashamed TO say that I
never loved her. but 1 hungered for i
home. Nettie. And we had a home-a
restful, well-arranged one, for my wife
had considerable taste. But Celia could
not endure this Chicago climate. The
doctor ordered her South in winter ard
TO the seashore in summer. All these
years she has had to take these trips
She can be here but few weeks each
spring and fall. after the real settled
weather comes
st cannot leave my practice. for I have
worked for years to build It up. I make
money. My wife spends It. I have no
home now.
My mother predicted such promising
future for me that ! had my hopes rath-
er high, 1 am afraid. At her grave the
other day the thought came to me, as It
has many times before: What a differ
ent life mine would have been with Net
tie by my side"
I looked away over the boulevard Ny
eyes were blinded with tears