The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-02
The Wisdom of a Woman,
Rr Kate N. CIeary.l

4 mad become accustomed 70 II many
| months ago. He was absorbed-but not
| in his work The minute hand had
| crawled quite around the dial of the big
| clock in the corner since ne had form
! ed a figure on the ledger lying open be-
fore him. But he had been writing. HIS
gaze dropped to the page upon his desk
| As he scanned the verse he had written
| his eyes took on the mingled dreari-
| ness and sparkle one sees only in the
orbs Of poet
1 strive 10 sing song OF spring,
song serene and sweet,
With the hum of the bee and the sob OF
| In its passionate pulse and beat;
But rhyme though may through the
| ivelong day
OF the beauties of dawn and dew.
see your face with its tender grace,
/ And l dream Of you-of you!
| brown hand reached over his shoul-
| der. A couple of letters fell on the open
| ledger
The letter had not been intended for
| him!
But it was of him. There was his name
his name nthe writing OF the woman
| he loved-to whom he had not dared 10
| speak unless in sweet wild verses which
| she never beheld. He had read so far
unwittingly; he must now read the rest.
After what he had ignorantly learned
he must learn more. II meant life and
all that life held for him-the words
which were traced on the next page
| life and love, or bitter and enduring dis
| appointment!
MY Dear Friend: When you asked
me lately IL Landor Aldrich should do
me the honor to ask me TO be his wife
would / marry him-I gave you no re-
| ply. [ will tell you now. l fear your
opinion should it be lightly formed.
dread lest you think me dilty of a vll-
gar csprice-for you said I had encour-
| aged him. I will be quite frank,
| think he does care for me. And +"
There the page ended.
| The dreaminess was gone from his
| eyes now.
He turned the page. He read on.
well, I've never worn my heart on
| my sleeve, Eloise. I can't do il now.
But you may draw from my silence what
inference you will
Mr.. Aldrichr He looked up. He
was trembling like leaf About that
special shipment to the Philippines,
| sir"
''Yes-no! I don't konw. Ask the ele-
vator boy!' he nuttered, not compre-
hending and again bent over the fate
full page. The man shrugged his Shout
| ders walked away. Landor read on:
You spoke of MS charming personality
| his rare gifts Of mind and spirit. Who
| should appreciate these more than I.
| who have known him SO well? That one
! Of such social standing, appearance and
heritary wealth should have singled me
out from among many girls who admire
him, has flattered me indeed. But,
| should he say the words every woman
wants to hear once from one man, j
| must answer-No"
There was mufled cry. The letter
was crumplel in fierce fingers. Then he
lifted his bowed head, smoothed out the
page, and read on:
This, my friend. IS why. He Is not
| proving himself He is an idler-a dream
er. With every avenue of success
stretching broad and fair before him, he
is content 20 pass hours occupying a
purely nominal position In his fathers
office. He leads the cotilion wel-none
better. In all matters Of dllettaueteism
writes the most musical verses one may
imagine. One mast admire as well as
love the man one marries How can
one admire the individual who saun ers
through life as through charity fair?
| His degrees entitle him to university
professorship. His fathers various inter
ests in many places call for his personal
supervision. There is so much to do be-
fore he may confidently ask a woman to
give to him herself-life, body, and soul
But wish-O, how wish
There the letter ended.
Aldr!ch put the letter IN his pocket.
! q CROPPED for his hat, gloves and coat
went out into the fresh spring after
noon. Half an hour later he stood in the
luxuriously appointed room of great
city bank A meeting of the directors
had just ended. His father was leaving
WHAT'S up Landor? You look-queer'
I'm all right. sir. I want a word
with you, though. Now will DO as well
as any time. Whom were you thinking
of sending down to establish that branch
of our house at Manlla?"
Il did think of Peterson, but I'm afraid
he has signed with the other people"
Will you trust ne to CO. father?"
''You!" The elder mans haggard face
lighted up-then fell. You're not capa-
! bic Of the task, my boy. It's a tremen-
dous oner'
Lander smiled with pale llps-but the
smile was winning. You should have
more confidence IN my fathers son." ne
protested gently.
The words warmed TIE old mans heart
ike wine. His eyes blinked up at his
boy. by George" he cried. y believe
you've got it IN your I've had doubts
of you. Let that pass. You shall go,
with fun and absolute authority"
The following day a note came from
Landor-a formal, demure little note:
Dear Mr.. Aldrich: I find 1 faiIed to
send you yesterday my line OF thanks
for those violett VIII you take the be-
lated gratitude now There was mis-
take somewhere. Always sincerely yours
KATHERINE CLERMONT."
But the news that ne was to assume
control of his father's business in the
Philippines had been made public in the
newspapers before he saw her again.
Then II was 20 say good-by. The hand
she gave him was cold as ice-but sae
looked I'D az him with steady, unfalter-
ing hazel eyes.
You are really going, then? II was no
newspaper canard7 How We shall miss
your
I hope you will. May write to you
-Katherine7" He had never called her
Katherine till now.
Yes. indeed. But I'm q laggard CORE
spondent- Good-bye.'
There has not been since the opening
Up Of the Islands an affair which so in
terested TIE business men % Chicago and
other cities a. did TIE success Of the
great branch house ot the AIsrichs in
Manila
i boy Of 2 at tHe hsadr' the wise
ones commented. Tt seems impossible
that ne should have shown such acu-
men-suca ability By the tine he Re
turned tor a osiaf vacation more thzn
a year later t,e business was booming
But the man who csue back vas rot
the strain % concentration, deprivation.
81 4s~rrss