Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-01-04
ABILENE WEEKLY REFLECTOR ABILENE KANSAS JANUARY wOO-Tw PAGES

to indulge in reserve.
"Yes,' Miss Ferguson replied to Mil
lies question. I'VE want some white
satin ribbon for-for wedding.
Don't we, Mr.. Darrow?"
Indeed we do" he responded
laughingly. "A wedding in which one
or the other of us is much interested.
| won't say which one"
81 should hope both of us were in.
terested in it, cried Miss Ferguson,
mucily.
They got the ribbon and went away,
and after they had gone the sense OF
her poverty and loneliness and need
Tor monotonous work rushed over Mil
lie, and swallowed up all her cheer
and youth for the time being, as q
.old storm of the night seems sud.
lenly to eNtinguish the summer, and
70 leave only brown leaves and dead
fields behind it, That night she could
not bring herself to dress for dinner,
md to indulge in her usual little dis.
sipation in the way of conversation
with the young men she met at the
boarding house. She got dismal lit.
tie meal on her oil stove, and went to
ped early, to toss till dawn and so,
arising late, was behindhand at the
store. The work had never before
seemed so replsye. She fancied her.
self getting horrid little tricks of man.
ner like those of some of the old
clerks, and imagined that she was al
ready growing plain and dull.
In the midst of this dep depres
sion, when all the store looked gray
and confusing, and the words of her
iellow-workers sounded strange and
foreign to her ear, she heard someone
mquirng for her. 1t was an American
District Telegraph boy, with Il pack
'ge. A sudden shaft of anticipation
pierced Miles leaden heart. She
signed the book with trembling fin.
gers, and broke open the strings on
the box. Within were exposed to view
The most glorious American Beauty
roses she had ever seen, They were
not like other roses. They were glori'
lied flowers, and in the midst of them
little white note.
"My dear Miss Duncan it read:
sam | not to have the great pleas
nre of calling upon you? ] confess
have not tried to find where you were
because was really hurt and offend
I'd when YOU left Two Rivers without
saying goodby to me, or letting me
know that YOU were going away. But
now that | have seen you | can feel
no otfense ! think ] can understand
The motives that led you to do as YOU
did. ! do not know how to be suf'
iciently thankful that | went with
Miss Ferguson to buy those wedding
bands. am to be best man at hel
wedding, which is to occur next Sat
urday. She is to marry one of my bes
friends, and ! am fond of her ant
glad that You two met. But how
I'm running on! You see wan 81
much to talk with you that ! canno
stop. Kindly let me know where ant
when | may cali, and | will be franl
and confess that my call is not to b.
one of ordinary Importance to myself
1t will be the most important visit
ever made to anyone. ! am filed a
bnce with anticipation and dread, Blu
[ will not let the dread get upper
most. insist that my heart shall
sing. Insist that my fate is to b.
fortunate, and that after the visit
shall be even happier than ! am nov
and ] am happy, for | have foun(
you again. Yours, always,
/ "Allen barrow"
When Mile looked up from read
ing the letter the store was no Longer
gray. \ sort of golden glory rested
over everything, aun SIle turned WIZ
sagerness 10 a customer
Burnt orange ribbon No. j? Yes
ma'am, we have a fine piece should
like to show You" Chicago Tribune