Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-09-19
A PUFF OF WIND.

stAtssstttsttSs'S
He opened the front door with his
latchkey and let himself In. II was
blowing hard outside, and as he heid
the door ajar puff Of wind rushed IN.
1t was a strong capful, and 1t swayed
the curtains and futtered the long
leaves Of the hardy palm in the par
lor archway Then 1t caught up a bit
Of note paper that lay on the little Ia
Bile in the hall and whirled 1t away
beneath the bookcase in the corner.
The man who was entering did not see
this fluttering note. He shut the door
quickly and turned about.
"Nellie Oh, Nellie! Where the
deuce can she be-" hemuttered. "Nev-
err left me like this before. What did
she take with herr" He opened the
clothes closet off the bedroom and
looked at her garments hanging In an
orderly row. He let his hand fall low
ingly on the familiar folds and pass
down them with gently smoothing
pressure. Her dresses seemed SO elo-
ouent Of her presence. Was she hiding
behind these dangling frocks? He
poked his way into the closet, up one
side and back on the other, but no Mel
lie was concealed within Its limited
area.
Funny he muttered again. Seems
to be gone without word. wonder
what she did with her jewelry?' He
thought he knew where she hid 1t
away but he didn't. AT least 1t wasn't
there.
May have taken It with her" he
murmured and stopped short. the idea
was an ugly one. You're a fool, John
Austin" he said and scowled at him.
self In the glass.
There was a pleasant aroma arising
from the interior of the dresser. II
seemed a part of her. There were two
of her hairpins lying on the dresser
ton He picked them up carefully AND
laid them on the little china dish
where a dozen or more OF their broth
ers we're beside her low sewing chair
small and slim. He knew she nae
gone in hurry. She would nevel
have left this mark Of untidiness
she hadn't been pressed for time Bu
what could have drawn her away iron
home so suddenly?
John Austin was not a thorougni
well man, He had worked too hard, n
was nervous and irritable. Evenin
he had come home and unloaded Int
| his wife's keeping as much as he coul
Of his burden Of daily vexatlons, 70
the first time in their IS months Q
married bliss his wife had left hi
without a word Of warning.
He came slowly down the stairwa
and dropped himself into a big cha
in the library. His eye wandere
about the apartment. It was CROWN
! dusky outside, and the books abo'
him were dim and misty. He shoe
I his fist In a sudden fit Of frenzy at IL
tiers Of volumes.
She's been reading harmful books
he sputtered; "lbsen and Maeterlin
n and who knows what all? They d
dangerous and degrading. They co
rupt the sourdest mind with their pre-
simistic sophistries. What's thisT I
picked up a newspaper clipping fro
, the table and, lighting the gas, read
aloud,
1.-THE souls Of women knock som
times at the bars Of convention, of II
dition, of marriage, and clamor
freedom--even II 1t be the brlefest
spites. Sometimes when they least {
pect 1t the desire to fly grows stro
upon them and they are ready to thr
down all that is at hand and strike {
boldly nthe direction Of the luri
voice. Who can blame them? DO
blame the captive brutes in the are
for beating their breasts sore agai
the cruel bars that cut them Off fr,
the delights Of liberty? Woman
the same instinct. 1t flares out
times when least expected and the
man pops forth heart hungry ,