The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-28
Cure for Loneliness.


entrance sat an elderly man. He wa.
straight and square-shouldered, with :
white mustache and grizzled hair, and
a strong suggestion Of early military
training
On this particular day he had watched
] the playful elves as they darted in anc
: out among the trees until ne had grown
tired. The warm sun made him sleepy
His gray head slowly dropped back, his
shoulders found q restful corner of tbs
high-backed seat, and presently he was
soundly sleeping.
A slight conclusion awakened him. He
opened his eyes with a little start. The
sun was peeping through the foliage and
: the rays dazz!ed him. He tried 10 raiss
q hand 70 draw his soft hat over MS
eyes and could not. Both hands were
pinioned fast. He looked down. a rope
was encircling his body, and holding his
arms fast TO his sides. He made an ef-
1 fort to release himself. but without sue
cess. a child's laughter broke In his
ears His captOr was close behind him.
AHA" he said, in what he intended
for a very gruf voice, ARE you htere?
finland me at once
The cord, it was a child's skipping
rope was rapidly drawn from about his
waist and q moment later its owner
danced IN front Of him.
She was a little girl Of possibly T.
though at times her varying expressions
made her seem much older. Her hair
foated about her head IN careless waves
and tendrils, her eyes were gray and
deep her mouth was small and beaud-
fully shaped.
Pooh, pooh" she said. with a hooking
| curtsey, Il amt bit afraid Of you.
And why not?' the old manasked.
"And why are you not afraid Of suchsa
( gray old mustache as I an?"
Because you are my grandfather"
What do you mean by that nom
sense?" he harshly asked.
""Tain't nonsense" said the little maid
/ en-; unless grandfathers is nonsense.
/ Anyway. you're my grandfather" And
| she started 10 leave him.
( Wait" he cried. Come here What
/ did you mean by saying I am your
/ grandfather? Do you call every old man
/ you see. grandfather?"
NO" said the child, "only you"
Come little Closer he said in coax
/ ing tones. She marched boldly up to
him Her little hand flew up and touch
/ ed the front of her cap.
That's the way to salute a solder"
she said with merry laugh. Mamma
/ said you was one"
Perhaps" he slowly said, 'you can
even tell me my name?"
yes, I can" replied the child. ITS
easy. Your name is Philip. And now
guess what mine is"
Isis it Mary?" he gently asked.
mo" laughed the child. That's
mammals. Mine is like yours. It's Phil
lppa."
The old man was silent for a moment.
rs your mother here. child?" he sud-
denly asked.
''Who? Do you mean mamma?" cried
the child. 'She isn't here She hasn't
got no time. She's always too busy
Didn't you know she pains? Yes, she
paints lovely little pictures. Minichoors
she calls them. They're pictures OF peo-
pie, don't you know. Only much prettier
But sometimes people don't pay very
.qGick, and sometimes they think mamma
charges too much, and sometimes she
doesn't have any pictures to do. Then,
you know. It's pretty hard to have the
landlord call"
And where is your father?' and sthe
old mans voice suddenly grew hard.
Hes beaded In Callyforny," said the
child. He was an actor you know. A
stage actor. 1 don't member him very
well I was too little when he went
away. I've tried to act, too, but Della,
that's the janitor's wife, she says I can't
act for shucks."
Good thing muttered the old man.
"Well, I don't know" said the Fhild
you see, I wanted to do something to
help mamma. And if can't act I don't
know what 1 can do. But I s'p0se its
no use"
And what made you think that am
your grandfather?" ne asked
ooh. Marie Kramer told me-" replied
the child. "She knows everybody. She's
lived out more places She's Bessie
Leighton's nurse now, an just as soon as
she saw you sitting here one day she
said. There's old Colonel Robson, She I
knows you, cause you used to go to
the Brousons where she was Twin then.
An pretty soon she looked at me an
said. Why, he's your grandfather, amt !
hep An [ said ] didn't know, an she /
thought it cut and said. Yes, ne IS,
cause your mamma is his daughter an (
she ran away with a play actor an the I
OF hunks shut his door on her forever
that's what Marie said. An when I went /
home said TO Della, My grandfather's /
sittin' over there in the park-an' he's +
tn hands0mest Iookin' thing An Della /
says. If he's settin' in the park he's /
either @ tramp or millunaire IF he's +
a tramp You must keep away from him.
but if he's a mllunaire you want TO
rope him in. An when I looked at you
again / saw you didn't look Ike a tramp +
an so I thought I'd take my chances an
rope you man that's just what I did,
And your mother knows nothing about
my being hsre?" the Cd man asked.
Yes. she does" replied the child. 81
told her, an she said 'Philippa dear II
may not be your grandfather. But any
way you mustn't speak 10 him unless he
speaks to you first An I made you
speak to me first. didn't r.
philippe" he slowly said, "how would
You Ike TO come and i've with me- You
would have your own beautiful room.
and ali the pIaythinEs you could want
and somebody 10 wait or you. and
pony TO drive-and everything that could
make O little girl happy"
An would mamma come too2'
The CID man shock his head
I'D like the room" said the child.
can the pony an ali the rest. but
guess I'd be too lonesome without nam
ma"
"But you'd have ne, urged the old man
wed be Just two lonesome ones. to-
gether." said the child. Then shs a.
5ed- IT you know mamma yos'd see HON
t isl"
perhaps I'm hestnning 70 see,' he sid
'Tn tel you what ven DO" cried the
child You can borrow me-"
1T sounds wen" said the old man
IIew must I see about to"
"Oh ITS - sv" replied the child. You
fast come 10 orr hat snd send p your
,srd And then mamma viii whistls
73vn and say lease come ~ Then
YEA 81 % an I'm there. Ar 7 eag
Afr Crau1rana this IS mamma Thea
-7u bow IN say Where have 7 seen
-au heforag' AN then yoa saw Esn
21rrog your caaznia daughter for The
-est ~ rhe aay--foT ToD va Come early tn
~ morning. ynu know. An mamma
ave Hve you any security fev the
-ea1-T ne n fer tae chHlF An Eua