The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-09-14
THIRTY YEARS AFTER.

James Mitchell came out OF the hotel
| office of the Great Northern the ether
morning with his cigar between his I'm
gers and a toothpick in his mouth He
| had been in the city FIVE days on bust
I ness, and a few minutes this morning in
| an Office over on La Sale street would
see it wound up.
When James left home in Denver.
| week before, his partner had said 70 him:
! Don't be II a hurry about coming home;
take It easy; everything is in good shape.
and we viii not miss you for couple OF
] weeks
After devcuring the news that interested
/ him his eye caught the name OF the
/ town up in Wisconsin where his last COL
! lege days were spent Next week is
! commencement up there. is il. and I
| haven't been up there since left school
4 in IS. Believe III run UP for a day and
/ look the old town over, and see If il has
! changed any" Walking out 10 Dear
! born street he turned his gaze TO the
north BE hanged if 1 don't do tit VIII
do me good. III be a boy again for one
! day, anyway" Arranging his business
matters at once, he wired his partner:
| Everything satisfactory; going Up in
| Wisconsin a couple Of days" AT 1850 he
was on his way, and in a few hours was
! nearing the old college town.
4 guess the best room in the house
/ isn't any too good for me this trip"
| and bound to get his moneys worth.
! After supper he hurriedly lit a cigar
and climbing the college hill walked about
/ the well-shaded grounds. The building
| looks smaller. but the trees have grown
! some Thirty-three years this month
| since I came out Of that old camp. How
/ time flies"
He walked about the grounds in the
| long June twilight, and returned 10 the
| hotel by a circuitous route. Passing an
| fashioned residence few blocks from
the college he stopped and gazed at il
/ for long time. "On that porch I babe
Anna King good-by, wondering then
when I would see her again. but I never
! did. Poor girl, she died twenty-five years
ago" He walked down the electric light
! ed streets, looking in the young faces
! ne met Cor the usual commencement
! crowd was in town. wondering why he
did not meet Ezra or Fred, for you see
/ he was a boy again, and looking for
boyish friends.
/ The college bell awoke him the next
morning. ut sounds natural" unused our
friend. Il mustn't be late this morning.
/ He shaved and bathed. thinking his face
wasn't quite so smooth as last time he
/ had shaved here, the day he went home,
and the gray hairs were plenty enough
now. Never mind, I'll be q boy today,
anyhow" Nine o'clock found him again
walking about the college grounds with
his hands behind his back, and a cigar
IN his mouth. Sitting down on shaded
bench his thought went back to his last
week at school My room used TO be in
the third story in the nearest corner.
Wonder what kid had 1t this term Across
the hall Snow and Taylor roofned. Snow
1 lost track of-Taylor is rich lumber
man in northern Michigan" So intent
had our friend become engrossed in his
thoughts he had not noticed the bevy of
young girls, who coming out Of the Ia
dies hall, sat down on he lawn in the
shade near him. Unconsciously their
conversation attracted his attention, and
before he knew it he was interested.
Sweet girl graduates. most OF them; II
sounds natural 10 hear them chatter.
Wish I could scrape up an acquaintance.
Wonder If they would feel, offended If I
walked over and interviewed them. Be
lieve I'll try it. Guess my age viii pro-
tect me-" But fate was kind to him and
made his Introduction easy.
Ida GRAY" one of the said, speaking
to a companion a short distance from
him, Il thought you told me the other
day that your father was coming down
mere fer commencement"
so he is. and my brother Harry. They
left Green Bay yesterday afternoon, and
went 10 Milwaukee on business and will
be here tomorrow
It'll bet that is Harry Gray's daughter; /
he used to live in Green Bay, and that {
girl has cot his features if am not mis- /
taken. I am going TO find out any way
And walking Up to the one addressed as /
Ida Gray, he said: Excuse me. but I
I heard you speak of your father and !
also mention Green Bay. Did your father 4
attend college here some time in the 4
'S0s?" Yes. ard mamma also And /
your father was Harry Cray" Yes, /
sir" Ard, excuse me again, who was /
before she ~ rrfr6 - Z
Carrie Elwell" was the reply. Here I
is my card, Miss Gray. I knew both 4
your parents. attended school here with /
them IN '67-S and this is my frs. visit /
since that time"
Miss Gray introduced our bachelor I
friend to her young associates and re- I
marked: Il have heard papa speak OF 4
YOU MFR. Mitchell. quite often. 7 am 4
sure he would like 70 see you when he 4
comes in the morning. Il an sorry that /
J must 60 on the carly train. Give him /
my card and my regards, and your
Carrie Elwell, and this is their daughter. /
Nice looking girl" he unused.
Throwing away his cigar and entering T.
one of the buildings, he walked about the
balls and looked in some OF the recitation /
rooms, with feeling almost of sadness.
Wonder 1 wouldn't meet some OF the I
old bows here. Presume We would not
passed out of the building and through
the grounds 10 the brow Of the hill over
looking the lower town" and looked Tor
a long time for a little brown house
over whose front gate he was wont 70
linger on summer evenings. But the
cottage was gone and more modern
villa stood IN its place.
That afternoon ne passed the church
near The college buildings where the
young people seemed 20 be gathring.
Some sort of a concert; guess I'll 90 IN,
and telling the usher to give him back
seat he crowded himself IN the fartherest
corner. The church filed rapidly. What
young faces: seems az though looked
older when used to come here. This IS
the finest singing I ever heard. as q
sweet-voiced girl bowed her scknowledg-
ments TO the generous applause given
her wish she would sing again;
sounds Ike Anna King. the last time
7 heard her from that same platform
When the crowd passed out people Won
dered who the solid looking business
man could be who seemed SO much inter-
ested IN all that was going OF.
After supper he walked about the
streets OF the quiet little city. meeting
and passing Young people. "spoony'' cou-
pies who paid him no attention. Just
IS Il used to be commencement time, only
hope they won't be as long coming
back here as I have bean"
When he paid his bin the next morning.
hs noticed among the lste arrivals, will /
liam Chadbourne. Msnominee. Mich"
Down here for commencement. too {
and he thought OF the vacation be had
spent with this old schcoimate up in / /
Michigan. and remembrance OF q Gshing
trip and the smell Of the cedar swamps {
-rf came ha~lr n him as Tresh ee though { ?