The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-02
KETURAHs ROMANCE.

With pardonable curiosity Keturah Al
| len watched the unloading Of a meager
! load OF goods at the twin cottage ad-
| joining her own Her dream was about
70 be realized, she was TO have a neigh
| Dor; and during the next two weeks the
cheerful light streaming from the little
bay window warmed her heart as moth
| ing else had done in many years.
Later she found the solitary occupant
to be a bachelor Of uncertain years, z
man of commanding presence, but wear
ing habitualIy an expression of con-
tempt, as though he had found life dis
| appointment. as indeed he had
He met all attempts on the part OF Ke-
turah TO be neighbOrly with a gTuf and
discouraging manner well calculated 10
chill and hurt the tender heart prompted
TO offer kindness. Although termed an
old maid Keturah, at the age Of %.
was as fresh and plump as many younger
girls. She had never married, but Sc
cretly had often wished that she could
look across her lonely table and see in
reality the picture she had so often
dreamed ola manly figure in the big
arm chair, which always stood waiting
for the imaginary occupant
AS a child she had formed a pernicious
habit of thinking. and was also handi-
capped by a high-strung. wildly romantic
disposition, which she found in her way
still found her alone.
Unseldsh TO a fault. she kept on trying
to be friendly to her unsocial neighbOr all
that long, cold winter, but If Everett
Hale noticed that the socks worn full
of rents. which he hung out to dry. be-
came mysteriously darned. he made no
sign. Thus another month rolled away,
during which his manner had been more
than usually forbfdding and finally his
made up her mind to abandon all future
attempts al friendliness, and it was then
with growing alarm that he found him
self watching from behind his half-ciOsed
shutters for a sight OF the well-knOwn
figure, busy feeding her little brood of
chicks or running in and out the little
side door on various errands.
Unwilling TO own to himself how much
he missed the pleasant Good morning
he used to so often receive, he tried TO
convince himself that he was glad TO
be left in peace, and he accordingly grew
more morOse and UnsOcial than ever.
One unlucky day a fine young pullet
from Keturahs brood flew over the low
wall dividing the cottages and entered
the garden Of her neighboF. Within q
very short space of time the poor Of
Tending chicken was found in Keturah S
back yard with its neck stretched
l.
cameTs back"
Indignation and righteous anger held
full sway in Keturah's heart ali that
forenoon, while on the other side OF the
dividing line Everett Hale was suffering
from deep remOrse. The thick crust al
lowed to form about his heart had been
melted by the very earnestness and pa
thence with which his little neighbor had
borne so uncomplainingly with his pessi-
mism all winter.
Upon returning that night from closing
of a long and most miserable day, he
found upon the back step a basket dainti-
~ covered with a snowy napkin. Peering
underneath the cover, he broke down en-
tirely, for there was the chicken, nicely
cooked, and a little note as follows:
Please accept from one who regrets the
trespass'
Keturah had fought her battle and come
of cOnquerOr
That night just as she was about to sit
down to her modest supper, a timid
knock was heard. and upon opening the
door she found her neighbor standing
there, bearing in his hand the basket.
He quickly availed himself OF her offer
to enter, and at once. with the courage
born of new and good relolutiOns, asked
her TO pardon the hasty and much re-
pented-of deed.
keturah, with quick intuition, recoS-
nized the budding forth of a grand ma
ture hitherto repressed by discouraging
environments, and with much tact turn
ed his mind from the disagreeable cpl
sode with such marked success that in
one-half hour he was occupying the big
arm chair and chatting in the easy man
ner characteristic Of Everett Hale in his
happier days.
One bright June day Everett Hale led
to the altar the only woman who had
been able to develop the good in his dis
appointed and misshappen life, and as I
gazed upon his expressive face, radiant
from happiness, L felt that he had Indeed
found his affinity.-Boston Post.