Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1902-11-12


ideal place. Rough stairs were con-
structed to lead up to it, and rail
ing was put around 1T. Wlnifred
brought out a little table and tea SER
vice, also a hammock and a comfort
able chair, and with a few cushions,
some writing material and her books,
she made luxurious place. The tree
was on the brow of hill that over
looked the river, and between the
smooth expanse of silver, and the spot
chosen for Winifred's studies there
ran a narrow canal bordered by grass
and luxurious bushes, and accom-
panied along its course, by narrow
tow-path, where once in long while
a stolid mule appeared dragging
slow canal boat. Altogether it was
perfect place for rest andi thought
and study, and yet, day after day
passed and Winifred did not seem able
to settle down to her work. There was
always something more to be done
to decorate or make useful her charm
ing retreat in the tree. and when at
last everything that she could think
of had been finished, she still had
feeling that something was lacking.
1t was June and the mornings were
so heavenly that it seemed hard to
keep ones eyes on those serious and
heavy books, and when the moonlight
nights began, it was harder still.
One thing that she wished for con-
stantly was a guitar. She could, east
Iy have sent home for one, but that
was a concession that she would not
permit herself. Besides, Murray Ora
ham had a beautiful voice and they
had sung so much together in the past
that she was quite determined not
to open deliberately the avenue of as
socia tions that she wanted to get rid
of. Did she? Was this the real de-
sire of her heart? Now that she had
not the stimulus of opposition to her
cherished plan, was it as seductive to
her as it had been?
One afternoon when the sun had sunk
in the west, leaving a rich glow behind
him through the distrant trees, Win
fired lay in her hammock and gaZed
out across the river to where
the full round moon was rising white
and transparent looking. There was
no denying the fact to herself, she was
just as lonesome as lonesome could
be. There was Aunt Kitty up at the
house, but Aunt Kitty was used to
being alone, and besides, that was not
the sort of companionship that she
wanted. What sort, then? she asked
herself, but she stifed the reply be-
fore it could take shape in her mind.
She began to wonder what her
various girl friends, who were off at
gay summer resorts, were doing
just now, and at the thought of the
dancing and boating and bathing and
swimming, she had a kind of turning
of the heart toward the repudiated
f1eshpots that made her angry and
ashamed of herself. Still it prompted
her to think, what did she want with
a career anyway? What had put the
notion into her head? 1t was not real
ly for her own advancement, and she
knew it. Some one else's place in the
world was dearer to her far than
that, and it was just for this reason
that he would not take that place and
make for himself a career that she
knew he would do honor to-that she
had felt determined to make the most
of her own capacity, inferior as she
knew it to be when she compared it to
his. Oh, dear, dear. it was very lonely
here in this beautiful spot! The fad
ing sunlight and the waxing moonlight
were almost too exquisite. Her heart
expanded under the spell of their
beauty, but it also ached and longed
almost unexpectedly.
The hour was intensely still Had il
not been so she would not have heard
the faint patter of the mules feet on
the towpath as he came in sight pull
ing leisurely at the rope that lost it
self behind the bushes. Winifred kept
perfectly still. She always avoided
making any movement when the canal
boats were passing, and their occu-
pants rarely ever saw her, high up on
the bank above.
Now, suddenly, the clear notes of
guitar fell on her ear. and the next
instant they were followed by a rich
voice which foated up to her singing
these words:
% moon of my delight that knows no wane,
The moon of Heav risi once again =
How oft hereafter shall she rising look
Through this same garoen-after me-in
vaini"
She knew the voice. She would have
known it among a thousand. Yet now
there was the confirmation of her
eyes as well, for as the slow old boat