The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-14
TIE NEW YEAR,s GUEST.

great mirror between the windows OF the
! long drawing room, surrounded by an
| animated circle Of masculine satellites.
| BY her side, almost innoticed. except for
a few stereotyped, though well meaning.
| words from gray-ilaired swain near her.
stood Carol. the youngest daughter OF
the house. To her mother this daughter
was q constant surprise, an uns0lVed
riddle. A belle and beauty in her youth,
! and still a handsome ana attractive wo-
man, the quiet, transformations pretti
ness and entire want Of magnetic power,
as far as the sterner sex was concerned,
/ in Carol were q constant source of anX-
/ iety and wonder 10 the ambitious Mrs.
/ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Her older DAUGHTERS
, had followed IN their mothers footsteps
| IN beauty and dash, and were safe IL
! the matrimonial fold before their second
season was over. Near by. in the dining
room, they were holding their court. sur
I rounded by their friends and admirers,
| who II was safe to say, would make their
! longest visit of this day at the Kinssland-
| Cowles mansion. This was Carols fourth
! season and Mrs. Kingsland -Cowles held
| Up her hands in horror when she thought
/ OF the reproach that having an old maid
| in the family would bring upon her An
| unheard-of misfortune II was that one
! Of her daughters should linger 50 long
| unclaimed on ths ancestral timber. and
so today she had determined TO keep
Carol near her, that she might find out
what was lacking in her youngests pow
ers of entertaining.
| Outwardly serene, though each moment
becoming more vexed, the mother no.
/ ticed the girls entire absence of interest
/ in the guests that came and went.
How could sen tell from her daugh
ter's calm exterior that her heart beat
hard as each new face appeared at the
| How could she tell that for Carol
! life he'd moved rlprrlaT strain All
this winter, that every concert, dance or
reception had been success or a failure
/ in just so far that a certain person was
/ present?
! How could the mother know that last
! evening. when, at a friends, they had
/ been Willing away the time with dane
/ ing before they must say good-by TO the
! old year that this mysterious he had
/ led Carol to one of the windows, opened
/ il a trifle so they might hear the Grace
! church chimes the mere distinctly, and
while they stood there in the moonlight
/ he had seemed TO her the only other hui
man being in a most beautiful star-lit
world?
This day five years ago. he had said,
/ r came east, a struggling young law
YER and today I look back upon the
years work and find l have succeeded
! beyond nv widest hopes. On this last
/ day of the year 1 am my own master
at last. ! see my name at the head OF
my firm.
DO YOU remember one day-years ago
! it seems to me now-when your sister
husband brought me to his country home
/ for a months vacation, and / met there
a certain young girl who expected to
come out into the world the next Win
ter? Do you remember the walks we
! had, and our discussions? All, then,
Carol, I determined to work hard TO win
ed to say to that girl, words which
hope she viii listen to with patience dur
ing the coming year"
But as he took her hand and bent his
head some one had called her name, she
had pulled her hand away in confusion,
and had hurriedly gone TO seek the per-
son who wanted her. All the evening
she had carefully avoided him, why she
could not tell, for inclination dragged
her the other way, except from feel
! ing of pride which demanded that she
must not lift a finger even 10 help her
lover on the road to her heart. So she
stood on New Years Day by her moth
ers side, her mind far from the throng
in the drawing-room.
Suddenly an underlined something made
her look up, and the rose petals fell like
snow as the grasp of her trembling
hands tightened on them. Through the
doorway, and toward her mother with
unsteady gait, dishevelled dress and va
cant smile advanced apparently the man
10 whom she had accredited all noble
attributes.
Like a child she chung shivering 10 her
mothers arm, while for a moment Mrs.
<ingsland- Cowles looked down at her
| and, guessing her daughters secret, for
got her self-possession and almost turned
her back upon the coming guest.
so sorry could not get here before"
he began, a trihe unintelligibly. $50
sorry, So sorry, but Here he stopped
as if all ideas had suddenly deserted
him. but laughed cheerfully and noisily
as il to make up for all conversational
deficiencies by mirth
Mrs. Kingsland- Cowles shook the prof
fered hand frigidly, her ideas OF the ht-
ness of things shaken by the half-sup-
pressed sob from the girl at her side
You will so into the dining-rOom with
Mr.. Small. won't your turning to one
of her attendant cavaliers. instructing
him with a glance and a haif-concealed
gesture, land let Marion give you some
refreshments she said, anxious 10 have
the upwelcome guest depart at any price
before her foolish daughter made
scene; and she sighed with relief as she
saw her wise enissary lead the young
man out into the hall in the opposite d.
rection from which the dining-TOora was
situated. She shook off Carols OBTAINING
arm, saying in a severe whisper: Real
Is, YOU must go upstairs If you cannot
control your feelings better; you are
positively disgracing yourself and me-
Half blinded with tears the girl made
her way toward the door. not noticing a
gentleman who had entered the room
until she almost ran into him, and look
ing UP for a moment. stopped stil where
she stood with Il gasp of fright then
turned and followed him 10 her mother
side.
Il have to beg your forbearance for the
most unforeseen ard unpardonable intru-
sion of my brother. my swim brother.
who came here a few moments ago 7 do
not supDose You were aware OF his exist
ence before. l have never spoken to you
OF him; il IS not a relationship / boast
OF, am sorry 10 have 10 say. u IS be-
CAUSE we are so alike that / came 70
the east we were always being taken Tor
one another. and II was running my ca
reer. lie came here two DAYS AGO. on
lis way 10 Australia, and has been ir-
dulging his weakness for drink ever since
he arrived This morning he escaped
from nv surveillance, unfortunately with
my visiting list. and 7 have been follow
ing him all day. M search friLtless until
row T met him II Your han with Small.
who was irving 10 persuade him %
leave. 5lv man has taken hira home and
/ must follow him. but before 1 20
wish To EXPRESS 70 you ny overwhelming
grief ard modification that this annoy
auce should have come To- you through
me- Indirectly
TIE hostess. fuu q smiles ard kind-
ness. sought 70 put the ez1harr1sse1
brother al his ease before she ELrned %
4 guest who had Just entered. then lsi-
him 70 follow her daughter 70 ~ piano.