The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-11
WOMAN AFrER HIS OWN HEART.

and he knew it. He couldn't help but
know IL, because he had spent years OF
patient, self-denying effort 10 become so.
he had a devoutly religious mind and
disciplined heart. he had never done any
thing frivolous or very sinful. never
| smoked tobacco. drank liquor or used the
| name OF God in vain. He had practiced
economy first from necessity, then for
! precautionary reasons and finally from
I habit. When he got his medical diploma
| and put out his shincie ne realized that
| ne must begin 10 mix with the world. He
/ didn't care for wOmen-paTticularly, but
/ he learned 20 dance because that is an
! easy way ito mix and he saw that
mixing paid. He danced as he sawed
| bone or bound a Iigament-dutifully and
| with no aid from either his iInagsnati ton
o. his heart Some OF his dancing com
| panions became his patients, 50 it was
d wise move.
When, by dint Of fncessant economy ard
! hard work. his practice began to grow
( profitable, he was % and tired Of board
! ing-hOuses. He didn't have many friends
! because, he explained 20 himself. friends
| are tiTne-wasters; they cost money. they
J lead one into shiftless ways. But he
/ began TO think It might add 10 his pro-
tessional dignity. TO his circle OF &C
! qusintances. to his prospective clientele.
and perhaps TO his personal comfort, il
! he were q married man. He began to
| cast about for a wife, much IN the
same way that he had east about" for (
/ sound. city broke. handsome, gentle driv
! ing horse for his buggy. Having never
| given rein 10 whatever aptitude he may
! have had Tor love-making. he was little
| awkward about i at first, but he was
| sratifed TO notice that there were plenty
OF nice girls always ready TO meet
him half way" You see, besides being
on the road to afluence and not wholly
repulsive in appearance, DR.. Rexford was
widely and well known OF mothers. faith
ers. brothers and daughters as q model
man"
Having never made a mistake IN any
OF the considerable affairs OF life, Or.
Eexford was intensely determined to
make no false matrimonial step. He
tried out a dozen of the most feasible
connubial possibilities. taking his time
Il the process and devoting his best
mental energies and quite sum OF money
To the business OF uncovering and vivi-
secting the characters habits. tempera-
ments. religious and domestic views.
ropes, tendencies and ambitions OF the
| several candidates" for his marital ia
vor. This ne knew by the books he had
read and the sermons he had heard, was
the proper manner to address the mo-
mentous question of matrimony. But he
couldn't find a single woman who ex-
actly measured UP 10 his standard. Ge-
nevra, who was mentally and spiritually
o X, had q catarrhal tendency; Lucy,
a perfect physical specimen, was capri
cious and too fond OF adulation; Jane had
q penchant for religious heterodoxy that
suggested future misunderstanding Helen
had everiastinsly condemned herself with
the admission that il she were married
her husband might go barefoot before
she'd mend his sox." Edith came very
near touching the high mark OF his ap
proval, though even she showed occa-
s.onal signs OF having a mind OF her own.
and so it went Poor Rexford began TO
think that the world did not contain the
one, oneliest one.
1t was in this frame of mind that he
started on his summer vacation He was
sitting on a bench in little park at the
edge of the small town Of Brookhaven
one evening, when a singularly beautiful
young woman approached him and said
Would you be so kim as 10 direct me
to the railway station?
He rose TO escort her. for he was 4
well-trained man, and was surprised ct
the frank look of admiration which she
bestowed upon him.
You are going with me? Oh. how kind
It is Of you" And she took his arm With
evident delight. He talked about the
weather and other very proper subjects
such as were best handled by men OF his
type. but was so impressed by her al
most reverentiaI attention to his words
that when they reached the station he
gave her his card. She said
MY name is Judith-Judith Hosmer-
yes. Miss Judith. - she laughed.
II was afraid you were married. he
answered, trying to think Of some gal
liant bit of persifage.
mo. no. 1 have-that is, I'm afraid I
haven't"
az. ~ --s-vN. - >. ., =, 1000 l. - -.
He was wondrously impressed by her
g1rlish, dependent manner, and contin-
ued. surprised at his own speed. Who
knows. JUDITH"
"Ah. sir" glancing at the card, "ah.
James. May 1 call YOU james,
The doctor pinched himself to find
whether he was awake
Il fear sometimes 7 NAV never find
him. but il ! did. II ! were married.
She blinled tearfui.y at the dim station
light.
How would you treat your husband.
Judith he asked with a revuls!on OF
horse sense.
I would be his willing. yearning slave,
sir" she cried with odd emotion. You
see, 1 have yet the oriental idea OF the
womans place, though l am an ardent
Christian. too. How would I treat him:
I would hang upon mis- every syllable. I
would toll for him. watch over him as a
mother watches over her child: poverty
could not dim the glory Of my alteration.
wealth could not dUll the luster OF my
love for him. -"
Are YOU going 10 catch this train2"
he interrupted glsncing AT his watch and
hoping that she would say no.
Shall I? Shall I. James?" she whisper
ed coming closer to him. so that her
sweet voice sounded in his ear above the
shrill scream Of the whistle.
Il would like to know more OF you.
Judith" he said. Strange as II may
seem. our brief acquaintance has con-
WINGED me that you may be the one wo-
man in the world after my own heart"
(There was an unconscious Joke in
that last line. but the doctor didn't see
it, because he was such a practical man.
and. besides. he was excited
Il have never believed in love az first
sight he was saying. but you look ali
right 70 me-
(That was horribly commonplace. but
Texford had no practice in such Affairs
And something tells ne that could
learn TO love -
Here she is. shouted a grua voice be
hind them and husky man with two
assistants came rudeiy forward and took
her arms
Excuse the interruption" Cri-ned The
nrst shes one of nr patierts-eScarrl
from the -traCtable ward this afternoon.
glad you found her-yes put her IN the
carriage-good-by John 7 Raftery
Another Man OF a Hundred.
(Irrorn the Eew York World3
when & man lives 20 bs . hundred he
has the privilege Of telling how ne did IL
SINE day the collected and sifted data ~
Cd. -.