Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1902-01-24
ODE TWO MADELINES
BY JOHN CASTOR
Copyright 1902, by Daily Story Pub. Coz


IF he loved us why did he leave
us?" asked the child with that logic
which exists only in the unwarped
minds of children-of all ages.
Even harder to answer than that I'M
answerable question were the sincere
blue eyes raised with questioning look
to her own; and Alice Newcomb, as
IL seeking an answer to give the trust
Ing child, whose head nestled SO low
fngly on her bosom, looked out of the
window to the sunshine and the birds
and all the pretty growing things and
sought in vain for an answer.
Why had he left them? The ques-
ton that had never left her mind by
night or day for five years; the har-
assing. singing burning question
which 1t seemed to her was branded
into her very soul. Her last thought
each night, her first at dawn, haunt
ing her dreams by night and her work
by day, never forgotten, always unan-
swerable: Why had he'left them?"
The village had known no happier
home, had never contained within its
boundaries prettier or cosier nest
than the cottage where now sat the
lonely woman with the winsome child
In her lap. The sunshine peeped
through the honeysuckle and into the
room where these two sat- just as John
Newcomb had known it would when
with his own hand he had planned and
built the little home, full of hopes and
purposes for the future.
Their married life had been OF un-
usual and perfect content. Lovers for
many years, they had waited until
Johns prospects as a partner in the
firm OF Newcomb & Miller, carpenters
and builders, gave them assurance Of
financial safety, and then they had
married and settled in the prettiest Of
cottages almost before Alice could be-
lieve it true. Three happy years had
they spent in their home, during which
an added Joy had come to them-the
little golden-haired girl whom they
tiful and an ideal child, born Of the
love of a perfect and a happy home
and her coming had filled to the brim
the cup of happiness which life held to
the lips of John and Alice Newcomb.
John Newcomb was a manly man; as
the men said who worked for and with
him, he was every inch a man." And
with every inch of his many inches, for
he was more than six feet tall, did he
love "his girl" Alice. and his baby,
Madeline. To all that was rough and
burly and hearty in him, did the
dainty little girl appeal, with the I'M
strength of childhood. The
first word and the first step and the
first tooth were events never to be for
gotten in John Newcomb's life, so
tightly about his heart did the little
weave the meshes of love.
giant meshes woven by baby hands.
The partnership prospered, the cot
tage was almost entirely paid for, and |
Johns reputation for the practical part |
Of his work, as well as the theoretical,
for he had been known as an excellent
iraughtsman, grew apace, and was the
source of some modest pride to John |
and of much wifely pride to Alice. The
of John at night was the |
joyful part of the day to all of them,
and as the little one grew to more of
the pretty ways and words, of baby
hood and childhood, more and more
did John look forward to the restful
evening time at home.
One night, it was soon after Madeline
had reached her third year, and had
had 'beefday party" something har
pened that had never happened before.
John did not come home.
Never before had such a thing oc-
He was experimenting the
work of handsome school building in
4 neighboring city. 1t was contract
he firm had been proud to get, and he
had gone down to supervise the work