The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-06
A SICK MANS HOLIDAY.

he scene. 1heSS great hotels by the south
seas are apt to be very gladstone places
in the winter. The Matagorda was NJ
exception. The lobby and the tributary
halls were crowded with gayly dressed
men and women. a Spanish orchestra
vas playing La Paloma" from some
sconce in the walls. Staring about him in
eager anticipation OF the days that were
at hand, Hampton saw fair face and
4 pair of radiant eyes staring at him. He
locked over mis- shoulder TO make sure
that he was not mistaken. Nobody was
behind him, and, with few steps for
ward. he made sure that the hesitant
smile and the bright eyes were directed
at himself.
Don't think me bold she said, drop
ping the mantiTla from her yellow h&ir
as he came up. You don't know me. of
course-I-Tm Hilda Farnham-O-ah-h,
Miss Farnham. Harry has talked Of you
q thousand times. He talks ot no one
nothing else.
It's dreadfuny kind of you Toto"
he hesitated
ITO recognize your she laughed. Il
couldn't help it. I'd have known you
among a thousand. Mr.. Hampton. this is
my friend. Miss Potter. She knows Harry
and if she doesn't know YOU it's not be-
cause we haven't talked about you"
Miss Potter, who was tail. queen-like in
dignity and pOise. but with most wo-
manly sweet face. gave him her hand,
mlushed gloriously and said:
Yes, B1r. Hampton. we've been talking
about you. Hilda and 1 were school
mates. you know. larry worships YOU
but 1 guess you know that--he's been
writing of nobody else lately. as least 50
says Hilda. and we've been expecting-at
least we knew you were coming. You
cont lock like an invalid. This is they
swept out upon the veranda TO watch
the winter moon shimmering in the trop!c
sea.
"Oh. I'm not i'll. ne laughed. and If
1 We're this reception itself would have
cured me. / just came down for rest.
n tired out. you know; one may work
too hard; it-ah-you re both very kind
TO hail me in this bonny way"
The tears were in his eyes for he was
an impressionable man. fun OF tender
ness unexpressed, and furtive. like most
shy men. Furthermore he was not hand
some, . man unnoticed OF ambitious wo-
men. sensitive, responsive. generous, "a
mans man.. wise in his day, lonely.
making the best of his own gray world.
and therefore neither sad nor gay.
How selfish we must seem-we wo-
men, said Miss Potter, turning her great
eyes down upon him she led the way
to bench in the remote shadows of the
veranda; we who never work, who never
worry. Now. look at us. Mr. Hampton,
what do you suppose we've come here for?
Just to play that's all. We've come for
excitement to the same place in which you
look for rest. Surely either you or we
have come in vain.
"Oh. no.. he said. feeling, somehow.
retuvenated in her beautiful presence. and
sensing in his wide nostrils the perfume
of her hair. "Oh, no. Things go by
contrast. The stir of life at these winter
resorts. the pageant of color and gayety
the wind-driven. coud-spangled sea-
these, dare say, are excitement for you
For me. and for men tired as 1 am Of
the strife the envies. the toll. the uncer-
tainties of the worlladay world. these are
only diversions that | sec without seek |
ing. pictorial panoplies that amuse with |
out WEAKNESS. panoraEas Of q life in |
which | an but an observer bearing no |
Fart. They have a new meaning in that |
I am to see them with YOU. ard with |
Miss Farnham. but-but they shall not |
weary mc-under the circumstances.
And so he and Miss Potter drifted away |
into that elusive realm of dreams and &C. !
stasies where danger lies. and when man |
called Eckstorm came and led Miss Farm |
ham away. and they were left alone. /
Hampton could have cursed when his /
ARL0n Stl1CN MN aiii the Giliil night diI /
clawed ct his throat and made his voice /
hoarse and vague
You'd better go in, Mr. Hampton. she |
said kindly. you're not acclimated yet. |
I-we'n see you in the morning Go now |
Harry would never forgive US tiff We |
didn't look after you.
And he went In. saying nothing for /
irdeed the asthma had seized him liter /
ally by the throat. and he took his key /
from the clerk at the desk and went up
stairs. seeing nothing but a g'orlfied face I
with dark. smoldering eyes, hearing moth /
ing but the sound of voice that was all /
music. all promise. all prophecy.
He looked at his key and said 10 thc /
boy. "Sixty-one." Il had bath room at I
tached ard ne went into it. leaving the |
main room dark he was stripping for a 1
plunge in the warm water when he heard /
voices in the room through which he had /
Just passed.
Like him?" sneered Miss Farnham: /
how could woman like q ghost? I wish /
Harry hadn't sent hini He's anaemic. |
looks like a deaths head. ! bet he'll die /
on us.
"Fe, file. Hnday." came the sonorous /
voice of the woman whom he had be- /
sun to worship. don't abuse him. He 1
does look sickly. I admit that. bat he's :
a gentle. imaginative chap. Poor fellow !
how tall do YOU suppose he isg''
Not over five feet seven.
oh you're mistaken. I stood as close /
beside him as I could without actually /
touching him, and he's five feet nine If /
he's an inch ! rather like him
Good. Amy" laughed the other &c 4
ahead Win him lie won't last long. I
that's one consolation. aad-wcll. II he I
isn't rich he soon win be. He's q demon 4
Tor work
He has nice teeth-did you notice. |
Hlda?"
And Observation-Disclosures /
laughed the aff!anced of Harry
"TH bet mes generous. though, Doesn't !
like that And he IS a good taiker. I
Hnda, Did you hear him when he thank
ed US for our welcome ] really believe /
there were tears in his eyes"
oh, 90 ahead, Make q hero OF him. /
But don't 20 too strong on the tears
They all do that aud rs FOR talk they
just remember 1t out Of books. Harry re-
cites poetry 10 ne and tries To make be-
Heve he made il Up But he's healthy. /
anyhow"
Poor HAMPTON, now locked IN the bath
room. heard ali this Then the voices
failed. The light went out. there were =
few smothered sentences and az last ut
ter silence.
But the next morning. when Hnda Farm
ham and Eva Potter left word for him 70 4
Join their claiming party. the clerk tod +
them that he had gone away. and they
did nos see him again. John r Raftery /
Newspaper Waits.
The bride locked Ike q queen The (
groom looked Ike ;ha deuce Judge.
she calls that her foothaIi coat
Why Because Is has a fuu hack ~
2 hfladeirhia Bulletin.
Village Ssain-' Ierely moon aiu't .
there Slflr sally frc-tf=ftsnr her homo