Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-03-14
As Through a Glass DarkIy.
BYE. BRUCE TOMBSTONE.

desire for his morning meal.
Bat you shan't have it till you have
eaten your breakfast" she went on.
Surely you know l shouldn't allow a
letter from Kenyon to 20 unread mo-
ment longer than l can help l expostu-
lated
"Qh, well, mere it is she laughed, and
tossed the missive over to me. | tore it
open eagerly. Dear jim" il ran. will
You come and spend a few days with me
at Ashley Court? Let no anticipation
OF an enjoyable visit or congenial society
prompt your decision. Besides myself,
my wife and little girl there is no one
in the house, and you will find me poor
enough company. As you read these
words / daresay you viii smile and thin!;
that / can never be that; but it is the
literal truth l am wretched, and mis-.
erably worried. In short, l have some
thing weighing on my mind, and weighing
very heavily. | want TO tell you some
thing. feel | must share my thoughts
witt some one. My wife is no fit con
tidante for what ! have to say, and
can trust you not to laugh at me for an
old woman with nerves when you hear
me You, with whom / have had many
u rag in the good old Sandhmst days,
and who have been my comrade in stern
IT work in the Soudan and Afghan cam
paigns, will know me better than that
Yours ever, Kenyon"
looked up from the letter in amaze
ment.
Wen, Owl, what are you blinking at p
cried my wife
"kenyon's letter is most strange
answered. He wants me to 90 and stay
with him. He declares he has something
on his mind, and as far as / can make
out, wants me to act father confessor
for him.
You viii 60 SUPPOSE
Certainly. Directly have had break
fast | shall look up a train and be off.
You might tell Chambers to put a few
things together for me, as you have fin
ished, dear"
My wife left the room on her GRAND,
and hastily disposing of my eggs ana
| coffee, | proceeded to tackle Bradshaw.
! found ! had Just time to catch fast
tram with but few stops and was soon
on my way to Ashley Court
Col. Kenyon was on the platform
awaiting me, for | had wired the time OF
my arrival.
When last | had seen him his ford
/ face bore IN unmistakable stamp of
| health, and only Il slight grayness in
mustache and hair showed that he had
passed the prime of life Now | was
! shocked to find great change in him.
| His face was deeply lined, his step less
firm, his hair grayer. He looked i'll and
W0rn-almost an old man.
Jim, you can't think how glad | am
to see you" were his first words
And / to see you" was my response.
But You look anything but fit, old man.
NO, and don't feel fit. ] am worried
beyond endurance"
Ever since | got your letter | have
been wondering what you can have to
worry you. You have led quiet life
since You left the army. You are de-
voted to your dear little girl, Eileen, ana
her mother. You are not one to go dab
bling in stocks and shares and burning
your fingers. 1t is not the want of the
root of all evil that is worrying you
! is il ~
NO, Jim, it is not that. 1t is some,
thing far less tangiblel" Col. Kenyon
paused. MY heayens!" he burst out.
what a nightmare the thing is to me.
Jim, when YOU hear what l have to say,
you may be tempted to laugh. to ridi-
Guile. / implore you not to do so, for |
believe / should go mad"
Kenyon's outburst startled me by its
vehemenee. 1t was plain that he was
highly overstrung, endeavorcd to
| soothc lin.
Dick | said earnestly, "by the sacred
bond of our friendship l swear that
viii not outrage your confidence in such
way"
We had been walking rapidly away
from the station, and now came in sight
Of Ashley Court.
! let me hear you directly we reach
| the house." | went on. THE sooner you
share this burden with another the bet.
ter"
Col Kenyon nodded and led the way
to the billiard room which we entered
| from the garden Going to a Tantalus
| stand, he mixed himself stiff peg and
drank it off. l took the whisky and soda
he handed me, and we sat down. For i
few minutes the colonel stared media
lively at the liquor in the bottom of his
glass. He seemed uncertain how to be.
gin When he spoke it was with al
effort
1T is like this he said. Three night:
ago, after a quiet day and an evening
spent equally quietly at billiards witt
n friend went to bed and dreamed 8
dream. Well, there is nothing very ex
traordinary in that, nor was there in IN,
dream. II was. of course. fanciful. A,
dreams are apt to be. l deamt that
was one OF regiment OF soldiers in al
encampment. remember everythin.
quite clearly; as we'll as if had a pho
togaph Of the scene before me- The uni
form OF the soldiers was of dust color
with black facings. l cannot remember
the language they spoke. They wer,
armed with modern rifles and equipment
From their talk l gathered that som,
sharp fighting was expected in the cours,
Of the next few days. Just now sait