The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-04-10
whats his name?"
"His name, Neddy? Well. 1 thinl
- -

L
! strutting like a small fat gladiator
and making the quiet street ring
| with shouts and laughter that Ger,
| tainly sounded like those Of two
small boys.
The little old lady drew her shawl
about her as she sat on her porch;
though she was sure she did not feel
the cool of the growing evening as
much as usual. She heard the invalid
father ask the busy little mother:
What makes the boy so happy?
I heard him whining around little
while ago, and it made me feel worse
and more helpless than ever. That
does ones soul good. Listen!" he ex-
claimed, at fresh burst of mirth
Its that dear old lady," she heard
the busy mother answer. HE was
crying, and what with the supper to
get and the baby, couldn't do any
thing; but she has taught him some
new game and it has helped me work
to hear him laughing since. / was
a little afraid, though, that you would
mind the noise"
Not that kind. 1t does me good -
1.-THE baby's growing and laughing,
and 1 declare. the cakes are done to
turn; there's truth in the saying
that they bake better in cheerful
oven Now, l just think I ought to
hand her in plate of them for her
tea. I'm afraid we have been too
busy to be neighborly; it must be
lonely coming home every night
f0r
ing hard all day."
The little boy came and rested his
plump arms on her thin knees. "I've
had a splendid time, and I'll always
have someone to play with, now. !
i wish" he hesitated, as if he
felt he should not ask more, she
could come and see me sometimes
in my house"
"Why, he WILL" she said. His eyes
danced. ''When the lamps are light
ed, you get between the lamp and
the wall-never very near the lamp,
you know-and you'll find him. Your
papa will help you"
Obi" The fat, warm hands
ciasped hers in rapture inexpressi-
BILE
She kissed him and lifted him over
the low fence, took the plate of APP.
petizing brown cakes from his mother
and went in to her lonely room,
Suddenly, she started; she did not
seem to be eating her dreary meal
alone, as she had done so long = SO
long! Was there not a figure sitting
opposite, lifting sociable cup or a
friendly slice when she did, munching
away in a reminiscent silence? A
sense of companiOnship grew upon
her. She glanced sidewise, not too
sharply, at the figure now and then.
She ate again gay lunches with "a
boon comrade of school days, when
dreams were bright and the future
a coming fortune; again, she seemed
to enjoy sisters quiet presence. Ev-
cry bite and sup was pleasure, where
it had been mere necessity. for years
Still half dreaming, she threw a
napkin over the tea-things, pushed
the table back and dropped into her
fow-seated, high-backed rocker, sway
ing TO and fro some moments before
she happened to glance up again. She
had moved nearer to the lamp, fur
ther from the wall. Was that mere
ly the shadow of the chair-back. or
n tall figure bending over her own
shadow, shrinking shyly back? Her
old rough-weather hat was hanging
carelessly from a side knob of the
chair, but the tall figure on the wall
held - manly chapeau in gallant and
deterrent fashion.
Her heart stopped its mechanical
monotonous beating and kept time to
old music. The breath Of flowers
faded summers and summers ago
stole into the room. Her head sank
upon her arms-not even the lonely
room might see her face then.
Swaying back and forth, the rocl-.
ing-chair travelled as such things will.
quite way across the room The
hat swung off unnoticed. The head
rest slipped down, as they always do:
half-unconsciously she caught it and
resting it upon her arms, she hid her
face again.
At last she looked up. "Ah!" she
breathed. The figure was gone, gone
rrevocably, gone like the summers
and their flowers and the music of
the long ago.
The clock struck an hour past her
bedtime Slowly she moved about,
Strengthening the room, locking the
door, disrobing, kneeling a moment
in the wordless prayer of those who
have nothing to- expect, nothing TO
ask except that which will surely
come anyway long rest, sometime.
Then, she began to climb slowly in
bed, her last luxury of the day be-
ing that flicker of the still-lingering
fire instead of the usual chill, Geo.
nomic dark. And then it was that,
ON the side of the bed, against the
wall, as she climbed in, she saw
tail, gentiy-wavering figure lowering,
as It were, over the bed Quickly she