The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-20
SPECTRAL BRIDESMAID


bear4iess tragedy. and for two miserable
years George Hayden had been haunted
~ H.
There was no doubt that he hsd MADE
1ove. generally with gay nonchsisnee. &C.
eas.oraIiy with ferver. to Kate Moon OF
1Gosodyke Farm
Il was during that summer. when he
ms Of fishing in Devon. and the weather
vrns beyond app-each-except fer fishing
lrbe trout would not hit, and Kate Moon
SWss beautiful. tall and b.ack-ha.red. with
: cscaplexioa OF the proveTbial Devon
nix and roses; a magnificent, passion
etc, impu,sire grill.
Hayden dsliied beside her day after
lay, ne liked watching the proud droop
q her lashes, and the deeper color creep
INTO and fade out of her heslthy cheeks
n was an artistic pleasure to him to see
her coming toward hin, in her lilac cot
ton gown-she always wore lilac cotton
vuwns unlike any ones else. full gath
cred and dainty. with bordering eff pal
est pink around hem and waist: the eff
fect was one OF Lavender and roses.
To Kate it was more than an artistic
pleasure to see Hayden coming toward
her: it vas a tunuit of fierce delight.
She loved this man. who looked at her
with gay admiration; his very nonchal-
anee fascinated her. his compliments
were as VOWS of lave, his moments OF
fervor were ecstasy
It was then the rector came back after
his holiday, bringing with him his sister,
he niece, aad-quite BIZ coincidence-a
college friend of Hayden, that mischief
began. and it began without delay. for
the college friend. recognizing Hayden il
the Village, introduced him. to the rectory
party, and Hayden promptly fell in love,
genuinely and passionately this time,
with Sybil Dove. the rec-or-s nice.
1t did not take Kate Noon long, either,
to see her doom.
Hayden. it Is true, was little troubled
1t first. but that was merely annoyance
with himself fo- the careless way IL
which he had talked love-..des-crated
he called it-with a village gill; but he
cid not dream of the manner in which
Kate would take it,
Kate took it badly.
No ore but Hayden ard Kate herself
knew Of that terrible night OF rec.i.nina-
tfon when the moon shoae down on the
dnal nesting in DaIing Wood.
BY the next night Hayden had left the
Village; by the next Sunday Kate Moon
had left the world: she had drowned her
self in the river-the pretty river where
the trout had fought shy on Hayden's
rod and line and Hayden began that ter
xfble two years with the sight Of the girl
constantly before his eyes, in her lilac
gown, with the rcse-pin!. bands about
he- waist and hem, and With her last
words In his ears: Tell her about ne,
and see what she'll say to your love.
Ten her. I say, o. I'll curse your very
marriage day. aye. to your dsathbed, III
walk. and sit, and stand before you. and
you shau never bide in peace
Then what had seemed bat summers
11rtation shocked Hayden as t.oartless
TRAGEDY, and grew and grew into his Fife
I'll he became a sorS OF banned wan3erer.
About two years later Hayden met Syb-
= Dove in Rome, and FOR the first time
the wretched tragedy became less i'm
portant, and his heart leaped He could
49, too, that Sybn was hapSs to meet
&fm.
Fer weeks he summed himself with joy.
ped trfsd 90 Danish Kate. Then one day
- faced the ghost and reasoned with
Aiuself in logical. sensible manner. and
Fhio state of mind became more normal
and he asked himself why he should not
- happy.
Next morning, on the HILL he broke
lnto the first love words he had uttered
since he had dawdlad with Kate by the
Devonshire river
sxr tla
Eybl sat resting in the monday "SybH.
4 cant live without you. 1 have hungeTed
for you since / first met you two years
ago"
syhn did rot retsrt, Then why didn't
goa say so?" She limited nothing of her
ovn pain at that tine. Her eyes were
baird with tears. which Hayden saw.
Neither asked the other why this love
should be declared and received IN this
passionately sorrowfui fashion.
Il love you, too" she said. simply.
when size could find voice. And Hayden
heIs her in his arms for a raptuTous mo-
Uent.
When he glanced UP, his arms still
ptout her. girl vas passing along the
u bellows dark-hsred girl. in a lilac
cpwn. 1t was. of course, merely coin
eidence.
Hayden shivered and loosed his clasp.
The cid haunted feeling had returned. He
had an impulse 20 ;sll Sybil 1ke whole
wretched story but il would be gloomy
bexs2n.ny TO the first hour of his new
harriress. besides which Mrs. Dove came
into sight 81 the moment
Perhaps those who know human nature
best will understand that Hayden did not
ts-l the tragedy of Kate Moon even after
many hours had passed. Vows were ex-
chensed. consent Obtained; and in time
tee Journey back to England vas accom-
plished. the home prepared, the wedding
e1y fixed And yet the tragedy OF Kate
Moon had ret been mentioned.
Those were strange months, those
Months OF engagement. There we're hours
when both Hayden and Sybfl were wildly
SAY; but. again. there were hous when a
.eIoud hung over them. when something
emed to be between them. checking
sl)ear words as il 4 third person were
lifteaing. In himself. Haycel could IN
afrstand the feeling. for even now. spite
q argument. spite OF happy future. he
gould not throw OF the recollection or
pate Neon ard her despair. Tut the
Sesne mood in Sybl he could not under
stand Was the drowned girl always 70
~ between them? Hayden sroaaed.
1ifffFen her. I say, tell he-, Or
In desperation Hayden caught up his
hit: - Ii stroll down 20 the ohurSh.r ne
suc;te-ed hastily the evening before the
wedding, after hours OF gloom n which