The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-10
know them as soon as he clapped his eyes

know them as soon as he clapped his eyes
on them.
1t seemed to the man who was going
back that the cars never made such slow
time as they made on that trip and he
even suggested TO the conductor in sar
castle way that he wasn't aware when he
bought his ticket that he was getting into
a funeral procession. The conductor hand
ed him one back to the effect that there
was no law, so far as he knew, compelling
him to ride on that train. or on that road.
and that if he wasn't suited maybe he
had better get off at the next station and
walk.
When he finally got to the old home sta
ton and stepped off the train he failed to
recognize any of the fellows who were
Ioafing round the depot There were about
as many loafers as there used to be, but
they were new ones to him. AS he walk
ed toward the bus he overheard boy ask
another if he knew who that old bald
headed geezer was who just got off the
train. The other one said that he was
willing to he searched for information,
but supposed that it was some old man
who had come to pay visit to his grand
children Somehow or other the remark
seemed 10 CRATE on the nerves of the man
who was going back 10 the scenes of his
happy childhood. He had forgotten about
the skating rink that he now carried on
his dome of thought. and furthermore it
had slipped his mind that what little hair
he had left was the color of washed wool.
When he got TO town and had washed and
brushed The dust from his clothes he
started out to hunt up some old acqhaint-
ances. He inquired of the postmaster II
he knew the present name of a lady who
used to be Miss Daisy Black. The post
master had to do a lot of thinking before
he could figure it out, and finally called
his wife, who used to know Daisy before
she was married. Daisy was now Mrs
Simpson and lived in the house st the end
of the street The man who had come
back made up his mind to call on Daisy
at once. but he didn't seem to have the
confidence as he had when he started for
the train a couple, of, days before. He
found Daisy. though. She was doing hor
own work and looked as if she was about
so years of age. She had lost about all
her teeth somewhere along the pathway
o. life and her husband didn't think he
could afford to buy her a set of false
teeth, SO Daisy was cumming II. Her
nose ana chin were getting neighboriy ana
her eyes hooked like faded calico. She was
the mother OF eight children and her thin
gray hair was done up in little Knot
at the back of her head Somehow or
other il seemed TO the man who had come
back that he had never known more OF
misttc than the name Daisy when il was
applied to this old woman. Her voice,
which used to be as clear and sweet as the
sound of silver bell. was cracked and
sort of quavering. He tried to revive Old
recollections. but the thing wasn't sue
cess so far as either he or Daisy were con-
cerned He kept wondering to himself II
he looked as old and faded as she did
l., had expected when ne came back 70
have had n three-hours chat with Daisy,
but at the end OF five minutes he was glad
to go. Then ne hunted UP Pearl McLane
She had married a man by the name OF
Silvers and was the mother Of five chill
dren. She had double chin and his esti-
mate was that she would measure about
a. inches around the waist and weigh in
the neiehborhood OF 200 pounds. As she
was only five feet tall he was obliged to
confess that she wasn't graceful
q
an who ha- quite a growth OF hair on
her upper lip. and wheezed when she talk
ed. but nobody now could say she was
lulu He tried 10 talk over old times with
Pearl too but il wasn't glittering sue
cess. He noticed that she was looking at
his bald head and he was wondering II she
could get corset big enough TO 90 round
The conversation seemed TO lag ana at the
end of 10 minutes he said that he guessed
he would have 10 go. Pearl said she was
glad TO see him and wanted him 10 cal
again before he went away. but II didn
seem to him that she cared much WnetneF
he came or not. lie was discouraged. nut
he concluded he would hunt up some Of
the rest Of the girls and boys while ne
was about il. Mabel, the blonde was an
old maid school teacher. She had 10 wear
specs and her nose looked like a black
board pointer. Carrie. the brunette, had
veathered the storm Of time better than
any OF the rest. and was u right good look
ing old lady. but she expressed 50 much
SUNRISE to see how changed he was that
he didn't feel completely at ease
Then ne hunted u the boys Jim. who
,,sed 70 be the crack ball player OF the
school, was hobbhug round On cane. so
crippled up With rheumatism that ne
could hardly get about. jack sDd Harry
and Al and Bill we're all alive. but they
were hump shouldered and either bald-
headed or srizzled Art. they told him
had died a year or two ago and been
buried out IN ihe cemetery.
The man who went back had expected 20
STAY Tor three or four weeks. but al TIE
end az the second day BE paid his hih a.
The hotel and took the train Tor home He
would have gone sooner 81 there had been
an earlier train
Moral. There is ss,cf a thing as putting
~ a ,-fSf, too l,ng-Nat ard Bre-zs-