Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1905-09-07


Triumphs.
This announcement, in gigantic let
ters, is seen on all the boardings and
bill-posting stations. 1t is read with
interest by men about town who are
familiar with the career Of the dia-
mond-decked beauty, whose noto-
riety has been far more profitable
than any little talents she is supposed
to possess. 1t is read by hosts of en-
vious young "artistes" whose ambitions
are centered on becoming a star in
the vaudeville world, no matter what
the cost. And it is read early each
morning by one man-infirm, ragged,
decrepit old John Maudsley-as me-
chemically he creeps along toward his
place of business, idiotically mutter-
ing the words of Thomas Moore:
Sunshine, broken in the rill,
Though turned aside, is sunshine
STILL
Very little sunshine had ever come
into John Maudsley's life. The office
in which he had worked since boy
hood, from early morning until late at
night, appeared to have been buried
in block of big buildings for the
express purpose of shutting out any
stray rays of sunshine which might
otherwise have striven to penetrate
the everlastingly unwashed windows
The head of the publishing firm which
he had served long and faithfully
seemed to have acquired the habit of
sitting anything in the least resem-
bling sunshine, probably as the result
of their Systematically smothering the
hopes and ambitions of budding au-
thorS.
The home which, with much hus-
banding of his scanty income, John
Maudsley had built up, sometimes
stole a stray ray or two which fell
foul of the smokestacks of the big
tenement house and tumbled down
the airshaft, but even these were dead
when John returned from his work.
So it had happened that the sun shone
only once a week for John. That was
on Sundays.
1t was during one of the brightest
of these, in summer time, that John
first met a little living sunbeam. A
girl who seemed to make the sun
shine brighter; to absorb the rays of
the great lifegiver; and to shed them
again on the innermost recesses of
the poor fellows heart. Then it was
that he began to dream Wild dreams
of how his little home might be
frightened with perpetual sunshine,
al TO-. 70 H.
ought to have known that it is dan
gerous experiment to bottle up sun
shine, of the feminine gender, in such
obscurity.
He it was who first called her Lit
tie Sunshine" and when he had won
her consent to illuminate his home, it
seemed to him that henceforth every
day must be a summer Sunday
There was great gaiety in the here
tofore dismal little fat. both when
John was at home and when he was
away at his work, for the golden glory
of that little head must have sub
jects to shine upon.
Then came to John what was the
mystery of mysteries. 1t was no
eclipse. 1t was simply that while the
mans whole soul still circled around
that first sweet sun, another lesser
orb of love was born and shed new
rays of gladness on his heart. Sun
shine! The skies, the home, his life
was full of it.
But oh! The pity of it! The sun
which with its brightness transforms
crawling worms to butterflies, also
breeds such vermin as one might
shudder at.
The sunshine of that little home
was broken in the ril1 and turned
aside by one of these reptiles. John re.
turned from his work one night to
| find it night indeed.
Little Sunshine" was gone, but the
lesser orb was left. Cruelty deserted
| husband and child together sobbed