Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-08-26
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Hand in hand they walked down to
the edge of the great world into which
he was going; walked through the
clover and the daisies, across the little
foot bridge over the sparkling creek.
through the old apple orchard, over
the stile, down the dusty road, up the
broad walk right to the two great iron
rails which marked the omega Of the
old life and the alpha of the new As
they walked they talked earnestly
He was all enthusiasm. courage. pur-
pose. eager to try the metal OF his
blade with the unknown contestants
awaiting him out yonder. She was
brave. patient, hopeful, hiding with
womanly instinct her grief at the part
ing in order to further encourage and
cheer him on.
They were but children-Calvin was
IS and Matte 16-but all their lives
had they been lovers and this was the
first parting. Calvin was going out
to carve a place for himself in the
great world and to make a home to
which Matte was to come Oppor-
tunities were too limited in the coun-
try and Calvin was going out to hurry
matters. All, the plans they laid and
the castles they builded during that
last walk. Then came the whistle OF
the train, the last words of farewell,
the last squeeze of the hands and the
last look into each others eyes-his
flashing with anticipation, hers brave
ly keeping back the tears
Ten years later a single figure walk
ed down the same path to the edge
of the great world, walked the same
path through the clover and daisies,
across the same foot bridge, over the
same sparkling creek, through the
same old apple orchard, over the
same stile, down the same dusty road,
up the same broad walk and right to
the same iron rails. 1t was the figure
of woman and she walked with
defiant step and held her head rather
too high Her face showed traces of
suffering, but her expression courted
no sympathy. All the soft lines of
the girl of sixteen were gone and all
the sweetness and joy of a decade ago
had fed.
1t was the same girl who had
walked to the edge of the world
with the boy and she still was beau
tiful and attractive, but not soft and
clinging. For the boy had never
come back. All his vows had been
forgotten. The great world had swal-
lowed him. He had written for time
at first nearly every day and letters
breathing with love and loneliness.
Then the letters came less often and
took on formal note. Then they
came only occasionally and were per-
functory. Finally they ceased entire
ly. They all heard of him occasion
ally back at the home town. He was
getting on in the world and seemed
to be on the highway to career.
Several rather choice plums fell to
him and the home folks talked about
him not little. They wondered out
loud why he did not send for her or
come for her. After time they took
to plying her. This froze her bleed
ing heart But the earth had lost its
radiance and its sunshine; life had
lost it's joy. The narrow life of the
neighborhood became .intolerable and
the pity of the good folks became as
! gall and NORWOOD. Then the ole
father died and she felt free to &C
away and bury her hurt heart, hel
wounded pride and her broken life In
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