Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-02-02
The joss
That Answered
. Prayer
BY T. DUNCAN FERGUSON

r HERE are three things whose infiu'
ence | have endeavored to keeI
wholly out OF my life-a mouse, a woman
and lie.
A strange notion this, perhaps, but
who among us is without his or her &C.
centricities?
am not effeminate but the presence
of mouse ever gives me creepy SEN
sation.
A woman-b@ieve me, l mean no dis
respect when say she probably has her
particular place In the world, and | may
remove all offense when ! add that
have ever seemed totally unable to I'M
derstand them.
This may mean q mental incapacity
on my part, but 40 years Of single soil
tude has confirmed opinions, whether
good or evil. Being not altogether un-
handsome, and withal, gentle to our
rival sex, sometimes marvel that l am
as | am. can remember testimonies
to my virtues in my younger days.
Thirty-three, l think | was, when my
poetic dreams were extravagant, and my
passionate, bubbling youth sought some
congenial soul to accept my devotion.
found her; she with the black tresses
that battled with the breeze; she with
the flashing eyes that demand your
obedience and you stand seemingly firm,
yet irresolute, and say within yourself;
Il won't" and move at length to do her
bidding; she with the ripping laugh
that you'd know among a million, the
last thing you hear at night before you
sleep, start from 1t in your dreams, and
wake with 1t in your ears in the morn
ing, feeling as though you have imbibed
some subtle narcotic whose spell is
sweet for a space. but leaves an awful
void In its absence.
met her, l say, and told her the
whole story with an eloquence that
would have moved a murderer's jury to
tears.
At length she spoke, though foreign
to the subject: Have you ever had
much sorrow, Mr.. BrandonT mot an
unbearable amount" replied; "whyr'
4 was thinking OF the proverb that sor-
row has q tendency to soften one, and
questioned IL you had not had a goodly
share"
This tender reference to a virtue Of
which was never cognizant won the
day. pressed my suit, but she seemed
to grow more foreign to me, and the
matter ended In manner inexplicable.
From that day to this, have lived alone,
beyond the constant companionship Of
q faithful, though uncommunicative,
ChlhAniari.
Then as to the lier-well, moral phil
osophy teaches that spontaneous false
hood betokens insanity, and l dread the
thought Of ever being called peculiar.
Wong was a poor literary enthusiasts
necessity, and be my personal wants
small or great, never failed to pay that
Chinaman his $40 q month. have few
visitors, and these only come for the al
mighty quantity. Wong answered these
calls, and being capable Of grasping my
ths ronvsr,ation IN his mart was. aMe
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