Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1906-08-18

of his relative Importance in the COM
munity, He was one of several thou |
sands in similar positions who left
their houses at a certain hour in the |
morning, performed various duties and
returned at a fixed hour at night.
He was a bachelor, was A. Quintner. |
As years of age, retiring and timid,
with brown hair, slightly silvered at
the temples, a ford complexion, and
shaggy eyebrows. He was a big man,
he dressed neatly, his manners were
grave and polite, and he walked with
the aid of corkscrew Manzanita cane
A. Quintner had never married be-
cause of an ideal.
In early youth he had supposedly
found the incarnation of that ideal; a
tall, fair woman, with form as grace
full as the stem of a lily, low, broad
forehead, arching eyebrows, an oval
face, serious, truthful, tender eyes. Ex-
quisite refinement seemed to emanate
from her like d perfume, while gentle
ness and angelic goodness looked from
her level, fearless glance, and spoke in
every tone of her low, soft voice
This woman lied to him, played with
his heart as a cat with mouse, and
married a disgusting old millionaire,
L.
Her husband died after few years and
the widow made it very plain to A.
Quinter that he might share the dead
mans millions with her, but he pre-
ferred to remain simply elk in the
war department.
But he did not lost faith in his ideal,
as we shall see
One morning, as he was proceeding
n in "a rfm
looked suddenly into the face and eyes
of a woman who SO reminded him of
his youthful love that he nearly
dropped his corkscrew cane in his agi-
tatiOn. He turned and gazed after her.
Yes, there was the same graceful form,
reminding him of the stem of a lily,
| swaying in a gentle breeze, the same
| massive coil of amber hair.
Can it be?'' he unused. But no.
She is 40 by now, and this is a young
woman, the same age that she was
| them
He called this woman, too, Dorothy,
| even though he did not know her name
and had. no desire to learn it.
| 1t seemed improbable to him that
two persons so closely resembling each
other and his ideal-this Dorothy and
the Dorothy of long ago-should both
be ignoble
| This opinion was confirmed the next
| morning when he observed her from
| his window bringing several bundles
from the corner grocery, evidently pro-
vision for the family breakfast. The
| early air had touched her cheek with
freshness, and there was a joyous light
| in her eyes, which he concluded were
| grey.
After a week, A. Quintner began to
feel that he had something to come
home to nights. He was no longer en-
viOus of his two associates, one a fat
the other a thin old man, both bald
who shared his office AS the hands OF
the clock crept around the dial to-
wards half-past four, he also glanced
impatiently at them. They-the two
old men-were hungry for sight Of
their wives and babies, while he per
haps might get glimpse of Her. Fail
ing that. he should at least experience
the sweet influence of her proximity
for she was sure to be in during the
evening.
Now, he enjoyed bowling acquaint
ance with the servant next door, wo
man of about 40, with one colorles:
eye and Socratic nose.
|
with Annie, holding his hat politely il
his hand, out of Difference for her
whose servant Annie was; and as b.
talked, his voice grew tender an,
he exhibited hesitation and embarrass
ment. When he was actually in con
versatiOn with Annie his purpoS
seemed preposterous for he realize,
that he had stopped the woman simpl.
hecanSe she was her servant.
He saw nothing incongruous in S.
much physical ugliness serving s.
much beauty. 1t seemed to him rathe
the fate of women of Annfe's appear
ance to perform mental tasks for on
upon whose face and figure God ha
set the seal of Queen.
There can be no such thing as sen
timent in the heart of a poor creatur
like this servant he reflected. In tn
ideal woman, beauty of soul, refine
and delicate feelings, are associate
with physical beauty. The latter is tn
visible and tangible expression of tn
| former. I can talk with Annie withou
her even suspecting my sentiments 70
her mistress
Soon suitors, or. in more conyention
al language, men friends" began t
appear next door.
There's a dozen of EN-" said Ami,
one day, land she wouldn't have an
on earth She'll turn 'em all away som
day, when her own true love comes 6
ridin' up to the door,