The Starkville news., 1907-09-06

smiling eyes.
JACK left her presently, but she did
not 1eel in the least alone He soon
returned with another gentleman.
After the introduction, he sat down
by her side and she soon found her
self talking as to an old friend, and
almost before she was aware, had told
him of Jacks thoughtfulness and Of
how great treat he had given her.
When John Newman returned to
Kansas City, it was with sense Of
real sadness at parting with friends
of only month.
After he had been home for weeks
thoughts from straying back to that
Kentucky town and to the little wo-
man in brown.
1t became such bother to him at
last that after he had been year
away, on the fourteenth of February,
he sent Miss Timmons a letter, telling
her all about it. If the letter was SEN
timental for man nearly 40, what
did it matter, for after all age has
very little to do with the heart. He
had told her if she did not care for
him, to spare herself the pain Of an
swering-he would know by her
silence that there was no hope for him,
but while he lived he must think Of
her and be her friend.
And SO two years went by.
Miss TimmOns, in her quiet Ken
lucky home, lived as she had lived be-
fore John Newman came into her life.
Her days were full of usefulness, and
she had but little time to indulge in
idle dreams Of what life might have
been.
Sometimes she would think Of John
Newman with half sigh, which she
was scarcely conscious of herself.
The letter, she had never gotten,
and SO life went on, with little to
break the monotony for two years,
and then a great event occurred, the
greatest the town had ever known.
Miss Thompson was married; that,
in itself, was not wonderful, for she
was a very pretty and very attractive
older than herself, and there were
marvellous stories of his wealth.
The wedding was the grandest af-
fair that the county had ever known,
and the happy husband invited the
wedding party to accompany them on
their journey to Santa Fe and back.
Mrs. Thompson was not very well
pleased with this arrangement, as
both Alice and Jack were in the
party; in fact, she only consented on
the one condition that Miss Timmons
could be induced to join them.
Miss Timmons was invited; persuad-
ed against her judgment to accept,
and almost before she knew it, found
herself one of a gay and happy party.
being whirled over scenes so new and
beautiful TO her, that each day seemed
too short to enjoy all the pleasure
that it brought.
The dining room of the Las Vegas
hotel was nearly full, but one table,
almost in the center of the room, still
waited, with tipped chairs and an ex-
pectant expression, from the stiff nap
kins and snowy cloth, to the big bowl
of roses in the middle.
Johns head was turned and SO he
did not see the party till they were
seated, but there could be no mistake,
he knew them at once. His heart beat
so rapidly that he knew almost the
cross man next must hear It..
Miss Timmons sat with her back to
him, but he knew that slender, grace
full form, in its quiet dress of brown
cloth.
Miss Thompson sat on the other
side, then two young people he did
not know then Jack and Alice. What
a gay time they were having. He
could see her face now and then, as
she spoke to the groom. Surely he had
forgotten what a sweet and noble face
it was
Then Jack saw him, and he knew
that his plan to slip out unobserved
by them must be given up; he must
go through an introduction. Well, it
was best to have it over after all.
Then the party rose and John rose
also and joined them as in a dream,
and still in dream he felt Jack grasp
his hand and heard him say:
$50 glad to see you, mighty for
tunate-want you to meet my new
brother-in-law."
Then he was being introduced and
had shaken hands all around. and
walked out on the broad veranda with
them, and it was only then, when the
sweet morning air touched his face,
that he came out Of the daze and knew
that Miss Thompson was the bride!
He had not even thought Of that!
He found himself presently at the