Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-08-16
Miss..Cartw,night's
Con,stanc,y'


little more attention to the love Of the
living and less to that OF the dead, she
might be happier. and save Amos III
linghast from wearing his heart out
Mrs. Lowell stabbed her needle
.viciously into the sock she was mend
ing and rocked violently. a.
Amelia has : constant nature
said Ann Briggs. .
Consistency Is all right II there's,
any reason for II, "'said Mrs. Lowell.
but everybody knows that Charles
Burroughs wasn't true to her before
he died: He was engaged to two girls
at once" ::
but Amelia doesn't know Il" san
Miss Ann. gently, "and' It wsuld HURT
her to know"
well. wouldn't II be better for hel
to be hurt q little and get walked W
to the fact that II is Amos who has
really loved her all these years ant
who deserves to get her."
"Well don't know" o.. said Miss
Ann. 81 hate to see Amos. hurt an6
l. hate to see Amelia burt. Love Is
love. and | guess most Of US have ttI
suffer for IT,"
There she goes. now" said Mrs.
Lowell, glanclng out Of the window.
81 knew she. would. Every Saturday
she's OF to the cemetery with a
wreath of pink flowers. Sometimes
It's roses and sometimes It's sweet
peas and sometimes It's verbenas.
But It's always pink"
poor thing" said Miss Ann.
That's what hurts Amos So" said
Mrs. Lowell. "He knows Amelia
hasn't enough to live on and he has
plenty. And think he knows, toe.
that she would love him II she would
let herself. He said to ne not long
ago: Aunt Carrie when I talk to her
about It, she just cries and. says,
"Please don't. Poor Charles thought Z
had II In me to be constant-and I
want to be faithful to hip-T want
10 be faithful"
There goes Amos now" said Miss
Ann. do you know he's got some
pink roses in that paper? r believe
he's on his way to the cemetery"
well, he'll meet Amelia there"
said Mrs. Lowell, "and I guess she'll
be touched to see that he has remem-
bered Charles"
But Amelia, sitting forlornly at the
foot Of her lovers grave, was to meet
some one else before Amos. for a
slender little woman approached and
asked, as this the grave Of Charles
Burrough?"
"Yes," said Amelia.
The girl unwound yards Of waxed
paper from about a magnificent
wreath. II was evidently made up. BY
city florist. Of pink dollhouse roses.
and valley lilies, with nader; hair fern
yelling the whole.
"oh," gasped Amelia, "how beautt
full"
"He always loved pink" said the
girl.
Amelia looked up startled. you
knew that" she asked.
"Yes." said the girl. when I wore
pink bows on my hair he always ad.
mired them. And there was little
pink lawn dress that he made me wear
the night he left me-"
"He died ten years ago" said Anne
liza. ut Is long time-dId you know
him-just before he dled!"
The girl nodded. ~He lived out
west In the same town where I
taught. And we were engaged" She
did not see Amelia's start OF surprise.
He came east-just to see his folks,
he said, and then he was to cSme
back-and we were to be-married."
Then he died." the girlIstf voice
went on. "and all these years I have
wanted to come and lay a wreath on
his grave. ] saved my money SO that
! might. And-now am here-and-
and 7 cant hear n"
Looking on the others grief, Anne
liza wondered why she was unmoved.s
She wondered. too, at a certain, light
ness Of heart. She felt free-free to
live her own life. to love as abe
would.
She saw Amos coming up the hill.
She bent over the sobbIng gin. "He
loved you" she said tensely; you
have that to comfort you" o.,
Then she went swiftly down theI
hill and met Amos. 81 don't just
know what has happened to me-" she
said. Take me away, Amos. take
me where nobody can see me cry"
He led her to a place screened. BY
a row Of chairs. "what is II, dear
hearth" he asked, tenderly. a
She told him. was he-as tickle
as that" she demanded.
Everybody knew IT," he said, but
you"
And no one told me- Oh, Amos, I
feel so sorry for that girl. Somehow
! don't feel sorry for myself. Per.
haps I've been Just clingine to a |
dream. But she knew him and lived |
close to him and. oh. / hope he loved
her best It would be SO tragic if-If
she Is mourning false lover, Amos"
And your" Amos asked.
Il found out after he came east that
he wasn't all that ! had thought he
was-but I thought he loved nie-.and