Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-12-19

Al the end az an hour my darling
stared at him hom an otherwise
empty page. and he was glowering out
into the sunlit streets and wondering
why Kazta wanted him to stay, why
her indifference Of the morning and
why his disappointment
A youth and his sweetheart stroIled
by below him. The sight. the music
of their laughter. aggravated his rest
lessness and gave him an idea
That's it. exactly. 1 win go down
apd get Kazfa and take a walk In the
park Poor grill I expect she needs
company. too"
He found her in the dining room
and already attfred for holiday saun
tering- A ladies' seminary graduate
might have been stirred to criticism
of the cheap white dress and coarse
straw hat with it's single blue ribbon;
he was not We may doubt that he
saw them at all, for her eyes were
dancing and her lips smiling mischiey-
ously at Piotr, who sat in one corner,
nursing his club foot and glaring
fiercely at her. She could be gay.
then
But the smile disappeared upon his
entrance. Nevertheless, -Kazia," he
announced boldly, we're going walk
ing in the park
Are we?''
sultanesque air little I'D like you
to come"
NO"
She's going with Jim Whiting"
Piotr explained grumpily. He's her
fellow"
"Ohi" Mark blinked stupidity Evi-
IDENTIFY other youths had discovered
her. 1t was strangely disturbing
He recovered himself. grinning wry-
~. Serves me right. 1 took too
much for granted, didn't I? I'm sorry"
iii go with YOU" Piotr volunteered
promptly.
"Oh. all right Come along. Piotr."
"Pete,- corrected Piotr In a min
ute"
So, though not as he had planned,
Mark sailed forth into the golden aft
ernoon. Piotr, anxious to impress this
wonderful boarder whose learning
made light of the difficulties of Messrs.
A, B and c and defied the intricacies
of the subjunctive, talked, at first
shyly, then more freely, mostly of him.
self, this being one of the two sub
jects in which he was deeply inter
ested. Mark let him ramble on and
listened to his own thoughts, which
chiefly concerned Kazia. He ruefully
wished that he had not been so ready
to assume her assent
Piotrs ambition, the monologue de- |
veloped, scared high; it included no
table achievements as labor leader, |
although his notions of the historic |
conflict were a little vague.
AS they passed the mouth of lit |
tie dell they were halted by this tab |
leau: Kazia leaning against a tree |
and Jim Whiting at her feet tying the |
shoe-lace that had come loose. He was |
Internationally long about it, Mark /
thought. He must have said some |
thing, for she laughed, a clear ringing |
note. The kneeling gallant arose.
Mark saw a man two or three years
his senior, not Unlocking despite his /
too heavy lips and loose jaw and |
sporty clothes. Mark disliked him
at once Whiting took Kazia's arm
and led her slowly along the dell.
~Psiakrew.'' muttered Piotr, In the
Poles deadly insult
vulsed with hate and a real suffering |
Even Mark, selfabsorbed, could see
that. He patted the boy on the Shout
der
Never mind, Pete. She can't think
much of him.
He's not fit for her." Piotr cried
Right" Mark agreed firmly.
Piotr went further. "Nobody's fit
for her.
'Kazia's a mighty nice GIRL Mark
declared, less sweepingly.
Yes, she's nice. And she's smart,
too, smarter'n me. She's smart as YOU"
Pfotr looked up fiercely. as If expect
ing contradiction.
Sure, she is. But I'm afraid"
very casually. this. she doesn't like
me very we'll"
Piotr jumped at the bait she
thinks you're stuck-up and selfish he
explained. And she's always afraid
everybody, 'cept Jim Whiting, II look
down on her because her mother
Piotr fushed-"wasn't married"
So that was the reason for her out
burst of the night before. Poor Kaziai
Mark had not needed to go out of vfr-
tuous Bethel to learn the lot of Hagars
children.
DO you look down on herr" Piotr