Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-11-07

and after laying finger archly upol
her lips to check him, wait, sir" sh
would say. II have question to asl
you, sir"
What question, LolaT'
'"This question, SIR" she would N
ply: "In all that summer. sir, so Ion,
ago. why did you never tell me wha
you were until had gone away ant
1t was too late to show YOU what
felt? All, Ickle Boy Baxter, I neve
understood untihI looked back upon i
all after I had read In Dream on tn,
train that day! Then / kne,o"
"And now, Lola?" William would say
do you understand me noso?"
Shyly she would advance the ON
short step she had put between them
while he. with lifted, yearning arms
this time destined to NO disappoint
ment-
At 10 vital q moment did Mrs. BaI
tor knock at his door and consolinl
reverie cease to minister unto William
He started, placed the sacred box Out
OF SlgnC ana spoke BTumy.
what you want"
I'm not coming In, Willie" said hil
mother. II Just wanted to know-l
thought maybe you were looking out
of the window and noticed where those
children went-Jane and that little girl
from across the street-Kirsted, her
name must be-"
mo; l did not"
II just wondered" Mrs. Baxter said
timidly. Genesis thinks he heard the
little Kirsted girl telling Jane she had
plenty of money for car fare. He
thinks they went somewhere on q
street car. l thought maybe you no.
ticed wheth"-s
II told you I did not
"All right she said placatively. IL
didn't mean to bother you, dear"
Following this there was a silence,
but no sound of receding footsteps in.
dictated Mrs. Baxter's departure from
the other side Of the closed door.
"Well, what you wantf" William
shouted @
"Nothing-nothing at ALL" said the
compassionate voice. II just thought
I'd have lunch little later than usual,
not till half past THAT is, if-well.
thought probably you meant to go to
the station to see Miss Pratt Off on the
l o'clock train.'
How'd you find out she's going at
o'clock?"
"Why-why, Jane mentioned it,"
Mrs. Baxter replied, with obvious
timidity. Jane said
She was interrupted by the loud, des-
perate sound of Williams fist shifting
his writing table, so sensitive was his
condition. This is just unbearable!"
be cried. "Nobody's business is safe
from that childv'
"Why, Willie. don't see how 1t mat
tiers if''-
He uttered a cry. "No! Nothing
matters! Nothing matters at all! Do
you s'pose l want that child, with her
insults, discussing when Miss Pratt is
or is not going away? Don't you know
there are some things that have no
business to be talked about by every
Tom, Dick and Harry?"
Yes, dear" she said. II understand.
Of course. Jane only told me she met
Mr.. Parcher on the street. and he men,
toned that Miss Pratt was going at I
o'clock today. That's all r.
"You say you understand" he wall
ed, shaking his head drearily at the
closed door, land yet, even on such a
day az this, you keep talking! Can't
you see sometimes there's times when
a person can't stand to-
"Yes, Willie" Mrs. Baxter interposed
"Of course! I'm going now.
l have to 60 hunt up those children,
anyway. You try to be back for lunch
at half past 1, and don't worry. dear.
You really will be all right"
He went to his mirror and. gazing
long, long and piercingly at the VIII
liam there limned, enacted almost un-
little scene Of parting.
The look of suffering upon the mir
rored face slowly altered. In its place
came one still sorrowful, but tempered
with sweet indulgence. He stretched
out his hand as If he set it upon a
head at about the height Of his shoul-
Ter.
Eyes, 1t may meant may mean for
ever" he said in a low, tremulous
voice. Little girl, We must be brave"
And the while his eyes gazed into
the mirror they became expressive Of
1 momentary pleased surprise. as If
even in the arts Of sorrow he found
himself doing better than he knew.
But his sorrow was none the less gen.
zine because Of that.
Then he noticed the ink upon his
forehead and went away to wash.
When he returned he did an unusual
.hing-he brushed his coat thoroughly.
it for this special purpose.
After that he earnestly combed and
brushed his hair and retied his tie.
Next he took from drawer two clean
He placed one in his
breast pocket, part Of the colored bor-
Ter of the handkerchief being left on
exhibition, and with the other he care
July wiped his shoes. Finally he
sawed it back and forth across them
md, with sigh. languidly dropped it
lpon the floor where it remained.
Returning to the mirror. he again
brushed his hair. He went so far this
time as to brush his eyebrows, which
seemed not much altered by the op-
era ton. Suddenly he was deeply at
fected by something seen in the glass.
by George" he exclaimed aloud.
,,;.. lnnnd be,