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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (June 16, 1900)
10 THE COURIER. Av THE PROPOSAL, ! Edith Lewis. Id one of the parks of San Francisco, John Ilrightoo, en elderly Englishman, was walking. It was noon. The place was hair deter ted. A sort of golden silence reigned, broken only by the murmur ot a little child, or the splash ing of the fountains. The air was fill ed wilh sunlight and the odor of tulips. A- few orioles Hashed among the trees. It was the background for a philosopher to melt into and lose himself, wrapped around with light and fragrance. Noth ing, however, would hare been less melting than the figure ot the English man. He moved wilh a sort ot stiff energy, striking off with hie cane as he passed, the heads of the roses. In this unchecked pursuit he traversed the park five times. The sixth turn, how ever, brought him to a by-path which seemed to promise a diversion. He turned into it, making his way along a breast-high laurel hedge, until faint sounds behind it led him to pause and look across. Somewhat retired from view among the roEO bushes, a little child was play ing at a fountain. Near him sat a girl, dressed in a gown of black stuff, very heavy and close fitting. She was rath er small, and exquisitely pretty. Never theless it was evident to the English man that something was wrong. Her face, with its Boft and delicate contour?, wore an odd, gray pallor, out of keep ing in that July noon. Her eyes, large, back and stood panting at. her knee. He was an elf-like, little creature with solemn eyes, and hair like spun gold. He regarded Brighton gravely. "Sit down," said the girl. "Don't run." She held her wineglass to his lips. Then she gave him the rest of her broth A faint color bad fluttered into her face. Brighton watched them with a grim smile. 'So this is how your countrymen treat you," be said at last. She raised her head with spirit, re plying: "They're not my countrymen. I'm a Southerner." Brighton chuckled. "I'm from the north of Wales, ray self," he said, "and I call myaolf an Englishman. However, we won't quar rel. What are you going to do now?" She leaned back and looked at him for a moment without replying. "I'll going to thank you for your kindness," she presently said. "Then I'm going home.'' "Ilome!" he echoed. "Home!" He laughed. "D5n't tell me you've a home," he said. "The bed goes before the loaf." She eyed him without emotion. "I daresay you're ryht," she answer ed. For a moment she was silent. Theh she slowly raised her eyes. "My husband died in June," she said. "I am a widow. I was taking him back from Japan. A sea voyage, the doctor said. So we went to Japan. It is u frightful place. Never take them there, they alwajB die. My husband," black and shadowy, were kept constant ly turned upon the child, with a sort ot she added, "died on the return, in sight btirhirie languor. Her hands shook of San Francisco. helplessly when she raised them to put back the hair from her brow. Brighton regarded her silently from behind the hedge. All at once, as he stood, a singular thing occuired. The place had been used for a picnic ground. In the grass lay a loaf of bread, sodden from exposure, the remnant of some excursion, some pleasure party. It caught the girl's eye. For a moment she regarded it fixedly. Then her charming face was convulsed with eagerness. Glancing covertly about, shewas reaching for the loaf, when an exclamation from the ledge discovered Brighton's presence. He came hastily forward. But the girl was already upon her feet. Color had burned two bright spotb in her cheeks. She wbb tremb ling with rage and indignation. She strove twice for words which would not come. Her eyes blazed on him silently. "Don't stand," said he. "Our money I suppose we spent it. There was so much to pay for doctors and nurses, hotels and voyages I al ways gave whatever tbey'asked. When it was over, I discovered we had noth ing. I pawned my rings all my gowns. Then, for the sake of my little boy, I entered a shop. Four days ago, they discharged me. My landlord has Bent me away. I came to the parte. That is all." Brighton gazed at her. "The boy what have you done with him?" he asked. She glanced toward the child apa thetically. Then she drew from her glove a small coin. "For his supper," she exclaimed, hold ing it out. You have saved that," he gasped, "for the boy?" She met bis eyes with a sort of defiance. "One does not starve one's child," she She made a step toward him, then groping backwards, diopped to her seat said 'and lay there. Brighton shook his head Brighton meditated solemnly. "Wait for me," he said. He started off on a run through the bushes, leaped a hedge, and brought up inside an im maculate cafe, a square distant. The waiters were astounded at the appari tion of their most irreproachable pa tron, bareheaded, breathless, ueing strange Eoglish ' profanities, and with beat demanding "nourishing food of any How old are you?" he asked. "I am nineteen." "Have you no relations no rriends?" "I quarreled with them when I mar ried. I shall never go back," she re plied. For a long space there waB silence. In the trees a few birds chattered. The child began again to drop pebbles io the fountain. sort whatever." With trembling bands tbey prepared a tray. lie took it. He did not volunteer an explanation. He marched forth up the quiet street, fol lowed by a handful of urchins whom he dismissed &t the park entrance with dispensations ot silver. ' The girl was lying in the same 'atti tude. Reaching her, he set down the tray, removed the covers, and began feeding her the broth by spoonfuls. Then he poured out a glass of wine and battered a roll. She received what he gave her docilely, but with apparent Brighton paced back and forth be tween the roses and the hedge. The girl lay quietly, her lashes drooping. All at once he turned to her again. His manner bore traces of agitation. -jjiBien io me," ne saiu. -iou can not remain here." She glanced up, but said nothing. "I have a plan," he continued. "You must accept it, whether you like or no. Look at me. I am forty years your senior. I am a bachelor. I have no relations to quarrel with, and I am very rich. This is what you must do. I band " she drew herself up. with a face that held him for an instant mo long breath. tionless, with dazzled eyes. Then he "You shall have the child," she said, moved toward her. "and I will go." He looked at her. With one hand she had gathered her skirts as it to fly. The other she held extended toward the child. There was something in her ''You have gone a trifle astray," he said kindly. "That idpa of youre it was charming 1 should like it very much. But I should not have made the - mis take you feared. I intended to offer to adopt you. PITKIN'S PAINT PITKIN'S PAINT May cost the most, but PITKIN'S PAINT Covers the most surface PITKIN'S PAINT Spreads the easiest. PITKIN'S PAINT Looks the best, PITKIN'S PAINT Holds color the best and PITKIN'S PAINT Wears the longest. W. P. DINSLEY & CO., SO JVortli rC&xxttx Street. w TIME AND M A M T I " are practically annihilated J fk B- by the ocean cables ami a j I f" LV I land telegraph systems J M. -i- T Mm which now belt the cir cumference of Old Earth in so many different directions. "Foreign parts" are no longer foreign in the old meaning of the term. Europe, Africa, Asia, are "next door" to us. What happens there to-day we know to-morrow if we read THE CHICAGO RECORD, whose Special Cable Correspondents are located in every important cily in the world outside of the United States. No other American newspaper ever attempted so extensive a service; and it is supplemented by the regular foreign news service of The Associated Press. For accurate intelligence of the stirring events which are shaking the nations of wars and rumors of wars of the threatening dissolution of old govern ments and the establishment of new of the onward sweep of the race in all parts of the world the one medium of the most satisfactory information is the enterprising, "up-to-date" American newspaper, THE CHICAGO RECORD. FREE A larsc map of the world on Mercator's Projection, aloutS3Iixlfi inches In siza, beautifully nriuted In colors, wilh a large-scale map of Europe on the reverse side. Will be mailed to anv mllnvs froo r.r tuiunu uu rvreipi 01 request accompanied iy two 3-cent stamps to cover vostaec nnd wrapping. The maps Illustrate clcarlv how comprehensively the sixjrial cable service or The Chicago Record covers the entire civilized world. Ad dress Tuu Chicago Recoup, l&l Madison street, Chicago. indifference. All at once she raised her don't ask if yon like me. I ask you to bead sharply and looked about. take me an I am, to accept " , "(Jeorgie!" she cried. She sprang to her feet. The child had wandered to a distance. "No," she cried, "No. I cannot mar- -At her call, however, he came racing ryyou. I cannot re arry you. My hus- First Pub., June 104 Notice to Creditors.-E 1466. In the county court of Lancaster county, Ne braska: In the matter of the estate of Susan R. Lint. deceased. To the creditors of said estate: You are hereby notified, that the County Judge w ill sit at the county court room in Lin coln, in said county, on the lGth day of Octo ber, 1SKW, and again on the ICth day of Janu ary. 1901. to receive and examine all claims against said estate, with a view to their ad justment and allowance. The time limited for the presentation of claims against said estate is sir months- from the 16th day of July, 1900, and the time limited for the payment of debts is one year from the I6th day'of Julv. 1900. " Notice of this proceeding is ordered pub lished for four weeks successively in The Courier of Lincoln, a weekly newspaper pub lished in this State. Witness my hand and the seal of said court this 4th day of June, 1900. ISEAI- Frank K. Waters, ... " County Judge. By A alter A. Leese, Clerk County Court V Cycle Photographs Athletic Photographs Photographs of Babies J Photographs of Groups J m 9 m 9 9 9 Exterior Views THE PHOTOGRAPHER 129 South Eleventh Street. 1 9m999m9mmJ -I f 1 ft