The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-12-15

And Mrs. Scragg had Just said, "Set
your cap for him when he does come,
Claire" when 10! knocking at the
door.
"Some beggsr," said Mrs. Grey
and though we may not have crust
tomorrow, we have one to give to o-day."
And Claire opened the front door. No
beggar stood without, but tall gentle
man, In gray travelling cloak, who, in
the semi.darkness, took of his hat.
"Mrs. Grey resides here:"
"Yes, SIR" .'.H
"Your bill attracted my attention"
"Step in, sir--1'll call mamma"
Showing him into tho little parlor,
she ran out into tho dining-room, her
eyes wide open with establishment.
" Msmma-actually y gentleman who
has seen the bill"
Mrs. Grey arose, and Claire, who
knew another lodger and boarder had
long been wanted, could not restrain
smile.
She waited until the explanation Of
how the Greys fell from their estate was
probably over; and then went into the
parlor.
a difficulty had just tarisen--reference
were desired, and the stranger had none
to give.
81 am stranger here" he said" no
one knows me; how is it possible"
And he looked down to the carpet.
Claire looked at him. His figure was
good, his features bold and manly, but
they were marked deeply by smallpox.
Many would have called him ugly; but
lifting his eyes, he revealed at once his
greatest charm, and a fact which had
begun to force itself on Claire's mind.
The moment those luminous orbs met
hers, she gave little cry.
"Oh! L did not know you before.
Mamma, this is the gentleman who was
so kind about my baggage at the rail-
way station. References oh, mamma,
such kindness Is reference in itselfi"
And in this odd way it was settled,
and this new boarder came among them.
Those quiet women felt in his pres
ence new sense Of life and strength.
Somebody with q mans voice and a
mans form was blessing beneath that
roof.
TO Claire the new lodger was more
than to the rest. From the first he had
shown her those thoughtful attentions
woman is SO fond of. From the first
he had awakened in her consciousness
that the young fairy-tale prince, with
lavish gifts of gold and gems, might not
satisfy the cottage maiden; that a
mans mind and a mans great heart was
worth far more than aught that wealth
could buy, and that to be loved by one
mighty of intellect and rich of soul was
better than to be queen.
Often, and often, in the long, cold
evenings, when they sat around the fire
in their little parlor, Claire would lift
her eyes, and see those Of the new board
er fixed upon her with look no man
had ever given her before; and then
her girls heart would beat faster, and
a flush come into her cheek, and she
would wonder at herself; for this was
not the kings son Of the fairy tale who
was to WOO her. And yet
Claire never finished hor sentence, for
it is not often that a young girl will own
to herself that she is in love. Now and
then, she started broad awake in the
night and lay upon her pillow, flushed
scarlet even in the darkness, from think
ing how strange and wrong 1t was TO
think so much of any one who had not
yet i" said anything" to her.
And then she would remember CLAN
ces stronger than words, and feel that
Gilbert Brown had "said something"
with his eyes.
How little she really knew Of him !!
how little girls generally know of their
lovers! That he was poor-that his strug-
giles for prosperity had been unavailing-
that in the battle Of life he had 80 far
been worsted-she sithor guessed or
had been told, she hardly knew which.
What he had hoped-whst path up the
hill Difficulty he had chosen-she never
asked. But in her heart had crept the
wish to walk 1t with him hand in hand.
And she, to whom poverty had seemed
so terrible destiny, would not have
shrunk from sharing another's. But he
never asked her he only looked and
sighed.
So the weeks glided by, and At last in
the golden Autumn.time. the windows
of the great house opposite were open,
and news came that the Colonel's heir
had returned. So the dwelling was to be
beautified, and grand house-warming
given; and among the invitations
which came to the village great-folks,
one reached the humble homo OF the
Greys.
Thereat Claire's cheeks flushed with
pleasure. That day, for the first time
for weeks, she almost forgot Gilbert
Brown in dreams of the new silk, nearly
earned, and Of waltzing in it with the
Colonel's son and heir.
But at dusk, when the evening prim.
roses were open, she went into the gar
den, and while wandering up and down,
heard his step behind her, and turning,
saw Gilbert. He lookedgrave and anE'
ious, and his eyes searched her faoe IN a
way she did not understand,
at Is a lovely night" he saidi "wil|
you walk with me2 want to talk witt
you?
She took his arm In silence; and they
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