The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-08-26

"How will it all come out? What did
the author mean by this?" Perhaps if
really met her face to face, spoke to her
and heard her answer, it would all be diff.
ferent; but at present she is no more real
to me than the Undines and Lorelies of
the German fairy tales.
May 12.-My siege is nearly over at last.
DR.. Petrie tells me that 1 may try the
strength of my knee in short walk, with
the aid of stout cane. Thank Heaven
don't think quite realized, before, the
terrible tedium and ennui of this long con-
finement. A new illustration of "He
tempers the wind" ETC., I suppose. l
wonder if the prisoner ever realizes all his
misery until the order for his release IS
signed and the prison doors swing out
ward to let in the bright, sweet sights and
sounds of nature to his weary eyes?
May 10 am progressing rapidly. My
knee seems quite restored, though have
not yet discarded my 'oaken staff
Somehow my interest in Eta does not d.
minish as thought it would. While
am out catch myself continually wonder
ing: "What is she doing now? Is my
Eta or the other Eta there ?" And the
first thing on my return is rush to the
window to see if can catch glimpse of
her.
Philip, my boy, this won't do, you know.
1t was all very we'll while you had nothing
else to think of, but it is quite time for
you to shake off such WITNESSES now.
Tom Grant has been here. Tom is an
old friend, are-brained fellow enough,
but good and honest and true. We used to
be great chums in the old days, and have
never outgrown the liking. Tom is en-
gagged, and the engagement is so new that
the freshness has not yet worn off. He
seems in constant state of wonder over
his good luck, and of course is as full of
his raptures as a boy is of fireworks on
the "&lorious Fourth" He raves about
her hair Il just wish he could see Etta'sD,
her eyes, her smile, her complexion, her
hand (no daintier than Etta's, I'll be
sworn y until am sick of the whole sub
ject, instead of being fired with the wild
est curiosity, as he tondly imagines. He
is going to take me to call on Miss Laura
as soon as l feel strong enough. 1 don't
think that will be very soon. If it were
Eta, now!
May 24.-It is Eta! Here's jolly go,
as the London ganains say. Tom came
here yesterday, bursting in with his usual
free and-easy manner. or course his first
words were an inquiry whether would go
with him this evening to see Miss Laura.
While l hesitated and bungled over my
excuse he was striding about the room,
examining things, until he reached the
window, when he stopped short with sud-
den, by George!"
Then-well, one does feel rather
ears, even if he never realized before that
he had a castle at all. l have vague
idea that / stood with my mouth wide
open, gasping like sick salmon, while
Tom went on to explain that the house
exactly in the rear was the one where
Miss Laura Vane lived.
"You must have seen her at the win
dow, my boy" Tom went ON, in his liveli-
est manner. Dark eyes and golden hair,
you know; OF course you've seen her;
and isn't she stunner?'
"Laura-Etta, Etta-Laura; what did
it all mean?" Tom went droning on, and l
heard him through sort of confused
mist, only waking at his last words:
$50 III come for you tomorrow night,
Sluu tdhC yOu IOuuu CllcIC lou IL u DC
my best man when the wedding comes off,
you know; but that won't be just YETI
Now the thing that puzzles me is which
Eta shall I see when l go there. If it's
the other Eta, all right. In the course
OF time am quite sure that can develop
a brotherly Indifference toward her which
friendship for Tom. If my Eta meets us,
thN,, rh hot Il
eide, and Sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof" in all conscience, especially
when it comes in such shape as this.
solved, and what fool have been never
to think of it before! When Tom and l
walked up the Vanes' steps and rang the
bell, confess that 1 quaked at heart.
Which would it be, my Eta or the other
Eta? In other words, when 1 met the
actual flesh and-blo woman which set
of feelings would gain the upper hand?
Miss Laura swept down, gorgeous in
white and rose-color, and, as bent low
in acknowledgment of TOMS presentation,
felt, with sensation of blessed relief,
that found in her not my Eta, but the
other Eta. had only a moment for my
self-gratulations, though. A second time
the parlor door swung wide, a second fig
ure all in white and rose color, with golden
hair and soft, dark eyes glided into the
room. While stared aghast l felt with
sudden thrill that here at last was m,y
Eta, her very self, no phantom, and, best
of all, not Toms Miss Laura, after all.
Tom burst out laughing at my amaze
ment, only half comprehending it, of
course Laura laughed too, and Eta
smiled shy, sweet smile.
"They are twins, my boy" roared
Tom. II wouldn't tell you before, be-
cause 1 wanted to see your first look when
you saw them. Did you ever see such a
likeness? can tell them apart, though,
bless your
Il think can distinguish them also,"
/ replied, meekly.
Think! In spite of Toms incredulity,
didn't knoac, didn't feel in every fiber,
that Eta was my Eta, and that Toms
Laura was the other Eta, and to me moth
ing and less than nothing?
l fancy there will not be many more en-
tries in this diary of mine. 1t has been a
good friend to me while needed it, but
the living Eta is sweeteI and lovelier than
the phantom Eta whom I have rashly
dared to call mine.
November 12.-I shall not be Toms best
man after all, for our weddings are to
take place on the same day. Eta has
laughed, with tears in her dear eyes, over
this old diary of mine, and insists upon
my adding this last entry as testimony
to the virtues of back windows.-Harper's
Magazine.
Lost Sheep.
SOME of our city divines who have been
taking their vacation in the rural districts,
where the humming of birds and the bleat-
inn Of lambs are heard rather than the