Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-08-26

Deautlful as That OF the venus I'll MILO. L
can hear the peals of laughter from the
boys lips, but if Eta laughs too the
sounds are too low to reach me.
The other day, though, she did some
thing that puzzled me. 1t was not my
Eta but the other Eta that did it for
have learned to distinguish them thus In
my own mind. She was reading in the
window, dressed for the afternoon evil
IDENTIFY in some sort of pale green stun that
brought out the rose bloom of her cheeks
and the gold lights of her hair wonderful
ly The book, by the cover, was a novel,
and she was too deeply absorbed in il to
stir when one of the boys crept up behind
her. | could not see what he was doing,
but could see his face of sly, impish de-
light as he stood there after he had fin-
ished his work, apparently awaiting the
catastrophe. 1t came in a minute. AT a
quick motion of Ettas head the whole
torrent of golden hair came ripping and
waving down The breeze from the win
dow sent it streaming far and wide until
she seemed enveloped in halo OF golden
mist. The little wretch had slyly pulled
out every hairpin as he stood there, and
now he clapped his hands and laughed
aloud hearty peal of boyish merriment,
saw Ettas face; the rose bloom was all
drowned in one scarlet flush which extend
ed from chin to forehead, a flush OF rage
which almost transformed her, and turn
ing on the boy she gave HIM one ringing
| box on the ear and fled. The child burst
into howl of mingled pain and rage, OF
course. Well, he deserved it; he certain
| ly did. 1t was very provoking and she
| has beautiful hair; but l irish she had not
| done it, At least, if she must do il | wish 1
| had not seen her face. | wonder If shall
remember il when | see nly Eta again
| 1t is very odd how clear the distinction is
| in my mind as clear as if there were
really two of them, instead of one whim-
steal, capricious, changeable, incense
quert girl. What saiety-valve adjectives
sometimes prove! Blessings on the man
who first invented them
May May day is safely over. have
been haunted by a fear lest my opposite
neighbors should be seized by the T" fit
ting mania which pervades New York at
| this season 1t gave me rather a shock to
realize what blank life would be to me
now without Eta TO watch and speculate
about. Of course ii will not last, but just
at present it is my only excitement, and
| feel much the same sort of interest that
| one takes in well-constructed novel or a
well-written and well-acted play don't
in the least realize that Eta is real
| flesh and-blood woman. She is TO me
only an abstraction, study, puz'
zle, and | catch myself wondering
"How will it all come out? What did
the author mean by thisg" Perhaps If
really met her face to face, spoke 10 hei
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
DIR. Petrie tells me that / may try the
strength of my knee in short walk, with
the aid of stout cane. Thank Heaven
| don't think l quite realized, before, the
| terrible tedium and et,nut of this long con
finement A new illustration of He
tempers the wind" etc, l suppose.
wonder if the prisoner ever realizes allh
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 ID am progressing rapidly. My
knee seems quite restored, though i have
not yet discarded my "oaken staff. a."
Somehow my interest in Eta does not di-
minish as thought il would. While |
am out catch myself continually wonder
ing: "What is she doing now Is my
/ Eta or the other Eta therey" And the
| first thing on my return.is a 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 well whileyou 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, hare Drained 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 of. lie
seems in a 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 GLORIOUS Fourth" He raves about
her hair q just wish he could see Etta'sD,
her eyes, her smile, her complexion, her
hand (no daintier than Ettas, I'll be
sworn y until am sick Of the whole sub
ieet, instead of being fired with the wild
est curiosity, as he fondly imagines. He
| is going to take me to call on Miss Laura
as soon as i feel strong enough. ! don't
think that will be very soon. If it were
ELld, howl
May 24.-It is Etta Here's jolly go,
| as the London gamins say Tom came
here yesterday, bursting in with his usual
| tree-and-easy manner. OF course his first
words were an inquiry whether would go
| with him this evening to see Miss Laura.
While hesitated and bungled over my
excuse he was striding about the room,
examining things, until he reached the
window, when he stopped short with a sud
den, BY Geergep'
Then--well, one does feel rather
dazed when his castle tumbles about his
ears, even if he never realized before that
| he had castle at all ] have vague
idea that j 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 liyeli-
| est manner. Dark eyes and golden hair,
you know. OF course you've seen her;
| and isn't she stunners''
Laura--Etta Etta--Laura; what did
| ii all mean?" Tom went droning on, and
heard him through sort of confused
mist, only waking at his last words
| $50 I'll come for you tomorrow night,
and take you round there. You're 10 be
my best man when the wedding comes of,