River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-05-10
PANE OF BLUE GLASS.

n II AM WI 4 ULANtIs
Gordon Gray, Junior partner in the
firm of GRAY, Greene & Gray, owners
and managers of the great POntOOsac
Mills, was on his way home from the Of
flee one bright April afternoon, when, by
some dim process which could hardly be
called observation, he became aware that
a change had taken place in an old house
which for years he had passed twice a
day without ever particularly noticing it.
1t was a large, rather shabby house, set
in walled garden, but with narrow
gable end abutting directly on the street.
In this gable end were two windows
one above, small, with lattice; one be-
low, larger, with an ordinary sash divided
into six panes. The three lower panes of
this sash had been removed, and in their
stead large OblOng of dark blue glass
inserted. This was the change which had
attracted GOrdon's eve with that newt
able certainty which belongs 10 all
change, even in an indifferent or unob-
served object.
The blue-glass theory was still in its
cradle at that time. No hint of it had
crept into the newspapers, and the azure
pane in the old sash was puzzling enough
to make Gordon pause and stare. On the
other side was something which he could
not make Out-a shimmering, glinting
something, which swayed little, like
shining flower bending from its stalk.
Was il flower, He gazed and won
dered, and, almost uncOnsciously, had
drawn nearer, till his eyes were within a
foot of the glass. when suddenly the sash
r-.s1..I and tho x--fn object
vealed itself as a girls head-fair, pen
sive, and framed in a loosely hanging
cloud of light brown hair. Her cheeks
flushed little as their eyes met, and she
inquired, in sweet, surprised voice, Did
you want anything, Siri'
Gordon GRAY, in his own opinion at
least, was a man OF the world, but he felt
himself turn scarlet rs he stammered out:
Excuse me. II had no intention of
being so impertinent. Itwas the oddness
of the glass, could not see that any one
was inside Pray excuse me" his brown
eyes seconding the appeal with better
elOquence than his confused speech was
capable of.
The Young lady smiled a little, in
dim, shv way, as of one who had forgot
ten the trick of smiling, and answered:
Certainly. / don't wonder you were sur
prised. The blue glass does look very
odd" Then she raised her hand, as If
about to draw the sash down again.
"One moment" cried Gordon, whose
presence of mind rarely failed him long
-" one moment. Would you mind tell
ing me if this glass is used for a scienti
fic experiment. or
"A medical experiment, / believe, was
the answer My uncle read somewhere
that it was a good thing for delicate peO-
pie TO sit in sunshine filtered through
blue glass. So he had this pane inserted,
and wishes me to try the experiment.
WAS il YOU, then, who was sitting in
side! | thought it a rose-tree, or some
towering plant or other.
- No. it was /" with another shy
mile.
Il hope the experiment may prove a
success" raising his hat.
Thank YOU" Then the sash was
pulled down, gently but decidedly. and
Gordon resumed his walk.
COMPOUNDED ass was his mental
comment, addressed to himself "She
must have thought me irregular Peeping
Tom What a pretty little thing she Is
How did il happen that l never heard of
her before. Such blue eyes are not seen
every day. Let me see. Who does own
that house! wonder never thought
to inquire"
But inquiry brought little satisfaction.
Mr.. Lang lived in the hOuse-always
had lived there. Did any body know
himl Bless YOU, no. He was a queerold
chap. full of theories, always trying ex-
perfmentS. and coming to grief with them.
Blew his roof off once with Illuminating
powder. and all but burned down, summer
before last, testing a new system of light
ming Never went out any where
except to the post-Office, and never asked
any one inside his door. Had he fam
ilyl No. Lived all alone with an old
servant, or-stayi did somebody say that
a niece or cousin came to live with him
in the autumnl Probably a mistake, or
If not, she must be some cracked creature
like himself, who never showed outdoors.
Had Mr.. Gray noticed the blue pane in
that end Windows DrOll, wasn't lit
Just like old Lang and his crOtchets.
With such scanty statements Gordon
was forced 10 satisfy himself. No one
seemed to know more than this of Mr..
Lang, and though he passed the house
daily, he caught no farther glimpse Ofthe
pretty face which had once blessed his
ewes. Only the nebulous shadow behind
the blue pane told of her existence, and
toward this shadow Gordon raised his hat
punctiliously every afternoon. A slight
answering movement was sometimes Wis
ible. which he chose 10 interpret as a
return to his situations; that was all; a
bow, a shadow, a vibration-thin fabric
for fancy to weave webs of, uncertain aim
for the fairy arrows of the fabied god;
but enough; for the unseen is sometimes
more potent than the seen, and once a
lovers imagination sets 10 work, it finds
material in lightest token and least pal-
pable substance.
Gordon, for all the woridliness on which
he prided himself, was young still, and
modest. and il took more than month q
these passings and repassings before he
gained courage for the holder step of lay
Inc a rose on the sill ofthe closed window,
There il Law in the morning, dewy and
fresh. as he went by. Returning atnight,
be glanced across the street and felt q
heartbeat: the rose was gone, and.
Did the glorifed shadow within vibrate a
lite more distinctly than ususll Gordon
dared TO hopes 50.