The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1878-12-28
PAULA,s ANSWER.

crept up through the withered leaves
and dry stalks, and rustled them with
mournful sound; the sparrows in the
ivy, which clamored to the caves, ,chirped
with sorrowful cadence, as though la
menting the passing of the Summer.
Even the old house dog, Jack, lay with
his head betwixt his paws, as though he
snifHed dreary melancholy in the Au-
tumn air. Slowly the black, beady seeds
ratified out from their dry husks and
dropped into the rosy palm, while the
pretty face above them was downcast,
and the brown eyes more threatening of
a storm than the leaden-gray Autumn
sky.
'sPinin' ike, for the city, and needs
livenin' up bit, reckon" said good
Aunt Debby, as she sent Paula into the
crisp morning air, much as she would
send child out to play. 81 must ask
DR.. Stone about her; she's looked pimpin'
these three weeks.
As good fortune would have it, at
that identical moment DIR. Stone came
up the road, jogging leisurely along be-
hind his gray horse, singing softly to
himself. Paula saw him from behind
her screen of morning glory vines on the
porch, and of a sudden the world seemed
TO brighten. She almost felt the warmth
of sunshine. Jack reused himself with
start, and bounded off to meet the
newcomer, and, although Molly McGil-
lup was singing across the way as she
secured the pewter spoons in the wood
shed, even those hearty tones could not
wholly drown the tender pathos of the
doctors voice, as he softly hummed:
"Oh, thaw with beams of love divine,
This heart, this stubborn heart of mine.'
1t was very silly, of course, to blush
when no one was looking, but Paula did
blush vividly, and then said to herself !:
"He's great goose, anyway T" though
why she called him goose was certainly
remarkable, and not IN the least appli-
cable to such man as Dr. John Stone
Paula watched him as he stepped from
the buggy, stopped to pat Jacks shaggy
head and say: "Good fellow good old
Jack'' and then came numbering up the
door-walk. LAUNDERING, Paula called it,
because she was always trying to find
the most disagreeable terms to apply to
the doctor, nowadays. And she remem.
bered how she had watched him the first
Sabbath she sat in the little Hollylands
church, when he rose with the choir to
sing, and she wondered if his head
would not go to the ceiling, and if the
little woman beside him was not stand
ing on pile7of singing books in order
to see the music he held for her.
Therehas been times when she thought
better of him, when she had become
well acquainted, and had learned how
fascinating he could be in conversation
How he knew about every country, and
could picture scenes, which had always
seemed dull to her in so life-like man
ner, and they were as beautiful paintings
by master hand. He had knowledge,
too, of books, of music, of people, and
Paula knew, better than many another,
how imaginative, how tender hearted and
true to his manhood was apparently this
commonplace doctor.
Many a long drive they had taken to-
gether in the late summer, and Paula
had told him of her city home, her gay
companions, and the constant round Of
calls, parties, opera and theatre-going
that made her life one constant whirl of
excitement, until she came to spend a
few quiet months with her aunt in the
country, and rest for another Winter of
dissipation. OF sudden he had bent
his head until his eyes could search her
own, and asked In a voice that visibly
trembled with emotion: "Doyoucare for
it all SO much, Paula, or could you be
happy away from the city's gayetyl
Could a home and heart of love ever
take the place of admiration and excite
mentP
Quite startled out of her ordinary self
possession, Paula had seen that this man
was terribly in earnest, that what she
had regarded as merely passing sum-
mer Irritation, had become matter of
life and death to him, and, vexed with
herself and her lover, she had given him
to understand in the most pointed man.
ner that she detested the country. 1t
was all very well when the sun was
shining and the earth green and beauti-
ful, when flowers were In bloom every
where, and people were kind and agree
able. But when these things faded, and
dark days came, and dreary winds and
winter, when people one had learned to
like as friends had turned to lovers, and
SO made themselves disagreeable, then it
was all changed, and she could be glad
to get away from everything and every
body associated with her life for the past
few months, and never see the country
again.
Very much shocked at this rude awak-
ening from his dream of happiness, DIR.
Stone had set her down at her aunt's
door that sunny afternoon, and driven
slowly homeward, with pain at his
heart that plainly showed itself in his
honest face. He had even resented her
softly spoken plea
eve shall be friends yet, doctor, shall
we notp
'sFriendsl do not talk to me of friends.
You have played with mans heart as
child with toy, and when tired threw
it away. Friends, indeed! you have
made me hate the sight of your pretty,
false face"
& And here he was coming up the walk
with stern, heavy tread-the man who
hated the very sight of her face. In
sudden establishment Paula wondered