The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-08-05
A LEAF FROM LIFE.

n Lent TnVW LITE.
In an attic like other attics, in city
like other cities, lived young girl; not
uncommon after all, though the world
may not believe there are such young
girls. For she was pretty, she was poor,
she was alone, she hardly found food
and fire and clothes enough for deccncy
and neatness by umceasing labors; and
vet she was not sinner. Her name
was Sarah, yet nobody called her Sadie.
Indeed, nobody called her anything dis
ting'iished or individual. The grocer
said, with ill-concealed contempt, "Four
cents, Miss As for the car conduc, ;,
"Step lively, lady was their salutuiion,
If after a long walk to the shop that gave
out shirts to be made at fourteen cents,
she was tired and expended all the but
ton holes in riding back "Is there not
wilderness somewhere" Sarah used to
say to her looking glass, where I could
90 and make acquaintances?" 1t seems
she had looking-glass But though
the looking glass told her much that she
cared nothing to know. it did not answer
her that
There continued one day to be in
another room in the attic young man
named Edward. Such things in such
places have no perceptible beginning.
They we're not, and they are; like ring
Of CRIME on shirt cuff SO with Ed
ward; Sarah did not know when he came,
or that he came, but she began to per
ceive that he was there. In fact, she
met him on the stairs. He was neither
tall nor short, neither handsome nor
plain. When he was in his room he
whistled and sometimes tramped up and
down. Sarah began to be interested,
not in the young man probably, but in
the fact that there was young man.
Well, such neighborhoods always lead
TO certain results. When Edward had
passed her eighty-seven times on the
stairs he met her for the eighty-eighth
time and bowed slightly but distinctly.
Sarah smiled. Three weeks later he
had said, "Good- morning, and Sarah
murmured to herself, 81 shall have an
acquaintance shall have an acquain-
ance."
By and by winter one day became
spring. Winter always suggests spring
much as hard boiled egg suggests
chicken pie. But suddenly one day it is
IN the winter air that spring is coming
is coming nearer-is happening. 1t must
be with never ending wonder that we
behold this recurring miracle of the res
direction; miracle, however, that
heaven does not apparently consider it
worth while to work i'll the case of the
hard boiled egg The heather would
have said this is fate. But perhaps
another world will set it right.
The spring had not gone when Sarah
Logan to call Edward, Edward, and Ed
ward to call Sarah, Sarah. This is
always an interesting formative period in
the acquaintance of Il young man and a
young maid. Here it came about in all
tlmpleness: Sarah. before going to bed
one evening, was combing out her long
but thin yellow hair and tying up the
combings, with the ends all one way, in
bunch against rainy day There was
knock on the lath and paper partition
wall, which had seemed to her as thicl.
MS the Chinese wal, and which to Ed
ward had seemed us wonderful and sa-
cred thing las if it had been built o.
twelve kinds of precious stones-or thir-
teen kinds. for the matter Of that This
was the partition wall between their
rooms. Sarah finished tying up the saw
ings with which she was occupied, took
of her short print sacque, and, wiping
her hands, clasped them over her exquis-
ltely moulded bosom and cried "What is
it,"
"What is your name, my little neigh
bor?' said the calm voice of the young
man from the other side of the wall.
Sarah who had turned to answer the
knock, turned back to look in the glass
moment before replying, and then caught
up shawl and mutfled her shoulders in
1t, Then she blushed. Then she smiled
little.
A woman's smile may be an unwilling
winter thaw, or hearty fervor of sun
shine. Here it was neither.
After smiling little Sarah said: "My
name is Sarah"
"My name is Edward" said Edward.
III wish you would let me call you
Sarah"
Very well, Edward" said Sarah
blushing again. She did not know why
she bTushed.
Then there was o delicious pause OF q
lew moments. It was not the woman,
you may be sure, who broke so sweet q
silence. A woman may not be wise at
all times, but she knows when she feels
Ike holding her tongue. In this knowl-
edge she excels all men.
Sarah. said Edward presently, "why
do you make such clatter on the
stairs?"
The young girl burst into musical
laughter; II am going to bed, Edward
and you had better go too--good night
Edward, was her only answer. In fact
she presently blew out her candle and
fell into a sweet sleep. Edward was
puzzled.
Do you know what the young girl said
to herself when she laughed? Perhaps