The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-09-29

the world.
The old homestead, father, mother.
big brother, blue-eyed sister-al are
! gone.
But that is not the story am going to
tell you now.
Suffice for you to know that ! am
a lonely woman, gray haired, sad-eyed,
almost penniless, save for what a busy
pen can earn; inclined to be querulous
with the hoarse dog at Number Nine, but
vet ready to bask in ray of sunshine;
thankful for the lark's song and the scent
of the mignonette; thankful that there is
work to be done, and money to be earned
there, sufficient for my ample wants.
It seems small story have to tell,
but vet it had keen interest for me at
the time it happened, and l often look
back upon it. I have often wondered
had the courage to do as l did, but l
have never repented of what did.
Well, Just as the spring was passing
into summer; just as the fresh green
leaves of the trees in the Peoples Park,
that lay within a stones throw of Para
disc place, were beginning to get bit
dusty, and the primroses and violets
were going out of season, pretty sight
caught my eye one morning, and kept
me from my work longer than it ought to
have done.
It was a woman's face, framed in an
open window-the very one where the
mignonette box stood, and whence came
the Whit of the y-blossomed flowers
in summer.
Just now nothing was visible in this
long green box except u vast crowd of
tiny two leaved plants that might have
been baby cabbages, or cress, or anything
If one hadn't known they were mign-
onette.
The upper half Of the window was
shaded by shabby sort of green blind
the lower, open framing,as | said before,
a woman's face.
The profile was before me first. Rather
large and massive in outline, but Won
derfully Madonnalike, with sleek brown
hair drawn simply back and folded
round comb.
Presently, still lettering at my window,
she turned, and l saw her face.
A broad, noble brow, disguised by no
disfguring fringe or tousle of hair OF
any kind lambert eyes, clear and
stcadfast; and the very sweetest smile l
had ever seen before, or have ever seen
since
How did know this?
Why, because she looked across, rs L
did, and smiled at me.
That moment out burst the lark at
Number Ten into madness of trills
and ronlades, and somehow the sound
seemed sort of excuse for that silent
greeting. Of course, / returned the
smile-nay, am not sure / did not give
L.. l.. 10 Ia nj If ~ QS
well. Then sat down to my desk, Civ
ing all my energies to the task of extri
eating young and beautiful Countess
out OF Triangle of the most trying cir
cumstances into which I had carefully
led her the previous evening.
/ began to weave romance in my own
mind around the Madonna.faced woman.
The Countess was safely landed on the
matrimonial shore after her struggles
through the waters of affection, so l
could afford to be idle bit.
If kept waiting for copy" the prin-
ter's devil was apt to scandalize the
neighborhood (which, though poor, was
eminently respectfully by singing low
songs and whistling in an impudent and
distracting manner, hanging himself on
the area rails in impossible attitudes the
while; but to-day his bundle of manu-
scripts was ready long before he appeared
"a state OF affairs that l am perfectly
sure disappointed him extremely as cur
failing his opportunities of marrying the
little world OF Paradise-place.
There was no more "copy" due for
nearly week to come.
would be idle for while; would
stroll into that park of which we were all
30 proud, sit on seat under tree and
watch the shabby children turning somer-
saults and standing on their heads in the
grass; take glance at the rhododen.
drons beginning to break out into blaze
of color; watch the laburnum shaking its
golden locks out into the soft, warm
wind; mediate ON future difficulties into
which to lead aristocratic feet, future
depths of unspeakable bliss upon which
TO let the curtain drop.
Yes, would go commune with nature,
first ordering the chop and pudding to
b. ready an hour hence.
would weave AN intricate and ex-
citing plot-s plot that would hold my
reader breathless, and cause my editor to
greet me, on my next visit to the edi-
torisl sanctum, with his blandest smile;
and my heroine should be limned after
the pattern of that sweet. faced, calm.
~