Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-12-08
THE RED EAR.
-[OH Cdy DERRICK
BY HELEN FOREST GRAVES.


1t was October when | came to the
Sumac farm-red, rare October, with
the maple trees all dyed III scarlet, the
woodland streams choked with dry
leaves, and the nuts ripening on the
chestnut boughs; and can well re-
member the thrill that went through
all my veins at the sight of the glorious
country landscape, as the stage-driver
sat me down on the doorstep, with my
trunk and carpet-bag, just as the sun
set, bursting through a shield of lower
ing cloud. blaAed across the old house,
painting its caves with orange light,
and turning the small window panes to
quivering tablets of gold.
For | had been born and brought up
in tie city and all this wide, wild land
soape, colored with autumn forests and
scented with dead leaves, was new and
marvellous in my sight.
"Do you like it, Cousin Olga? ?"
Coquettish little Barbara Blake asked
the question as she fitted to and fro,
apparently intent upon the arrange
ment of the supper table, while all the
time she kept bright eye on Walter
Midway, who sat by the light, mend
ing defective spot in the harness.
every much" l said. quietly.
Walter did not look up, but | could
feel his quiet eye on me all the time.
| wondered what he thought of me.
thought, uneasily, of my dusty dress,
my disheveled hair, the stiff, unbecom-
ing linen collar, which | had chosen to
,,,et1,I &c fhn 1ann fri1I vuhI h
best suited my face Not that | want
cd him to admire me; but every woman
likes to appear to the best advantage,
and was no whit different from the
rest Of my sex.
l was Philadelphia shop girl. You
see there was no glamour or romance
about my life. | worked for my liv-
ing, like many another, lived quietly
in scant and forlorn lodgings, and felt
sadly enough, that my lot in life was
to be a chrysalis rather than butter
hy's, until Fayal e. Co. failed, and,
hearing that | was out of employment,
my unknown cousins at Sumac Farm
wrote fur me to come and spend the
winter with them.
They welcomed me kindly after their
fashion. Uncle Blake gave me a kiss,
and remarked obviously that 81 didn't
favor any of the Blakes that ever |
knew Of" Barbara, his daughter,
wondered why looked 50 pale. Jonas
brought his pretty young wife-who
had been a MildMay-to greet me ;
and her brother Walter, who was board
ing there, also shook hands politely
with me, and hoped should like the
country" in an Indifferent way.
The fire of huge logs blazed and
cracked in the deep, smoke blackened
chimney-placc, and the leaves rustled
against the doorstep outside, and a
cricket chirped shrilly under the
hearth, and it was all SO strange-so
strange, yet SO restful
After supper they left me alone.
Mrs. Jonas Blake went out to skim the
milk. My cousin and his father van
ished to attend "Deestrict school
meeting somewhere. Walter and
Barbara had been invisible for some
time, and after sitting dreamily for a
while before the fire, rose and went
out into the kitchen beyond, vaguely
DESTROYS of some mpanionship besides
my own.
No one was there, but l heard the
sound of voices in the shed at the rear
where Barbara was holding the light
for Walter Mildmay to sharpen some
edged tool on the grlndstone. Unwlt-
tingly | advanced toward the door just
in time to hear their words;
"a stiff, ugly old maid" said Walter
indifferently. "a little higher. Bar
bara, please. If that is the sort of girls
they turn out in Philadelphia, | prefer
the country specimens !"
/ stood rooted to the floor, feeling
myself grow hot all over. They went
on talking and laughing, but / did not
hear word that they said.
Noiselessly | crept back into tie
house, up to my own room, lighted the
candle and looked into the little, mus
hn-draped glass that hung above the
homemade dressing table.
Stiff, ugly, and an old maid The
latter | certainly was not, at four-and-
twenty. Stiff, | might be-who could
aVoia mat, IN the presence of utter
strangers, surrounded by n domestic
atmosphere that was utterly novel to
ne? And ugly-was that? / looked
into the. glass, to see hair braided
straight back from pale oval face
eyes heavy with WEAKNESS, cheeks quite
colorless. Did he think always looked
that? He should see
So went to bed and cried myself ts
sleep.
The next morning / got up a,
dressed myself with care. / brushed
the soft, crimped masses of Jet black
hair away from my temples, and fast
ened spray Of coral-red wild berries