Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-09-29
HETTY.

wish the hoarse dog ut No. were a bet
ter sleeper. -gE
He always seems to have something on his
mind. He is not content to keep it there
either, but must forever be taking he moon
when there is One-into his confidence.
He is dog who has keen sense of his
own responsibilities, too. and feels called
upon to bark at every boy who whistles as he
passes, and at every dog who peeps in
through the various gaps in the wooden
palings of his home. ..
So he does great deal of barking, take it
altogether, and is looked upon by the inhab-
itants of Paradise Place in general as a safe
and sure protection against burglars and all
evil-doers.
Still, when working hard at "copy," for
which 1 know the printers devil will be
bowling at my gates in the morning, [ am
sorry'the hoarse dog is of such conscien-
tious disposition.
Yes, even Paradise Place has its pleasures.
As to the stories write-why, they are full
of lords and ladies, and everything is on the
most genteel scale imaginable. / take in a
fashion paper to study the dress of the up
per circles, though on this point am forced
to admit that the artist who "does" the H.
Illustrations is a trial to me, and often aston
ishes me with the look of my own creations
on paper.
I am strangely, marvelously alone in the
world.
The old homestead. father, mother, big
brother, blue eyed sister-all are gone.
But that is not the story I am going to tell
you now,
Suffice for you to know that am a lonely
woman, gray haired, sad-eyed; almost pen
niless, save for what 4 busy pen can earn !;
inclined to be querulous with the hoarse dog
at No. 8, but yet ready to bask in a 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 thereby, sufficient for my simple
wants.
1t seems a very small story have to tell,
but yet it had Il keen interest for me at the
on it. have often wondered I had the
courage to do as did, but have never re-
pented of what | did.
Well, just as the spring was passing into
summer; just rs the fresh green leaves of
the trees in the Peoples Park, that lay with.
ina stones throw of Paradise Place, were
beginning to get bit dusty, and the prim-
roses and lolets were going out of season,
q pretty sight caught my eye one morning
and kept me at work longer than it ought to
have done.
1t was woman's face, framed in an open
window-the very one where the mignonette
box stood, and whence came the Whit of the
many -blossomed flowers in summer.
just now nothing was visible in this long
green box except a vast crown of tiny two
leaved plants, that might have been baby
cabbages, or cress, or anything-if one hadn't
known they were mignOnette.
The upper half Of the curtain was shaded
by shabby sort of green blind; the lower,
open, framing, as l have said before, a
woman's face.
The profile was toward me first. Rather
large and massive i'm outline, but wonder
fully Madonna-like, with sleek brown hair
drawn simply back and folded round a
comb.
We had pretty face or two in Paradise
Place, but daintiness and neatness were not
qualities common among us. But this
woman was eXquisitely neat. and could
see the little snow-white collar round her
throat.
Presently, still lettering at my window,
she turned and saw her full face.
A broad. noble brow, disguised by no dis
figuring fringe or tousle of hair of any kind,
ambient eyes, clear and steadfast, and the
very sweetest smile had ever seen before or
have ever seen since.
How did ! know this?
Why, because she looked across, as did,
and smiled at me.
/ began to weave n romance in my own
mind round that Madonna-faced woman.
The Countess was safely on the matrimonial
shore after her struggles through the wa ers
of affiiction, 50 could afford 10 be idle bit
III kept waiting for copy the printers
devil was apt to scandalize the neighborhood
(which, though poor, was eminently respect
able) by SINGING low songs and whistling in
an impudent and distracting manner, hang
ing himself on the area rails in all impossible
attitudes the while: but to-day his bundle
of manuscripts WIS ready long before he