The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-12-21

her with the maple trees all dyed
in scarlet, the woodland streams
choked with dead leaves, and the
nuts ripening on the chestnut
boughs and l can well remem5el
the thrill which went through all
my veins at the sight of the glorious
landscape, as the stage driver SCI
me down on the doorstep, with nay
trunk and carpet bag, just as The
sunset. bursting through the shield
oflowering cloud, blazed across the
old house, painting its caves with
orange light, and turning the small
window panes to quiverlng tablets
ofgold.
For I h ad Been born and brought
up in the city, and all its wide, wild
landscape. colored with autumn
forests and scented with dead leaves
was new and marvellous in my
sight. =,
do YOU like it, Cousin Olga p
Coouetish little Barbara Blake
asked the question as she fitted to
and fro, apparently intent upon the
arrangement of the supper table,
while all the time she kept bright
eye on Walter Midway, who sat by
the light mending defective spot
in the harness.
every much" / said, quietly.
Waiter did not look up but l
could feel his quiet eye on me all
the time. l wondered what he
thought of me. | thought, uneasily
of my dusty dress, my disheveied
hair, the stiff, unnbecoming linen
collar which | had chosen to wear,
instead of the lace frill which best
suited my face. Not that | wanted
him to admire me but every wo-
man likes to appear to the best ad-
vantage, and l was no whit different
from the rest of my sex.
was Philadelphia shop girl
There was no glamour of romance
about my life. i worked for my
living, like many another, lived
quietly in scant and forlorn lodg-
ings, and felt, sadly enough,
that my lot of life was TO DO chrys-
alis rather than butterhy's--until
Fayal d Co. failed, and hearing that
| was out employment my unknown
cousin of Sumac Farm wrote to ine
to come and spend the winter with
them.
They welcomed me kindly after
their fashion. Uncle Blake gave
me kiss, and remarked obviously
that Il didn't favor auy of the
Blake's that ever he knew Of" Bar
bara. bis daughter, wondered why L
looked so pale. Jonas brought his
pretty young wife-who had been a
Mildway-to greet me ana her
brother Walter, who was boarding
there, also politely shook hands
with me, and "hoped / should like
the country" in an indifferent way.
The fire of huge logs blazed and
cracked in the deep, smoke black
ened chimney place, and the leaves
rustled against the doorsteps out
side, and cricket chirped shrilly
under the hearth. and it was so
strange-so strange, yet SO restful
After supper they left me allalone.
Mrs Jonas Blake went out to skim the
milk. Ny cousin and his father
vanish ed to attend "Deestrict
School Meeting" somewhere. Wal
ter and Barbara had been invisible
for some time, and after sitting
dreamily for n while at the fire, |
roseand went out into the kitchen
beyond, vaguely desirous of some
companionship beside my own.
No one was there, but heard the
sound of voices in the shed at the
rear, where Barbara was holding the
light for Walter Mildmay to sharpen
some edged tools on the grindstone.
unwittingly | advanced in time to
hear their words
"A stiff ugly old maid" said Wal
ter indifierently. "A little higher,
Barbary, please. If that is the sort
of girls they turn out of Philadel-
phia, ] prefer the country speci-
mems u
stood rooted to the floor, feeling
myself grow hot all over. They
went on talking and laughing, but
i did not hear a word that they
said.
Noiselessly / crept back into the
house up to my own room, lighted
the candle, and looked into the little
muslin draped glass that hung
above the home made dressing table.
Stiff, ugly, and an old maid The
latter | was certainly not at four
and-twenty. Stiff, / might be-
who could avoid that, in the pres
ence of utter strangers. surrounded
by domestic atmosphere that was
entirely novel to ne !? And ugly
was that | looked into the glass,
TO see hair banded straight back
from a pale, oval face, eyes heavy
with wearines, cheeks quite color
less. Did he think | always looked |
like that ? He should see I!
So | went to bed and cried nv
self to sleep.
The next morning, got up and
dressed myself with care. i brush
ed the soft, crimped masses of jet |
black hair away from my temples,
and fastened spray of coral red
wild berries which | had gathered !
on the road side into it, and, knot
ting my loose scarlet silk necktie
under my lace collar, | Ismiled TO see
the soft glow OF color that was re-
turning TO my checks, and the brill
iancy Of my eyes.
Ny dress Of black cashmere en-
livened here and there by bow of
scarlet ribbon, instead of the gray
travelling suit | had worn the even
ing before, and it fitted me as if |
had grown into it.
Il don't think ] am quite so ugly
as l was last night" | thought,
But il Mr. Mildmay don't like me
OF course / can not help it.
SO went down stairs. Uncle !
Blake stared at me over his specta-
Gle glasses.