Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1881-07-23

Sitting by the tire III dreamy languor
on dull October evening. Over against
the window pane on which the slect is
weaving fantastic figures, stands a glrllsh
figure stamping her foot and looking out
on the dull, leaden-colored sky. The
crlspy logs burn brightly, and man as l
am and thirty, | turn to watch the fair
profile at the window BY and by she
comes toward me, and stands by my
side, warming her fair hands at the fire.
They are symmetrical hands, white and
small her bosom rises and falls, and a
sigh as gentle as the zephyr winds III
summer goes out and away Before me
is the picture of fair lady of twenty
three, and by my side on the table is a
letter to her | have just finished. |
show it to the little maiden and she
reads and sighs again Then she says:
You are going down there and YOU
and Miss Lulie will marry sure enough,
Mr.. Walter. And you'll bring her back
here and keep this room. And when
you come, would like to be a fly crawl
ing around the ceiling.
Why, Pappoose?"
ITO watch your happiness and tickle
Your noses, perhaps. : And away she
flew, to help her mamma about her
household duties.
The scene is in the South land, no
matter where. | am writer gathering
up incidents for an article In a leading
magazine, or at least [ came here for
that purpose, and have prolonged my
stay indefinitely. / have stopped with
widow lady. Mrs. Mahonis, and Laura
is ner only child, whom / have nick
named Pappoose. With Southern pre-
cocitv, she is woman while vet child
Fair complexion, with dark hair and
passionate, dreamy eyes, she is picture
an artist would love for model, and a
picture | love for its own sake
Too young to understand such love,
her mother said to me to-day.
q never intend Laura shall marry
until she Is twenty-two.
And my heart sank, for | thought il
| should not be So
| have been carrying on correspond
ence with a friend in my native village
widow, and l show all my letters tt
Pappoose. She is the Lulie am soon t,
visit
| Loved, practical winter, with the
shadows of night about it November
with her sere leaves, and chill wind'
about us Inside the rooms of a pleasan
mansion. Lulie is attired III n seal browl
satin. with the glory of roses in he
dress, the glory of lilies i'll her hair.
Have Just arrived, and go about the ball
room with Lulie on my arm. | an
proud of her and she of me and though
there are no welded vows between us,
wonder if my little Pappoose shall eve
be fly, and crawl around our rooms.
No, | love the child with the dark hai
and the dreamy ewes better than ] d
Lulie.
Out in the conservatory, with tn
perfume of exotic plants about ns, th
warm mir of hot house TO comfort MS.
say
"Lulic Won have been good to mt
and thought | loved You. but l don't
my friend Yours Is not the love tha
would make my restless life happy.
love child-a child-voman, fair. dark
eyed and dreamy. better than do YOU.
oh Walter. hush, Ny poor heal
will break Listen. And heard tn
blood beat III her heart hike the echo {
a tiny cataract
She lays her head upon my -houlde
She throws her fair arms about my necl
and forget my child love.
Walter, YOU do not mean il NJ
dream, has been such a happy one
And her head nestled closer to my boso
!. and tears hung like dew drops on Il
fringed evelids.
! What can do? \ fly crawling alo'
the room changedyinto a black-eye
dark haired little darling. and p
Lulie away from me gently.
Lulie. l mean it. Forget the pas
try to forget rne.
She shivers just q little The te
drops dry up like AL April show.
: There Is n tremulous motion about 4
= lips. and softly spoken "g"od-tv
= and she is gone.
!. February has come. am again III L
village retreat, Pappoos, Is just tiftee
:, am lounging on the gallery watchi
n the fairy figure making snowballs III I
+ ward. This time she IS Very shy Of Il
J. l have been here s. week, and save a +
: hurried words, have not spoken IL he
. and vet came solely on her account.
& begin TO wonder If have made a foot
! myself, and if some village boy /
4. already won her heart. | am nervo'