Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-04-29
A Poem by Winona Silver.

n EOSLu ny "luOld SliVGf.
sat in the editorial sanctum (tht
chief was in Europe, and consequently
/ had twice as much work as usual tC
do) toiling through long manuscript
and wishing with all my heart that the
distinguished writer had seen fit to use
the familiar letters of the alphabet in.
stead of bieroglyphics of his own, in
distinctly resembling them, when there
came light tap at the door. Come, y
called, rather sharply, for was lit
tie vexed at being interrupted, and the
door opening slowly, disclosed a lightly
clad-much too lightly-clad for cold
January day; saw that at glance
girlish figure standing on the thresh-
cid.
"Are you the editor-Mr. Gray ?"
asked a very sweet, timid voice.
i" am," replied. "Come in,
please"
The girl entered, closed the door,
sat down in the chair beside my desk,
to which I motioned, and said never o
word. could hear her breath coming
quickly, as though she were terribly
frightened, and 1 purposely went on
with the unraveling of the Oriental
characters before me to give her time to
recover herself; for I remembered with
painful distiuctness my own first call
upon an editor knowing intuitively
this was. first call), when my heart,
albeit it was manly one, thumped
harder than it ever tbumped before or
since. At last raised my eyes from
the paper. My visitor had thrown back
her veil, from which dripped little
drops OF water melted anow-and YVES
regarding me with wistful, beseeching
gaze.T In return, I regarded her with
one of establishment, for hers was the
sweetest and most touching face
had ever seen in my life, and so pc.
culiar in its beauty that find it hard
to describe it. Big pathetic light
brown eyes, with glints of gold in
them; long bronze-brown lashes; hair
1.-THE palest sunshine, as though moon
Light and Sunshine had mingled to-
gether; slightly parted rosy lips, re-
vealigg a glimpse of small white teeth;
colorless but prettily-rounded cheeks;
and over all that indescribable charm
of innocence that is to youthful beauty,
TO use old and we'll worn SMILES, as the
bloom to the peach and the fragrance
to the rose.
sWhat can do for you ?" I asked,
speaking gently enough this time.
I-haye--a-story," stsmmered the
poor little thing, s. which thought you
might Its my first--and if you only
would"
81 will look over it with pleasure" I
said, as she paused. apparently unable
from sheer nervousness to go on.
Leave it with me, land promise to
give it my earliest attention"
And as she handed me the roll of
piper, ! saw she wore no gloves, and
her hands were red with the cold; but
i also saw they were as exceptionally
pretty as her face, with slender tapering
fingers, and pink sheli-like nails.
q 1t is not written on very nice paper"
she said, rising, as l took the manu-
script from her. Z" / had nothing but
scraps of old letters, and backs of cir
culars and bills; but with CLEAN
of modest pride, and a glance at the
hieroglyphics-" write very plainly,
and it will not take you long to read it.
And when may 1 call for an answer y"
Tomorrow" said I, without mo-
ment's hesitation, though l knew l
ought to devote all the time 1 could
spare from my other duties for weeks
to the very lengthy contribution of the
distinguished author.
"Thank you;" and she fitted away
as noiselessly as she had entered.
But for the life of mo 1 could not
forget her. Wherever my gaze fell,
there I beheld those great pathetic
hot 70. hal
tily-curved trembling lips. "Aud she
was cold. Cold! should think So
actually shivering in that thin shawl,
while /, great streng fellow" docking
at my heavy overcoat hanging on the
opposite walD. "Pshaw! yon may stay
there tonight" And I actually went
home without it, as though that would
make the poor little girl any warmer,
and caught a severe cold in consequence,
as / might have known T would. After
which ebuilition began the story, and
read it through.
1t was written plainly, that could not
be denied; in fact, in the way of chirog-
raphy, it was all that could be desired
aud there were some pretty ard fairly
original ideas in it, and some CLEANS of
a poetic nature; but the plot was so
highly romantic and visionary, and the
whole thing so evidently the work Of
one who had not yet even mastered the
primer Of authorship, that it was in-
possible to give it place in the publ
cation Of which was junior editor.
But never did the necessity of saying
No " so distress me before, not even
when Alveretta Strawhorn. since known
as the author of g A Riddle Solved by
q Cimeter," told ne that, in spite Of my