Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-10-21
After Years.

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tember. The village street lay dreamy
and quiet. was busily arranging my
little shop; ribbons, laces. and such
tr fias must he made TO look as tempting
as possible. This morning I felt par
ticularly happy in thus displaying my
goode, and when all was done l steppe d
back proudly into my pleasant sitting
room, where had pretty lace curtains
looped back from the windows, aud ovei
them tasteful lambreq made from
iich silk Of my departed glory-and
a comfortable lounge covered with q
fabric from the same boarded store
still, as l watched my goldfish sailing
industriously about in the globe, all
around which flowers were blooming,
soliloquized,-
Well, ] am Just as much of lady
as Mrs. Ashbury, who lives in the man.
sion with towers, and drives up to my
humble door in her splendid equipage,
and haughtily handles my boxes OF
ribbons, but seldom finds anything
which suits her fastidious tuste. Yes,
quite rs much of a LADY,"
So l sat Gown contentctlly in my low
rocker, and hummed an old, familiar
song cheerily, as looked out on fairy
form fitting esyly about beneath the
naples, now turning scarlet and gold.
I was happy-happier than l had
been for long time. l nodded gayly
TO Daisy. and wondered what could be
going to happen that was SO unusually
bright. Oh. nothing. of course-at
least, nothing pleasant. Everything
had happened and done happening me
long since. Then 1 wandered off into
the past, and remembered the old heart.
ache and heart break of long ago.
What if Fred and ! had married? !
suppose should have been lady after
his fashion, shut up all day long in
some gloomy house, with no company
but my servants; fashionable solitude
in city house. perhaps-my husband
away from home most of the time.
Yes. felt quite inclined to forgive my
quondam lover that he rever married
me, but to, K himself off. So / had
ceased to love him, and loved my little
shop.
am fond If color-adore all things
that are beautiful. Fred used TO say
that was something of an artist; but
then he was u great fatterer in those
days. I am delighted when the village
girls come in and view my pretty goods,
and glance with arch and bewitchiDg
smiles into the mirror. as they try the
effect OF cardinal, gold and blue. ]
seldom dream of bright life now, fol
the truth is that Daisy leaves me little
time for building "castlas in Spain.
If she were my very own. l could not
love the child more. And this reminds
me, kind reader. that must tell you
the secret:
About eight years ago, went to open
my windows one morning. when, in q
basket on my doorstep. I found little
Daisy. Where did she come from?
never knew. All the explanation she
made YVES to reach out her dimpled
arms and coo something quite unintel.
ligible to my untutored ear. Every.
body commented. Friendly advice wa'
not wanting with regard to foundline
and orphan asylums. But l did moi
take any advice. I simply cared fol
and loved the baby. until I think, had
any one come to claim the child-bu,
that was altogether unlikely. I comfort
ed myself by thinking. should just
as soon think of Fred's coming bach
again some day, and that is one of the
impossibilities.
Yes, Fred had gone for good, as the
children say. Oh. how happy we were
in the long ago! and I drew a tiny
locket from my bosom-which always
lay there close to my heart-and saw
the bright eyes looking lovingly into
mine, and the curly hair clustering
about the white forehead. Yes; too
happy to last, as Fred had said on the
very last night We we're together.
ITO last?" said ]. "Why do you
speak SO, Fred? ?"
My heart gave great bound, for I
suddenly remembered the talk that had
reached my ears about him. A fine
lady had come to board at the village
hotel-a beauty, had heard, with a
fortune at her command. Fred had
undoubtedly paid her some attention
HE was entirely too attentive for o
man already betrothed," was soon
whispered here and there by gossiping
tongues. But I had unbounded conf.