Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1883-09-01
BE thought of her pityingly till be crossed

the threshold Of the. college, then gave him.
self up to TIE subject in hard, which SO
enqrossed his mind, that be forthwith forgot
the existence Of little Miss Turpiu. But
she, upon her part, repeated over and over
the words Of young DR.. Blake, blushing
again when she became conscious OF the
fact that she really had the temerity to
dwell upon his genial but commonplace
courtesy.
Miss Turpin's work was delicate and are
,istic, but not soul absorbing like the doc
tors. She could tint her photographs sill
the better for this little episode in her lite.
The vines aud tendrils took tender shapes
under her dett li,tle'fngers a shy, sweet
melancholy helped to make the shadows at
least more and more perfect, under the rose
buds grew the thorns but there seemed to
Turk even in their cruelty a eabtle. mystic
.ious charm. 1t was enough for Miss Tur-
pin to dream. The physical and practical
reality of the doctors nearness, had is
weight, but not consciously 60, to the little
woman. She never ventured to get up a
cough or craDp for the sake OF stamping
more q. arly his shape into these vague but
extravagant feats OF fancy. In truth, so
timid and afraid was she of q pulsation of
practical JOY, that she actually Stunned and
shrank from its approach.
But more and more imposing, grander and
grander grew this one figure of her fancy
around which r~evolved the satellites of
health and wealth, popularity and fame
al tia, could render life sweet or desira
BILE.
Perhaps it is detrimental to my heroine
to say that she would have been quite cone
tent to have lived upon the fruits Of her own
| fancy for The remainder of Ter natural life
Had circumstances compelled her to change
her abode, and had she thus lost sight of DR..
Blake, the dreams would have gone along
Just the same, the fact of his dying in a
neishboring hospital Of weakness and want,
and the quenching Of all her material in a
pauper's grove no, interfering in the least
with Miss Turpin's airy fabric. 1t would
have been impossible to convince Miss Tur-
pin that he could reach so dire an extremity,
lad not the knowledge been forced in upon
her in a way that she could not possibly re-
fuse.
She absolutely heard the gruff voice of
Mr.. Shadrach upon the morning in question
and the low, musica', but bitterly knocking
words of the doctor in reply.
She sat down upon the rug, and clasped
both her hands. He was going away then?
f, Cntil that she had not realized the
exteat of such a disaster. She could have
borne, perhaps to have been compelled to
60 away herself, because the inevitable for
her had become, long since, a matter Ct
course; but to nave the iron hand OF inexor.
able necessity grasp this magnificent young
man was terrible lie had the flashing eyes,
the lordly mein. t exu'tant step-for thus
had little Miss Turpin been wont to classify
Of young Blake-he had become the prey
Of an adverse destiny!
Miss Turpin's breakfast that morning was
a failure. By dint OF long practice and an
exceedingly gracious gift of housewifery she
had always managed to get up extraordin'
airy little meals for herself. 1t was az if
little, soo,y angel sat up aloft in the chin.
ney and assisted the culinary efforts of the
lone.little woman. Her toast was Of brown
the most golden. her eclee was Of Mocha
the most delicious, her bit OF steak so juicy
and appetiz ne, that sometimes poor Blake
IN the neihboring room, with some chunks
Of brown bread floating helplessly in a
chaiky fluid before him. finding this savory
odor under his %nos,rils, raised bis clenched
hands at the stern wall between them IL
envy and despair.
But even the little angel in the chimney
became impatient with the behavior of lit
tie Miss aTurpin ttat morning The little
woman, usually SO practical and capable,
while straining her ear to listen TO ~taulter>
ing, stumbling steps in the next room, de.
hbera'ely burned the toast and boiled the
%clffee, ard The sooty wings spread them.
selves, taking fight in disappointment and
disgust.
She held her breath as the familiar foot
step passed her door, and slowly one BY one
went down tie worm eaten stairs. Oh,
where wa he going? VIA, would he do
She had read sometimes of an evening,
when working hours we're over, the shaded
lamp upon the table at her side, the Goals
leapiny and blasing in the refulgent CRATE,
her lutte slippered feet upon the fender
she had read Of people who, having neither
moaey. means nor content, had drifted into
a momen OF frenzy and despair, and thus
leaped the awful bar thu. separates the
Known from the unknown. content to risk
any fate which awaited them there. She
had read thus Of poor, strange info, tn mates,
and her heart had ached in their behalf.