Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-08-24
A CHANCE WORLD.

Wide Alceske.
A CHANCE WORLD.
BY SUSAN COOLIDGE.
Myra Sydney was sitting in the window
OF her little parlor watching the slow ris-
ing of storm over the opposite sky. Even
city streets have their opportunities. This
street in which Miss Sydney dwelt was in
the outskirts of suburb where building
plots were still generously measured. 1t
ran along the ridge of slope, and Miss
Sydney house had the further advantage
of standing opposite group Of vacant lots,
beyond which, above the roofs and CHM
neys on the lower streets, line of blue
bills was visible, topped with woods and
dappled with cloud shadows.
Many an autumn sunset had she watch
ed from her front windows +; many soft
spring rain and whirling snow-storm. To
some natures there are both companion
ship and compensation in the changeful
aspects of nature. Myra was one of these.
She would not have exchanged her little
house with its wide view for any other,
however magnificent, whose boundaries
were brick walls alone; and sky and sun
and hill made for the leisure moments Of
her busy life perpetual and unwearying
feast.
The room in which Miss Sydney sat ex-
pressed its owner, as rooms will, whether
meant to do so or not. In No respect of
size or shape did it differ from No. II on
one side or No. 10 on the other, yet its as
pect was anything rather than common
place. The prevailing tint on wall and
floor was soft olive, which made back
ground for brighter colored things; for the
old Indian shawl which did duty as par
tierre for couple of deep-kuets Eastern
rugs; for pictures of various kinds and
values, and asprinkling of bric-abrac, odd
rather than valuable, but so chosen as to
be in thorough harmony with its surround
ings.
Every hing had a use. No pitfalls
yawned for unwary guests in the shape Of
minute tables, Queen Anne or otherwise,
laden with trumpery biscuit or Sevres. and
ready to upset with touch. A couple of
short odfashioned sofas flanked the fire
place on either side, two or three easy
chairs and firm-set low table, laden with
books and periodicals, completed sort Of
circle where ten or dozen persons could
group themselves round the blaze. Miss
Sydney herself, slight. vivid, simply dress
ed, without an ungraceful point or fold.
was in accordance with her room.
The clock struck seven. The black
cloud had crept to the zenith, and now
strong gust of wind swept from beneath
it, bringing on its wings the first drops of
rain. Miss Sydney rose and shut the win
dow. At that moment the door bell
rang.
"lt's two girls with parcel, Miss Myra,"
said Esther, the parlor-maid. They'd
like to speak with you, they say"
Miss Sydney went out into her little en-
try. The girls about the Same age, we're
of the unmlstakable shop girl type "You
are from Snow & Asher's, think ?" she
said, in her courteous voice.
"Yes'm. Mr.. Snow said he WASH t sure
which of the under waists it was that you
took, so he sent both kinds, and you will
try 'em on please ?"
Certainly. Are you to wait for them?"
"Yes'm.'
Miss Sydney made what haste she could,
but before she returned the rain was fall
ing in torrents. "You must wait till it
slackens, y she said. You'll be very wet
If you don't. Have you far to go?"
''She has," replied one of the girls, with
an embarrassed giggle. "I'm pretty near
by, and the horse car runs just in front of
the door. But Cary has to walk quite a
way, and her shoes is thin, too. She'd
better wait, / guess, but 1 must 60, any
way"
Miss Sydney glanced at the shoes
cheap-paper soled boots, with dusty vel
vet bow sewed on the toe of each, and she,
too. concluded that by all means "Cary"
must wait. "Come in here,' she said,
leading the way into the parlor. Esther
had now lighted the lamp. A little fire
sparkled on the hearth. Myra drew an
easy-chair close to it. ''Sit down and have
a thorough warming" she said. sit is a
chilly evening""
"Yes'm."
The girl thrust the velvet-bowed boots,
which gaped for lack of buttons, out to the
fire, and, half from embarrassment, held
up hand to shade her face. It was
small hand with an ambiguous red gem
on the forefinger. The nails were all bit,
ten to the quick, Miss Sydney observed.
The face shaded by the hand was not
unpretty. The brown eyes had straight
forward, honest glance, the mouth was
rather sweet, there was that delicacy Of
modelling, just bordering on fragility,
WHICH gives to the early youth of SO many
American women Aeeting charm. It was
a face which softly banded hair and low
knot would suit /; but, with tho bad taste
of her class, "Cary' had adopted the
style of couture which became her least
All the front hair was an unkempt tangle
of s.bang." At the back was mass of
lutte switches, braided and surmounted
with a gilt comb, and on top Of the cree.
ton was perched straw hat lined with
n