, 1884-09-16
MIRANDA.


hlill4NLN MNtN OF NONIs anu moNl Oh lflnN4
were painted a dark hideous brown, though
here and there n veranda OF vivid green or a
brilliant blue doorstep marked the dwelling
Of some unusually ambitiouF Corner. Al
the dwcllcl- at the Corners agreed that old
D,Acum Tifuny's house -the sInArtest in
the lOt,~ and this certainly could
not b. denied; it stood on n small
piece II rising ground, overlooking the rail
why track, a somewhat conspicuous position,
where the eleven different colors which orra-
meuted its front could not fail n be- observed
Of all traveller Thcse eleven color were
the pride Of tho deacon's heart. He would
stand by the hour and contemplate with
placid satisfaction and modest pride tho green
and yellow stripes OF the veranda. the slate
colorcd cornicc, or, best Of all, the gorgeous
new bow-,vindow, ito Mirnnda's ROOM The
deacon certainly had, as was said at the Cor
ners, ~an eye for color" E7en his beehives
were all painted. either yellow or blue, and
instead Of being clustered together in a cor
ner, as Is generally the case, were scattered
promiscuously about his garden, according
10 an entirely new and original plan con
ceived by their owner. To whom their APP
pearance afforded the keenest satisfac
ton. 1t was his greatest pleasure in
life 10 stand at the gate Of "A summer even
ing. attirod Ia a striped flannel shirt, a palm
leaf hat and n pair Of trousers depending on
the apparently frail support Of one suspender,
luxuriously smoking a longstemmed corn
cob pipe, and contemplating with innocent and
profound admiration his mnny-colored dom
Gle and It's surrounding bechives. Thepruspect
might have been slightly married for some
people by the effect Of Mrs. Tiffany's wash
ings. which were invariably In full view on
either side OF tho house. II was a popularity
OF Mrs. Tiffany's always to have something
"on the line" But the deacon didn't mind,
on tho contrary, he rather enjoyed the sight
Of u few lilac calico gowns and "~rising-sun'
count,Ipanes tapping in the breeze. at
kinder brightens things up, ye see" he used
10 say But, fond as he was Of bright colors,
and generously ms be had been able to crafty
his taste, Il did ones heart good to sec how
careful the deacon was Of his less fortunate
~ncighbor's feelings. lie would stroll down
10 the village 81 an evening, and gazing
mildly Mt the particularly dull and dingy
shade OF brown which ornnmented tho resi-
dence OF his friend the blacksmith, would hypo-
criti, ally remark that he didn't know but
what such II color ms that wasn't best for the
eyes, AZ cr ALL and that "ef IL hadn't bin fer
Mirnndy's comm home he didn't know as he
would hev put that thar shade Of blue onto
tho how-winder; but gals genrally has a
leanin' to blue
Miranda had been away for four year.
First at school In n far distant Gas ern city,
and then without coming home she went
away TO Europe FOR II year, partly Ms gov
eFness to the two little sisters OF a former
s hoolnlate. partly AS companion 10 their
fussy invalid mother. Mrs Tiffany strongly
%diSapproved Of these proceedings. She was
not Mirunda's own mother, and naturally
her own girls. Ag and Liz. took precedence
l., i.r -. Oh. uHtfu1t ~ wrbrr that ,,Ia
faced Mirnndy should have all the book
laruin' and travelin' thar was goin'.H But on
this point the deacon, usually mild and yield
ing. had been firm and loyal to the memory
Of his first wife, the pretty, gentle eastern
girl, whose ~book-lnrninw had been almost
her only consolation IN the pine solitudes
Of Romulus, and who had begged OF him
mot To let Miranda grow up west And the
deacon had promised and bravcly kept his
wonl, in spite OF the scoldings and lachry-
NOSE complaining NJ Mrs. Tiffany the Sec
ond and her girls.
Twice during the four years did the deacon
Vi II her at school, and now at last Miranda
Is coming home. II is the 18th Of June, and
sho IS 10 sail for America the 18th, and the
deacon stands at the gate and lets his pipe go
out half a dozen times as he thinks OF his
"little gall and wonders how she will like
the new paper in her room, and whether
"that Their mosquity-curtain hadn't oughtera-
been blu instead o pink"
Far away in the smoke and noise OF Lon
don Miranda is parting with Fitzgerald.
You know he says, II shall To back In
New York next year, probably for good-and
then | shall pay u visit to-what is itr-
smiling. "Remusl-no, Romulus, and carry
you of like tho knight in the fairy-tale, /
hope"
You won't like it-Romulus, I moan
she answer, the corners OF her mouth
trembling, ~it-it Is 50 dinerent-I hate itip
With quick passion, and yet dropping
feeling 80. o, help me, help me to
bear it aIlr she cried suddenly, turn
ing TO him with a piteous little gesture, He
soothes her half impatiently-is 1t n shade OF
annoyance which crosses hi facet And then,
"Ylu must be brave, Miranda, - he says. She
moves away from him, pushing her hair
lack from her forehead and looking up
s.oadly. Yes she answers, II will be
brave and patient" Then presently. as II
longing to be assured, @You-you will come
l know you will, - with a little break in the
voice she tries TO keep 50 steady. "Of
course,' he says, lightly. She looks at him
half wonderingly. This parting, which is 50
terrible to her, can It be but a small thing TO
himf
a dreadful feeling OF doubt and Loneliness
comes oyer her. The turns 10 the window In
dumb agony and gazes into the crowded
street Fitzgerald PAGES the room for a few
moments. Then be comes up TO her.
Miranda he says, sthis sort Of thing
is awful, you know. We had far better
cut 1t short He takes both her hands. She
Is quite calm and passive now. II seems q
her that all feeling has left her. Through
intense suffering she has almost passed into
Inconsistencies Of pain; her face Is white
and still. Fitzgerald looks at her curiously.
miranda, listen he says gently; 1--WE car
write, you know" A little gleam of eager.
ness passes over her face. @Yes,u she
answers. Il had not thought Of that Then
the strange, cold apathy returns. She lets
him hold her in his arms and press his lips
upon her brow without sign or word. She
hears him say that he win surely come next
year, she secs the puzzled look with which
he regards her, she says -good-by, p in an
odd, hard sort Of voice, which sounds strange
TO her ears. and then-it is all over and she
Is alone.
. r o . . &.
A little morc than two weeks later the dea-
con stand on the little wooden platform Of
komulus. lis scanty, gray locks are combed
carefully over his sun-browned neck; the
Ialm-leaf hat had been discarded in favor Of
a very stiff, very high, very uncomfortable
beaver. the one saspender Is hidden by a
Sunday coat Of supernatural blackness and
shininess. Altogether the deacon Is gotten
up smart according to Nr. Tiffany, who
has liclted c-ontemptuously at the idea OF
all this fuss bein made for that Mirandy. =
Mr. Tincny however, IA in u high state Of