The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-08-16
WHITE GRAPE.
Felix Gray in Times-Democrat. !


quite small, three rooms and kitchen,
/ guessed from its outward appearance,
and painted reddish brown.
1t stood back few feet from the
sidewalk, and the little strip of yard
between its front door and the gate was
waste of grass and weeds. An UNI
brella china grew beside the gate whose
principal function seemed to be the
holding up to view red placard set
ting forth that the premises were "For
Rent"
They had been for rent for three
months at least, and the red placard
was well-nigh washed away by the win
ter storms, before it met the pre-
destined e1 es which were to look upon
it with favorable consideration.
1t was early in April. The china
tree was coming into leaf, and the tall
gypsy cousins of the aristocratic daisies
were camping in the weedy waste of
the door-yard.
| had been out for my accustomed
mo! ming stroll, looking after my roses
in the up town gardens, and, passing
the cottage on my way home, l was
struck by the novel fact that the in-
efficient little gate stood open. Glanc-
ing under the branches of the china
tree, saw young woman standing on
the mouldy steps, looking critically
about her, and Young man on the
tiny portico in the act Of locking the
front door.
/ halted beside the gate. looking
away, as if interested in the hofsting of
Ia l,
and in moment they came out, their
faces glowing with the JOY of satisfied
quest
It needed no superhuman penetration
to dis over that, they were newly mar
ried and about to set up their first
housekeeping. Her accurately matched
hat and dress, simple and unpretending
as they were, bore the unmistakable
stamp of the trou>seau, and the conf
dence with which she took his arm, and
the earnestness with which they spoke,
turning their faces toward each other,
told of happiness some months old,
and beginning to descend to practical
considerations.
I belie' I pass among my acquaint-
sncas for rather cynical old bachelor,
and suppose my best friends would
hardly think me capable of the warm
GLOW that suffused my heart as I saw
this young husband-a tall strong
limbed, manly fellow, by the way pat
the little hand that lay on his arm and
laugh fondly down into the upturned
face of his girl wife.
The furnishing of such tiny shell
is not an affair of many days, so | was
not surprised one morning toward the
end of the same week, to see the young
man come out of the little gate, and
close it behind him, waving his hand to
somebody within as he turned away. |
met him at the corner, and could we'll
fancy that his smiling lips still felt the
warm pressure of the parting kiss.
AS / reached the deepening shade of
the china tree / saw her standingon the
portico, her head resting against its
square wooden pillar, her dropped
hands clasped lightly before her, and
her eyes fixed upon vacancy, trying for
the thousandth time to make real unto
herself the strange newness of the stu
alton. At the sound of my step she
broke away from her reverie, and turned
into the house with brisk air of hav-
ing duties to perform. The next mo-
ment window was thrown up, and a
voice broke out in gay lifting song
| like that of a glad bird in blue sum-
mer sky.
To pass the cottage soon became a
favor.te feature in my daily prone
nades, and 1 seldom failed to catch a
| glimpse of one or both of its occupants.
| Sometimes she was about going to mar
| ket, and it was delightful to notice the
assumption of matronly dignity with
which she now tied her bonnet ON, in
stead of pinning it as formerly, and
covered her shoulders with little cape
with long flowing ends.
Sometimes she sat sewing near the
window and once, the door being open,
I looked into the very heart of the do
mestic arcanum and beheld her with
| upturned sleeves and wide apron, Wig
orously beating something in a great
yellow bowl.
It was some time in June, I think
that babe silent farewell to my un-
known fr ends in the cottage.
It was a moonlight night, remem.
Der; the air was heavy with the odor OF
night-blo ming iessamine, and a mock
ing-bird was singing somewhere near.
The china tree was black with its full
clustered foliage, and the moons rays
could not penetrate to the little portico
could see two figures seated there
however in the shadow, and their at.
titude, and the low murmur of their
voices, accorded we'll to my mind with
the iessamine odor, and the bird-song.
stayed abroad usually late. I found
myself we'll accommodated and well
amused in Florence, and these condi
tions fulfilled, one place is as good as
another to bachelor without ties. Y
It was late in December when
landed in New York, and series o1
long promised visits to some distant re
lations occupied another two months
SO March had come round before AGAR
unpacked my trunks in my familiar
room, and fell again into the lettering
routine of my life at home.
/ had not forgotten my cottage peo
pie, and one of my first engagement
with myself was to pass their gate and
look in upon them.
1t was bright, sunshiny day when
set out to keep this engagement, though
the east winds and the clouds of dust
amply fulfilled the traditions of the
month. AS approached the place, the
leahess trees and the closed blinds re
calle d its aspect year ago, only there
was no red placard.
Eut what was this futtering from thu
door-knob in the needless March wind
| al -