Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-11-14
The Vacant Niche.

IN t>IISs
f"Old Nici->itud.>" m New York Mercury.l
Ton wears ago lived I + a number OF
month, IA the pleasant little city of
john -toNn. Pa. and although since
That tune have Travelled the wide, wide
world over. and thousands Of places
Law, h'cn illuminated hy my graceful
prr.'ucc. vet have never for@otten II
Juhu-tovn aud never shall. not while
memory holds her own. The reason
tii. ,ity - "a historic spot i'll my private
ll, i- l,caus' there | cnlovcd that rare
ua.i, of happiness which one only meets
uu,, iu th, desert of life. and that is.
ih,rr ,nloy,d the dclcctable society of
tla' highly important and rose-colored
section "f young mans existence. my
first prl." She was Young. pretty
poor ani proud After we became
very iui mate. ~ l. usuual under such
circumstances. "" became very conf
dcntlnl. She used To- tell me. in her
sWrct. graceful way. what she intended
o. ha," II they her father. mother and
'hc balance Of them could ever afford
Her AIR castles were about as fol-
lows 81 an going to buy the finest
orpnu Won know | love music-and
d,nr little ladv's gold watch, with
hnnd.,mc cold chain, and nice, sweet
htilc canary bird that will sing all the
time These four things I've set my
heart on aul am going to have if We
ever get rich" with Sight sigh.
And husband. too you will want"
| used io frequently add to her little
speech. and then she would blush
deeply and with downcast glances of
her pretty hazel ewes, say nothing.
y u. had not proposed yet.
Well somehow aitcra time, became
very much cngrossed in business and
other Young and lovely girls began to
crowd IN on me. and ultimately | COM
plctcly lost sight of this fair maiden.
Ia few months | left JohnstOwn
and for ten wears did not revisit it.
The other day, in passing over the
! pcnnsylynnia railroad on a trip to
rit,>hurg. concluded TO stop over anC
take look nj the old, well remem-
hcrcd place and get a glimpse, if such
n thing were possible, of my first girl"
After my arrival there | sent her note
to the same ag>d address 1 once
scrihblod so frequently on cheap yellow
envelopes for was very poor in my
Younger days, Just like Ill great men.
Then sat down in the hotel and
anxiously waited. Maybe, ! thought,
shc has left or is dead or is married,
with family perhaps, orwell, could
not tell what Ten years is long
time and. as We al, know, many, many
changes can and often do take place
within such period of time. Soon the
messenger returned actually with note
addressed in the old familiar hand
writing. which / at one time watched
for 81 naxiously and kissed so raptur-
ously when / received it. The reply
was written in very friendly spirit.
II said she was still single, glad was
ditto u placed that important piece of
information in my note to herr, and she
would be greatly pleased to see me that
evening. giving rs her address one of
tho most aristocratic and wealthy resi-
dcncc sections of the city. Well, ex-
claimed to myself, after l had finished
reading the note, / guess they can
afford" what this young lady once so
anxiously desired. I learned afterwards
that her father had acquired govern
ment contract and had risen in the
world.
OF course, l called that evening.
was shown in an elegantly furnished
parlor 10y table-hued servant. There
stood not only large cabinet organ,
but magnificent piano. At the open
window hung yellow canary captive in
gildcd and gold crowned prison. And,
sure enough, when the young lady, or
~ year old lady-she was Just 20 when
! used 10 kiss her with such youthful
sr,ior entered, she wore q handsome
gold chain. and knew very well what
Was attached TO it. But, great heavens,
the change in her greatly appalled,
mol From slim, bewitching,
rosy checked, black eyed, blush
ing, retiring damsel Of 20. she
had. by the relentless hand of time,
been transformed into stout, yes fat
without any shape, you know, as it
we're, only-well, you understand, cof-
fce-dyed and yellow-faced woman of
~ years, with the regal air Of q bogus
empress, voice rs shrill rs fife and
with the bombastic tones OF fog-horn,
and all cnveloped, as it were, in per-
sunal atmosphere which plainly pro-
claimed III you think you can fool
me, you labor under mighty delusion
In your upper story" Well, 1 was 50
astonished i could have just laid down
there and died. Oh, what-what again
"a change!
After we had conversed while and
got acquainted again, said: well,
Miss Annie, see you have got what
you use' 10 wish for So" Yes" II see
you have an organ "Yes." "And a
canary" Yes" And a gold watch
and chain" "Yes." But you haven't
yet the last and most important thing
Of all. a husband. You know in the
long ago, you used to silently acknowl-
edge that was one Of your wishes by
not saving q word when said it was,
and you were then aware that silence
meant yes" Then she tried to blush
somc and exclaimed: mo. haven't
got one yet or you would not have been
invited here" aud then she smiled in q
way cannot describe.
L., rly; said had to take the 10
=. m. tram for Pittsburg; important