The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-10-23

originally "a the palace of some inchoate
California Aladdin, it usually ended us a
lodging house in which some helpless widow
or hopeless spinStcr managed Ia combine re
spec;ahility with the hard task of bread get
ting. Thatchcrs landlady wa one of the
former class. She had unfortunately SUI
yivrd not only her husband but his property,
and, living il some deserted chamber. had,
after the fashion of tho Italian nobility, let
out tho rest Of the ruin. tendency to
dwell upon these facts gave her conversation
a peculiar significance upon tho first Of each
month Thatcher had noticed this with the
constituencies of an impoverished gentleman.
But when, few days after her dodgers sud.
den disappearance, note came from him
containing a draft in noble excess of all ar.
rears and charges, the widows heart was
lifted, and the rock smitten with the golden
wanG gushed bcncticence that shonc in new
gown for the widow and n new suit for John.
NY her son, a new olcloth in the hall, better
service TO the dodgers, and, let US be thank
full, a Eindlier consideration for the poor little
black-cyed painter from Monterey, ther
tell the truth, the calls upon Miss
De Ilaros scant purse by her I'M
Gle had lately been frequent, perjury
having declined in the Monterey mar
kct through excessive and injudicious supply,
until the line Of dcmarcation between it and
absolute yerity was so finely drawn that Vic
tor Garcia had remar' Ell that "he might as
well tell the truth at once and save his soul,
since tho devil was in ths market"
Mistress Plodgitt, tho landlady, could not
resist tho desire to ucquaint Carmen De IIaro
with her good fortune. clio was always a
friend Of yours, my dear, and know him to
H. q gentleman that would never let a Door
widow suffer; and see what he says about
your Here she produced Thatcher's note and
read Tell my lttia ncighbor that ! shall
com" back soon to carry her and her skctchng
tools of by force, and | shall not let her re-
turn until she has caught tho black noun
tains and the red rocks She used to talk about,
and put the Blue Mass mill in the foreground
Of the picture | shall order"
What il this, little one! Surely, Carmen.
thou nccdst not blush at this thy first grand
offer. Eo!y Virgin, il it of IA necessity that
thou shouldst sick the wrong end of thy
brush in thy mouth, and then drop it in thy
lap o. was it taught thee by the good Sis
ters at the convent TO stride in that hoyish
fashion 10 the side of thy elders and snatch
from their hands the miSSive thou wouldst
read. Moro Of this we would know, o Car
men-smailcst Of brunet,,s-spcak, little one,
even in thine own mcodous speech, that |
may commend thee and thy rare discretion to
my own fair country women.
Alas, neither the present chroniccr nor
Mistress Piodgitt got any further informa-
ton from the prudent Carmen, and must fam
speculate upon certain fact that were already
known.
Mistress Carmens little room was opposite
10 lhatchcrs, and once or twice, the doors
being open, Thatcher had a glimpse across the
passage Of Il blacli-hnred and sturdy, boy
ISL Little figure in great blue apron, perched
Oh a stool before an easel and on the other
hand, Carmen had often been conscious Of the
fumes Of tobacco pipe penetrating her
clustered seclusion, and had seen across the
passurc, vaguely enve.oped in the same nico-
tine cloud, an American Olympian, in a
rocking chair, with hi, feet on the mantcl
shelf They had once or twice met on the
staircas2, on which occasion Thatcher had
greeted her with word or two Of respectful
yet half humorous couitcsy-a courtesy
which never really oHrnIS true woman
although It often p;lues her self-aplomb by
the slight assumption OF superiority in the
hulnorist. A woman Is quick to recognize
the fact that the great and more dangerous
passions arc always serious, and may ba ex-
cuscd if in sef-respoct she is often induced TO
try II there lie not nihhrrc under the skin
Of this laughing Mercut,o the flesh and blood
Of Romeo. Thatcher was by ia.
turc a defender and protector; weak
nc and weakness atone. stirred the
dCp-ns Of his tendern soften, | fear, only
through its half -buu nois aspccts-and on
this plane he was Picard 10 place women and
children. IInention t';s fact for the benefit
az he more youtiiful members Of my species.
and am satisfied that o., unconditional sur
render and the com:lct. ''gilg down ct the
foot Of beauty OF all s',.,. Hiascu!nity i, q
cs.ap Gall,cism that - ultGan.,ataL!. to