Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-11-26

ftAnA- Nationally quilted
- W 81 in his exodus to the
I'm. =. 81 promised land Of
IN W N Blggs was one OF
3.ll>-U AVN tn OSc OvCr-,i2cd
II ssS@s,HA1H under-c n lculatcl
49,, FS@pa-dwcllinE conceived
~s' and erected in the
- scXtravagance of the
- san Francisco
builders hopes, and
occupied finally in his despair Intended
originally as the palace of some inchoato
California Aladdin, it usually ended as a
lodging house in which some helpless widow
or hopeless spinster managed to combine re-
spectability with the hard task Of bread get
ting, Thatcher's landlady wa one of the
former class. She had unfortunately sur
vivcd not only her husband but his property.
and, living IN some deserted chamber. had
after the fashion Of the Italian nobility, let
out the rest Of the ruin A tendency TO
dwell upon these facts gavo her conversation
peculiar significance upon the first of each
month. Thatcher had noticed this with the
sensltveness of an impoverished gentleman.
But when, a few days after her loduc,'s s,,d-
den Disappearance, note came from him
containing draft in noble excess of all ar
rears and charges, tho widows heart was
lifted, and the rock smitten with the roldan
wand guahed bcnolicencc that shouc in a no,v
gown for the widow and new suit for John
ny, her son, new olcloth in the hall, better
service to the dodgers, and, let us be THINK;
full, kindlier consideration for the noon, lt,Io
black-cyed painter from Monterey. then
dreadfuIly behind in her room rent. For to
tell the TRUTH the calls upon Miss
De Haros scant purse by her mn
Gle had lately been frequent, periurv
having declined in the Monterey mar
ket through excessive and injudicious supply.
until the line Of dcmarcation hctwcon it and
absolute verify was so finely drawn that Vic
tor Garcia had remarked that "he MIGHT rs
well tell the truth at once and save his soul
since the devil was in the market"
Mistress llodGitt, the landlady, could not
resist tn" desire to acquaint Carmen De IInro
with her good fortune. "IIc was ALWAYS n
friend Of yours, my dear, and know him TO
he gentleman that would never let "A poor
widow suffer; and SEQ what he saws nbout
you!' Here she produced 1hatcher's note and
read: "Tell my littlc ncighbor that | shall
como back soon to carry her and her slotcEi. ,r
tools off by force, and shall not let her re-
turn until She has caught the black nou,,-
tains and thcrcd rocks She used to talk alou,
and put tho Blue Mass mill in the foreground
of the picture ! shall order"
What is this, little one' Surely, Carmen
thou nccdst not blush at this thy first grand
offer Holy Virgin! is it Of a necessity that
thou shouldst stick the wrong end of tbv
brush III thy mouth, and then drop it in INV
lap Or was it taught thee by the good Sis
ters at the convent to stride in that hovisb
fashion to the side Of thy elders and snatch
from their hands the miNsive thou wouldst
readF More Of this we would know, O Car
men-smallest of brunettes-spcak little one.
even III thine own melodious speech, that |
may commend thee and thy rare discretion to
my own fair country women
Alas, neither the present chronicler nor
Mistress Plodsitt got any further informa
ton from the prudent Carmen, and must fain
speculate upon certain facts that were already
known.
Mistress Garments little room was opposite
to Thatcher'S, and once or twice, the doors
being open, Thatcher had glimpse across the
passage of II blacli-ha and sturdy. hoy
ISL little figure in a great blue apron, pcrchod
on stool before an easel, and on the otL.r
hand, Carmen had often been conscious Of III,
fumes of n tobacco pipe penetrating Ter
go 4. nj had
passage vaguely cnvcopcd in the same iicc-
tine cloud, an American Oiympian, in n
rocking chair, with his feet ON the mautol
shelf They had once or twice met on the
on which occasion Thatcher had
greeted her with word or two Of respectful
yet half humorous courteSy-a courtesy
which never really oiIcnds true woman
although it often piques her self-aplomb bv 7.
The slight assumption of superiority in the
woman is quick to recognize |
The fact that the great and more dangerous
passions are always serious, and may Eo OK .
used if in selfrcspcct she is often induced 10 .
Try if there be not somewhere under the skin
If this laughing Mercutio the flesh and blood .
If IA Romeo Thatcher was bv ma
ure u defender and protector. weak
less, and weakness Alone stirred the
lepths OF his tendcrness-oftcn, | fear only
through its haif-humorous aspccts-and on
his plane he was pleased to place women and
'hildren mention this fact for the benefit
If the moro youthful members of my species.
md am satisfied that an unconditional a,p-
endcr and the complete laying down at the
DOT of beauty OF all strong Elascuiinity is
heap Gallicsm that is untranslatable To
nosJ women worthy inc Winning. ror
woman must always look up to the man the
ruly loveo-cven if She has to 20 down ON her
Knees to DO it.
Only the masculine reader will infer from
his that Carmen was in love with Thatcher: