The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-03-03
LITTLE MRS. HAYNES.
I.

renting the light, airy, southern chamber OF
our old brown house to n young portrait
PAINTER, who was about becoming resident
in our village during few weeks OF the sum
mer. Never before had an event so stirring
and exciting in its tendency broken over the
monotony OF my existence Never before had
nv childish imagination been furnished with
so wide field Of action, or my little heart
throbbed and palpitated with such strange
mixture Of wonder and delight. A portrait
painter under our own roof, within the walls
of our OWL home-what rare chance for my
inauisitive eyes TO draw in Il new fund OF
knowledge! What an object Of envy should
be to my little mates, and how dalntily would
| mete out TO them what l learned from day
10 day Of the wondrous man OF the wondrous
employment
had heard Of portrait painters before, IL
is true, but only as had heard and read OF
fairies in my little story books, or listened to
my father AS he talked of kings and courtiers
in the great world afar of. Upon our par-
lor walls, from my earliest remembrance,
had hung portraits of my grandfathers and
grandmothers, but | had no idea how their
faces came stamped upon the dark canvas, or
when or by whom their shadows had been
fixed within the heavy gilt frames Like the
trees that waved before the door and the
lilacs that blossomed every year 10y the old
gate, they had 10 me always been so.
But now my eyes were TO rest upon the
face of one whose existence had been like n
myth, a fable What n wonderful parsonage
he would bel What n dark visage he would
boast and what monstrous, giant like forml
How entirely unlike every person that had
ever seen or known would be this portrait
painterl
While these spcculations were at their
height in my busy brain the hero made his
appearance, scattering them mercilessly TO
the four winds. There was nothing giant
like in the little graceful figure that sprang
from the village coach, or dark in the pleas
ant boyish face, shaded by masses of brown
hair, and lit up byn merry pair of blue eyes,
running over wi~a mirth and mischief His
name, too, like "e generality of names, had
nothing wonderful or striking to characterize
it, He was empty Frank Haynes, nothing
more or llss, and when, with pleasant, easy
grace, Dught to win my childish favor, /
should have been quite at home had not the
stunning knowledge of his art oycrpowered
me- IL was a strange freak for a child OF ten
summers, but somehow il crept into my baby
brain that | must not like him. although the
while, in spite Of myself, preference for his
opinions, ways and looks grew up strong
within me If he spoke to me when any one
was observing him ! was silent and shrank
away from HIM tinidly but when we were
alone chatted and chirrupped like young
robin. ! think he must have noticed this,
and from it have taken into his head the boy
isb idea of teasing me.
TO him, he said, ! was little Phebe Lester
no longer, now that he knew how much |
cared for him For the future he should call
me Mrs. Haynes-little Mrs Haynes and
should be very angry IL everybody in the
house did not follow his example, must
not over have any little beaux among the
schoolboys now that my name was changed
but must be prim and proper like any mar
ried woman who is faithful TO her husband,
.'Wonld agree TO this!" he asked.
glanced up from the hem of my white
muslin apron which | had been twisting
about my finger, 10 meet my mothers eye
fixed laughingly upon my face, Ia moment
my lips were closed resolutely, while he,
seeing at once the cause of my silence, reached
out of the window and pluaked "A rose from "A
running vine that crcpt nearly to the messy
caves.
"Littlc Mrs. Haynes must wear the roso, "
he said at would never do for her to toss
her head and throw his gifts carelcssly by.
All married women wore flowers which their
husbands gave them. Would wear the rosef'
] glanced about the room again. My
mother was nowhere To Toe seen, and SO said
that would wear it If he wanted me TO.
"And would ! consent TO be called little
Mrs. Haynes.
Eyes | would consent
"Then it was all right. He would never
look about for a wife, nor should look
about for husband. We were Mr. and
Mrs. Haynes Did that suit mef'
''Oh, yes. that suited me. like that"
"Wcll, then, he should have to buy me a
little gold ring to wear upon my third finger,
TO let folks know that some one owned me- v
''No, didn't want ring
"Tut, tut tut! Tint would never do
People who were engaged to he married al
ways gave such II pledge. He should speak
to father about it, SO that il would be all
right. If he was willing, would wear the
ringP
'No, didn't like rings"
"Woudn't | like the ring that no would
buyr
"No. ! wouldn't like n ring ut any rate.
During his stay, which was protrncted t.
months, instead Of weeks he strove in every
way TO change my determination about the
engagement ring, as he termed it. was In
exorable A ring ! would not wear, No
even when he made ready for his departure
and told me that in few weeks he should b,
Thousands, of milcsaway from me, nor whei
he piled up before me pictures that he hat
drawn at his leisure during the long summe,
hours that hung heavily upon his hands
would revoke my decision. 1. would taxi
the finely executed drawings, the prettily
framed portrait of himself, but would hav,
no rings.
At last lie went from U.s. shall never for
get the morning, or how cold, dull and cheer
less it seemed to me How dreary and desc
late everything looked because he was goin;
away. 1t was not every day grief that Dor
down upon my young heart, no childis
promise that assured him, as he Kissed IN
quiyering lips, that Iwould never forget him
and that would always be his little Mrs
Haynes.
'Wouid ] write 10 him and sign tina
namel"
''Yes, would"