The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-03-08
ANGELA.

lam a poor, paralyzod fellow who for
many years past has been confined to a
bed or sofa. For the last six years I
havc occupied a small room, looking on
to one of the narrow side canals of
Venice, having no one about me but
deaf old woman who makes my bed and
attends to my food; and here exc out
poor income Of about $50 year by
making water color drawings Of flowers
and fruit (they are the cheapest models
in Vcnicc), and these l send to friend
in London, who sells them to dealer
for small sums. But, on the whole, am
happy and content.
1t is necessary that should describe
the position of my room rather minutcly.
Its only window is about five feet above
the water of the canal, and above it the
house projects some six feet and over
hangs the water, the projecting portion
being supported by stout piles driven
into tho bed Of the canal. This ar
rangement has the disadvantage (among
others) of so limiting my upward view
that am unable to see more than about
ten feet of the height of the house i'm
mediately opposite to me, although by
reaching as far out of the window as
my infrmity will permit l can see for a
considerable distance up and down the
canal, which docs not exceed fifteen
feet in width. But, although l can sec
but little of the material house opposite,
l can see its reflection upside down in the
canal, and contrive to take good
deal of Inverted interest in such of its
inhabitants as show themselves from
time to time (a!ways upside down) on
its balconies and at its windows.
When first occupied my room, about
six years ago. my attention was directed
to tho reflection OF little girl OF thir-
teen or so Gas nearly as 1 could judge),
who passed cv2ry day on balcony
just above the upward range of my
limited field OF view. She had glass
of flowers on Ii tic table by her side,
and as she sat there in fine weather
from early morning until dark, work.
ing assiduously all the time, I con-
c!uded that sho c,rned her living by
needlcwork. She was certainly an in.
austrious little gill and as far as !
could judge by her upside down re-
Election, neat in h r dress and pretty.
She had an old mother, an invalid, who
on warm days would sit on the balcony
with her, and it interested me to sec
the little maid wrap the old lady in
shawls, and bring pillows for her chair
and stool for her feet, and every now
aud again lay down her work and kiss
and fondle the old lady for half min
ute, and then take up her work again.
Time went by, ard as the little maid
grew up her reflection grew down, and
at last she was quite little woman Of,
suppose, sixteen or seventeen. I can
only work for couple of hours or so in
the brightest part of the day, so l had
plenty of time on my hands in which to
watch her movements, and sufficient
Imagination to weave little romance
about her, and TO endow her with a
beauty which, to great extent, had
to take for granted. Isaw-or fancied
that could see-that she began to take
an interest in my reflection (Which, Of
course, she could sec as l could see
hers) and one day, when it appeared to
me that she was looking right at it.
that is to say, when her reflection ap-
pcared to be looking right at MEL
tried the desperate experiment of nod
ding to her, and to my intense delight
her reflection nodded in reply. And
SO our two reflections became known tc
one another.
1t did not take me very long to fall in
love with her, but long time passed
before could make up my mind to de-
more than nod to her every morning,
when the old woman m owed me from my
| bed to the sofa at the window, and
again in the evening, when the little
maid left the balcony for that day. Oat
day, however, when saw her reflection
looking at mine / nodded to her and
threw flower into tho canal. Sh,
nodded several times in return, and
saw her draw her mothers attention tt
the incident. Then every morning
threw flower into the water for 'tgoot
morning." and another in the evening
for ''good night" and soon discovered
that / had not thrown them altogethel
in vain, for one day she threw a fowei
to join mine, and she laughed ant
clapped her hands as the two flower
Joined forces and floated away together
And then every morning and every
evening she threw her flower when
threw mine, and when the two flower
met she clapped her hands. ant
/, 70 did I; but when they wer