Wichita eagle., 1888-07-08
MY FAIR UNKNOWN.

Kentish coast True, it possesses tin,
stone ietty. at the extremity of which
beacon flashes through the night. but n
gay promenaders pace its asphaltet
parade. no Cockney children disport them
selves upon its beach and the burnt corl
minstrel is there genius almost Un
known
Here found myself three summers ag'
whilst on sketchins tour. l had done
the down. washed in the sea in ever
mood, smeared. sketched, danbed aEt
spattered until there was not g stick Of
stone in the place that had not found it!
way into my sketch book
On the last day Of my stay saunteree
down to the beach with the lazy gait Of {
man who has done his duty, my camI
stool under my arm. my box of tools IL
hand--not that set out with any distinct
purpose of using the same, for | had ex
hausted the sea and my own capacity
/ but simply fer the sake OF companionship
1 confess | was growing trifie lonesome
! Nature sometimes bored me.
| As | strolled along, rejecting with
| satisfaction that I would leave the field
| With clear conscience and empty paint
tubes. q rock lying in peculiar position
struck my fancy and l stopped to
sketch it.
unfolded my little camp stool and set
1t down on the hard, level sand The
tide was low, but the stool stood IN
evenly, and, CHANGING down to ascertain
the cause, saw that one leg tilted down
into footprint, and looking ahead. no.
ticed that the footprints went on and on,
zigzag along the beach. disappearing in
the distance-narrow, dainty footprints
q woman'S.
Feelings akin to those experienced by
Robinson Crusoe rushed over me Gs
gazed Remember that l had been for
several weeks in this out of the way place
without another human soul with whom
to commune except my landlady. and our
communings were mostly of a sordid ma
ture. and here were delicate prints of a
personality that might lead to the most
delightful consequences!
could sketch no more. Gathering up
my baggage. | prepared 30 follow the
trail
am somewhat of philosophic turn of
mind. and as walked along lapsed into
a train of thought worthy the great OAR
wiz himself
In the first place, measured with my
eye the length of the slender footprints,
and calculating by the proper proportions
that the foot should be as long as the dis
lance from the wrist to the elbow. the
maker of them must be, | concluded.
about 5 feet "a good height for a wo-
man
That it was q woman. I knew by tbs
fringe like marks where here and there
the long dress made its delicate trail
Then she must be slender for such mar
row foot TO support her weight; beside.
the foot marks were lightly pressed into
the sand They were rather far apart
She took long steps for woman. and
nothing gives more grace to walk. to
my mind detest these totterlng, trip
ping womenl
With the astuteness of detective
noticed that the distance between each
two of the points was of equal length,
that indicated alertness and the poise of
elastic strength, for dreamy woman
would have walked all over the beach,
and weak woman would have taken IN
even steps.
All along beside tho footprints were
other marks. which. after close inspec-
ton. knew to be punctured by the end
of parasoi Another good feature. for
1t showed that the unknown female whom
was tracking was not over careful Of her
absence Of vanity, and corresponding
presence of good sense But. alas! the
imprint of the heel was exceedingly small,
and more sharply cut into the sand than
the toe. making the unnistakable impress
sion of the French heel So my fair un.
known was damsel of Civilizations
slave to fashion. possibly.
As pursued the trail round the point
at Walmer castle it turned in to the white
giistening beach above high water mark.
and there discovered impressions in the
soft sand as clear as if chiseled in stone:
the square mold of book. SMALL novel;
there were the lines of garment, and the
long. straight line where the umbrella or
parasol had lain each new fold OF silk re-
produced perfectly. and the marks at the
handle where fingers had ciutched it
long, fine marks-s delicate hand From
this knew she had stopped to put down
her book and parasol-she did not throw
them down, therefore she must be gentle
and then she must have stood there and
gazed out at the sea for a long time
How did know this! From tho two
footprints, side by side. pointing seaward.
and sunk deep Ia the sand She must be
thoughtful. a little sad. which always fol-
lows; and here she had left bunch Of
wild flowers, which she must have
plucked il the fields on her way To wan-
des in fields, TO pick flowers as Won so.
are these not evidences Of refinement and
a beauty ioving natures
could not help breathing hope that
she wss neither old nor plain / took IN
the simple bouquet. it was limp. but
showed every indication o. being recently |
plucsed She could not be far away
In nv enthusiasm ! DARED forward s.
started back as II had been shot There.
written on the sand in clear, bold letters,
was name-"Constance"
So now, on circumstantial evidence, ] .
mad before me picture Of being that ] /
had never seen. and Of whose existence
bad not known until this day / could !
almost imagine that Constance walked .
before ne. pressing footprints in the sand.
= tail. slender girl, with graceful walk,
ItyishlY dressed and srz:r,c r;r,oz % H..