Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1888-03-16
ANGELA.

am poor paralyzcd fellow who for
many years past has been confined to
bed or a sofa. For the last six years
have occupied IA 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 (thoy are the cheapest models
in Vcnice), and these send to friend
in London, who S lis them to dealer
for small sums But, on the whole, am
happy and content.
1t is ncccs iary that should describe
the position ofmy room rather minutely
Its only window is about five feet abovar
the water of the canal, and above it the
hou projects some six feet and over
hangs the water, the projecting portion
being supported by stout piles driven
into the bel Of the canal. This an
rangemcnt has the disadvantage (mong
others of so limiting my upward view
that l am unable to see more than about
ten feet of the height of the house i'm
mediate,y opposite to me, although by
reaching as far out of tho window as
my iufirmity will permit can see for
considerable distance up and down the
canal, which does not exceed fifteen
feet ia width. But, although l can see
ous Iiteie sOt snc nlatefiai ncdse e.p,5sss4s,=.
can see its reflection upside down in the
canal, and l contrive to take good
deal OF Inverted interest in such Of its
inhabitants as show themselves from
time to time (always upside DOWN on
its balconies and at its windows.
When first I occupied my room, about
six years ago. my attention was directed
TO the reflection of little girl of thir-
teen or so Gas nearly as could judge,
who passed every day on balcony
just above the upward range of my
limited field of view. She had glass
Of flowers on little table by her side,
and as she sat there in fine weather
from early morning uutil dark, work.
ing assiluously all the time, l con-
Guided that she earned her living by
nj ellework. She was certainly an in.
dustrious little girl and as far as
could judge by her upside down re-
flection, neat in her 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 see
the little maid wrap the old lady in
shawis, and lring 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, and as the lite maid
grew up her reflection grow down, and
at last she was quite little woman of,
suppose, sixteen or seveatecn. ! can
only work for a couple of hours or 50 in
the brightest part Of the day, so had
plenty of tima on my hand, in which to
watch her movements, and sufficient
imagination to weave little romance
about her, anil TO endow her with a
beauty which, to great extent, l had
to take for granted. Isaw-or fancild
that l could see-that she began to take
an interest in my reflection (Which, Of
course, she could see as l could sec
hers; and one day, when it appeared to
me that she was locking right at it,
that is to say when her reflection APP
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 to
one another
1t did not take me very long to fall in
love with her but long time passed
before I could make up my mind to dc
more than nod to her every morning,
when the old woman moved 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. 0ae
day, however, when l saw her reflection
looking at mine l nodded to her and
threw flower into the canal She
nodded several times in return, and
saw her draw her mothers attention tC
the incident. Then every morning
threw flower into the water for good
morning" and another in the evening
for ''good night" and l soon discovered
that l had not thrown them aItogethel
ia vain, for one day she threw a flower
to join mine, and she laughed anC
olapped her hands as the two flowers
joined forces and fioated away together.
And then every morning and every
evening she threw hsr flower when
threw mine, and when the two flower
met she elapped her hands, an,
80 did /; but when they wer