The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-03
ANGELA.

am poor, paralyzed fellow who for
many years past has been confined to
bed or a sofa. For the last six years [
have occupied 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 l exc out
poor income of about $50 a year by
making water color drawings of flowers
and fruit (they are the cheapest models
in Venice, and these l sand to a friend
in London, who sells them to "a dealer
,or small sums. But, on the whole, am
happy and content.
1t is necessary that should describe
the position of my room rather minutely.
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 the bed of the canal. This ar
rangemcnt has the disadvantage (among
others of so limiting my upward view
that I am unable to see moro 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 infirmity will permit 1 can see for a
considerable distance up and down the
canal, which does not exceed fifteen
feet in width. But, although can see
but little of the material house opposite,
can sceits reflection upside down in t he
canal, and I 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 a little girl of thir-
teen or so Cas nearly as l 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 until dark, work
ing assiduously all the time, [ con
cluded that she earned her living by
ncedlework. She was certainly an in
dustrious little girl, and as far as
could Judge by her upside down re
Election, neat in her dress and pretty
She had an old mother, an invalid, VIII
on warm days would sit on the balloon
with her, and it interested me to Sc
the little maid wrap the old lady /
shawls, and bring pillows for her chai
and a stool for her feet, and every nov
and again lay down her work and kis
and fondle the old lady for half a min
ute, and then take up her work again
Time went by, and as the little mai
grew up her reflection grew down, an
at last she was quite a little woman ot
Isuppose sixteen or seventeen. 1 ca
only work for a couple of hours or so
the brightest part of the day, so l ha
plenty of time on my hands in which
watch her movements, and sufficier
imagination to weave little romano
about her, and to endow her with
beauty which, to great extent, l ha
to take for granted. SAVIOR fancie
that could see-that she began to tax
an interest in my reflection (Which,
course. she could see as l could 81
hers; and one day, when it appeared
me that she was looking right at it
that is to say, when her reflection az
peared to be looking right at me-
tried the desperate experiment of noe
ding to her, and to my intense deligl
her reflection nodded in reply. Ar
so our two reflections became known
one another.
1t did not take me very long to fall
love with her, but long time passe
before l could make up my mind to {
more than nod to her every morning
when the old woman moved me from n
bed to the sofa at the window, al
again in the evening, when the lit
maid left the balcony for that day. O
day, however, when | saw her reflecti
looking a. mine | nodded to her al
threw flower into the canal. S
nodded several times in return, and
saw her draw her mothers attention
the incident. Then every morning
threw flower into the water for 'go
morning." and another in the event
for good night" and l soon discover