Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-05-19
MY FAIR UNKNOWN.

neal ts one o1 the QualnteSf places on tn
kentish coast True. II possesses q tin,
stone jetty at the extremity of which
beacon flashes through the night. but NJ
gay promenaders pace its asphaltet
parade no Gockney children disport them
selves upon its beach, and the burnt corl
minstrel is there a genius almost un
known
Here found myself three summers agc
whilst on sketching tour had done
the down washed in the sea in every
mood smeared. sketched. daubed anC
spattered until there was not a stick ol
stone in the place that had not found Its
way into my sketch book
On the last day Of my stay sauntered
down to the beach with the lazy gait of q
man who has done his duty. my camp
stool under my arm. my box of tools in
hand--not that ! set out with any distinct
purpose of using the same. for had ex
hausted the sea and my own capacity
bu. simply for the sake of companionship
oonfess | was growing trife lonesome
| Nature sometimes bored me
As | strDlled along. rejecting with
satisfaction that | would leave the field
with 9 clear conscience and empty paint
tubes. rock lying in peculiar position
struck my fancy and I stopped to
sketch IT
unfolded my little camp stool and set
II down on the hard level sand The
tide was low. but the stool stood un
evenly and. glancing 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
o womans
Feelings akin to those experienced by
Robinson Crusoe rushed over me as !
gazed Remember that | 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
communlngs were mostly of sordid na
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 to follow the
trail
am somewhat Of philosophic turn of
mind and as walked along lapsed into
tram of thought worthy the great Oar.
win 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 8 feet Ga good height for wo
man
That II was woman, ! knew by the
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 q woman. and
nothing gives more grace to walk. to
my mind detest these tottering. trip
ping women
noticed that the distance between each
two Of the points was of equal length.
that indicated alertness and the poise of
elastic strength for a dreamy woman
would have walked all over the beach,
and weak woman would have taken un
even steps
ali along beside the footprints were
other marks which. sitter close inspec
ton. knew to be punctured by the ena
of parasol Another good feature, for
il showed that the unknown female whom
was tracking was not over careful of her
and argued a commendable
absence of vanity and a corresponding
presence of good sense But. alasl the
imprint of the heel was exceedingly small.
and more sharply cut into the s1nd than
The toe making the unmistakaLle impres.
SION OF the French heel So my fair un
known was damsel of Civilizations
slave 10 fashion. possibly
As pursued the trail round the point |
II Walmer castle it turned in to the white |
yllstening beach above high water mark. |
and there discovered impressions in the |
soft sand a. clear as If chiseled In stone. |
.he square mold of book. small-a novel. |
here were the lines of a garment. and the |
ong straight line where the umbrella or
1arasol had lain each new fold of silk re-
Produced perfectly. and the marks at the
handle where fingers had clutched it
oug fine marks-a delicate hand From
his knew she had stopped to put down
Ter book and parasol-she did not throw
hem down therefore she must be gentle
and then she must have stood there and
yazed out al the Sea for q long time
How did know thisf From the two
ootpnnts. side by side. pointing seaward.
md sunk deep in the sand She must be
houghtfui. little sad. which always fol
ows and here she had left a bunch of
Wild flowers which she must have
,lucked in the fields on her way To wan
Ter in fields. to pick flowers as you 60,
re these not evidences of refinement and
beauty loving nat ures
! could not help breathing a hope that
he was neither old nor plain took up
he simple bouquet. IT was limp. but
howed every indication Of being recently
ucked She could not be far away
;tarted back as If | had been shot There.
written on the sand in clear. bold letters.
vas a name-'.Constance
So now on circumstantial evidence. |
had before me picture Of a being that |
had never seen. and of whose existence !
lad not known until this day could
almost imagirs that Constance walked
before me. pr Easing footprints in the sand,
. tall slender girl. with a graceful walk.
Stylishly dressed. and swinging a dainty
,arasol. but. alasl with her back always
.urned TO me
Was my fair unknown prettyf That
The was strong. sensible. thoughtful and
'efned. had guessed. but the paramount
question still remained unanswered-wss
,he prettyf