Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-08-24
4 SuperAuouS Mystery.
BY CLARA DIXON DAVIDSON.

IL Is my DelIeI Inat my 1atner was always
kind and generous, and merited the good re-
speet Of his family and neighbors, but owing
10 the fact that he labored from morning till
night six days Of the week, and slept the
greater part of the seventh, my early scquaint-
ance with him was necessarily limited.
The memory Of my first hogging at school
is not more vivid to me than the recollection
| OF my first and last day of apprenticeship to
my fathers trade He was well digger, and
l Was taken along to haul up dirt | dis
| graced myself by allowing the windlass to
slip from my grasp when l had bucket Of
clay nearly to the top Of the well. Father
narrowly escaped being struck By the swiftly
! descending bucket and | had a numbing
/ blow on the head from the wndlass handle.
| That night. when l was supposed to be
asleep l heard mother inquire
did the chile make ye right smart of
/ help the dayp' to which my father replied:
'Jim amt no good to work-ain't sense
/ enough to keep holt wen les got holt, so
/ l spose Well eddcate i'm. Lsrnin's poor
stuff, poor stuff enough, but low it's help
TO them 'taIn't got sense"
cried myself to sleep, partly for joy that
was to have what most desired, an partly
I
through the great i'll fortune Of lacking
| sense"
! had been earning a hundred dollars
month for two years, as q stenograp her when
my employers gave me two weeks vacation.
Instead Of visiting my parents in their western
/ home, as had been my habit during school
/ vacations, decided TO see a few days of
! fashionable life at Newport.
! Then | met Ellen Irving, peerlessly beauti-
/ full Ellen, with a smile that warmed and
/ frightened like dawning sunlight and hands
| so fair that my heart sank at sight of them,
! for said, "No poor mans daughter ever had
/ such hands"
! The morning following my first meeting
] with her, studied my reflection In a mirror
! for full ha fhour. / tried the effect Of full
| 'front.' three quarters face, and back views,
/ and nearly twisted my eyes out of their sockets
I in an endeavOr to get glimpse Of my profile.
tried to be free from vanity for the occasion,
and TO pass impartial Judgment upon myself
! In the matter of looks. for wanted to weigh
my chances fairly in my own mind, and
I consider whether there was even the posi-
bility of winning tue heart Of wealthy,
+ beautiful and accomplished woman.
derived some comfort from this consulta-
ton with my mirror. At least l was not re-
pulsive in appearance, and my eyes lit by
love, might be useful allies; further than
this modest man might not go IN self praise.
But after all y unused, In fit OF despond-
ency good looks and good morals do not
count for much in these matters. A wealthy
maid will wed either riches Or rank, wherever
! her heart goes. A man with no money and
P M al hos 70
/ Que hour of Ellen's society gained the
next day BY happy accident, sent me home
I with nv head in the clouds (aud my feet, too,
for all that | remember about them, saying
bver and over to myself
"Ihere are no classes in our land, thank
God! A mans worth here is not gauged by
the number Of pennies in his pocket"
During the remainder of nv stay | saw
Ellen every day, and felt much encouraged
by her manner toward mo. When was
compelled to return TO my work | sought an
interview with Ellen, and, having learned
that she lived in Chicago, asked permission
to call soon after her arrival at home.
She bushed deeply, and tears sprung to
her eyes, as she TREMENDOUSLY replied:
/ II cannot receive you. Pray do not be
angry with me,-but-it is impossible"
! could not reply, my tongue gre w dry, my
[ lips stlffened, and the room seemed whirling
round With me. l stood to a moment gazing
With despairng eyes at her beautiful face
and trembling form; l noticed that she was
pale and seemed as deeply moved as |, and
then turned and left her without word. l
did not mean to be harsh or to seem angry or
resentful, but / could not speak. spell of
silence seemed placed upon me.
Fool, fool that was to hope!n was the
cry Of my heart that night as | travelled west
ward. Il was wrong when l sald we have no
classes in America I was right when L said
love counts for nothing l believe she loves
me- but If she marries it will be a man In her
own station. was too weak to tell her of
my humble origin and position, but she had
doubtless discovered the truth In some way"
Partly because l desired to gain wealth,
and partly i'll the hope OF filling my mind so
full of business that there would be no room
left for love, | began a series of small specu
latlons, which were gradually extended to
more ambitious operations, Until found my
self growing rich. Between being very busy
and very miserable, I neglected to visit my
parents, though l frequently sent them
money and gifts.
Every body knows how completely lost to
each other, people living in the same city
may be, and five years passed after my sepa-
ration from Ellen at Newport before | met
her again.
One day | was passing a handsome resi-
dence on Dearborn Avenue, when CHANGING
to glance toward the house, l saw woman,
with a broom in her hand. and a sweeping
cap on her head. industrlously brushing dead
leaves from the gravel walk. gave great
atari when [ saw the womans face, for 1t
bore a remarkable resemblance to Ellen's,
but reasoned that my dainty love would not
be doing mental work, and that, although
this woman was wonderfully like her, | must
not suppose l had really found her. So
passed on, though the Incident was in my
MUD all day, and was responsible for care
less business transaction, BY which | lost
quite sum Of money.
Try as | would to Danish the thought Of
the neat servant, who looked like Ellen,
could not, and the next morning early 10 und
me saunterlng slowly past the house, where /
had seen her,-toO early, for the shutters
were all closed, and sleepy silence pervaded
the place. Two hours, later | passed again.
Then an inspiration came to me. Might not
daughter of the house undertake some do
mestic duties! l FASTENED up the steps, rang
the bell, and inquired if family named
'Trying'' lived there. No; the name was
Lewis Another thong bt perhaps Ellen was
married aud performing wifely instead of
daughterly services. So | asked for Mrs.
Lewis, not without a wildly pp&aii;pttt5ting