The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-02-01

lett, SAT GOWN III my WlHuOW W HliSu
the charmed pages of '.Eothen. " when,
CHANGING to look up, Isaw face at the
gay window opposite. A more appro-
pirate head for that window could not
possibly have been imagined 1t was
crowned with quantities of erratic red
hair The checks were glowing. the
lips full and red, and, though l could
not see the color of the eyes, they gave
me a sense of brightness. The gown,
turned away from the full throat, was
as blue as the Flemish pitcher, and at
the spot where its folds met cleaned a
bunch of the nasturtiumS.
] was conscious that the face threw
a bright glance my way, and blushed
to think how wan and weary must look
to such gay, glad creature. A quick
glance was all l got, but that night,
walking down in the windy twilight it
haunted me wonderfully.
Pehaps l can safely say it was the
first thing that had entertained me since
Salina was laid away under the larches.
The next day, for a reason which l
would not own to myself, sat by my
window with persistency, but though
the nasturtiums seemed more gaudy
than ever and the parrot stood among
them and shrieked Zine day, fine day."
1 saw nothing of the radiant face.
l worked all night with q feeling of
disappointment and was glad enough
when morning came.
There is nothing in life so charming
as sleep-except DEATH" says some
Frenchman, and his epigram kept ring
ing in my ears as l took my early
breakfast at a little coffee-house and
hurried home. Few were on the streets
| yet, but the sparrows were chippering
in frantic manner and five hundred
whistles were in full-throated clamor.
The morning was very sultry and l
/ sat in the window a moment to rest be-
fore throwing off my clothes. lifted
my tired eyes YEARLY, and there across
the way in the midst of her oriental
splendor. sat my bright lady. She was
looking at me in so plying way that
felt sure she was thinking of me, and
knew my face was pale with fatigue
| and sad with loneliness.
My hand resting on the sill, held a
pencil, and mechanically, with no
thought that she might hear or under
stand, tapped in Geographic signs:
II am so tiredr'
Can you fancy my delight, my sur
prise, my bewilderment, when the
pretty white finger with the thimble on
it responded quickly:
Tell me why you are tired"
Oh, Salina, Salina, can you imagine
how sweet it was to your lonely boy?
If you could only know how sweet she
was, Salina, how much brighter and
gayer than any thing We ever saw in
the old town! Could you wonder. Sa-
| lima, that / grew bold and told her my
story, or blame me, that when she drew
the curtains at last and nodded a fare
well, laid down and slept as if l had
been drinking poppy-juice?
After that always got a nod from
her whenever ! CHANGED to see her, but
she had evidently repented of her for
mer impulsiveness and would no longer
respond when l tapped some courteous
message over to her. But one dull Sum
day, when there was a frightful down.
pouring of rain, saw my bright lady
at her window, and / counted on her
ennui to make her kind. The windows
were closed. of course, and the street
quite deserted. The nasturtiums were
getting 3 drenching. the parrot was
] not visible. Even the yellow curtains