The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-15
Annie looked up wonderinglv.

r Annie looked up wonderingly.
81 sincerely hope you do find pleasure
in your visits here, and it is pleasant to
hear you say SO, but do not quite I'M
derstand you"
"Why not?"
n "Oh, your words seem to convey a
meaning they do not express clearly"
"Perhaps they do. You know, of
course, that l am a bachelor. Well, 1
have, ever since 1 came to the city,
twelve years ago, lived in a hotel. 1t is
now eight years since my mother died,
and the home of my childhood, to which
from time to time Ireturned, was broken
up. Since that time, this household has
been the only place have visited where
l have been treated with that informal
ity crave, and where the occupants
pursue their work as my mother used to
do. 1t is eight years and more since
I have been permitted by any woman to
sit so near and play with her work as
j, do now, and as l used to do sitting be-
side my mother"
Annie was provoked with herself as
she felt the bushes mantling her cheeks,
for she had noted the tone of tenderness
which underlay his words. To blush was
to assume that this tenderness was di-
rected toward herself, when his words
conveyed nothing of the sort, and when
without doubt only the recollections of
his mother and his home had been stirred
by entering their domestic circle. She
made an effort and replied:
>sr'It is a pleasure, then, at a very small
Sost, am sure, Mr.. Holbrook."
"a pleasure 1 duly appreciate"
Y "Was your mother widow?'
Eyes. With but two children, a sis
ter and myself. My sister is married
and lives abroad-her husband occupies
diplomatic position"
sit is hard to lose ones home. 1t
must be. do not think I could content
myself to live for all time as we are
now. want home of my own, which
I can deck and beautify my own way"
81 think you, yourself, would beautify
any place however bare, and make it
home, Miss Templeton.
This was direct enough, and the blush
swept up again over her face. Hol-
brook did Lot wait for a reply, but con-
tinued:
SIT is woman who makes the home.
Men may erect house, fill it with cost
" furniture and beautiful works of art,
yet it is only an abiding place. Until
some woman graces it with her presence
and her life it does not become home"
Annie looked up archly and said:
''If you appreciate home so much,
Mr. Holbrools, why do you not obtain
one for yoCrself?'
Holbrook looked at her steadily, and
with not even the suspicion of smile on
his face, replied:
Sometimes the heaven we most de-
sire is not attainable. But l propose to
Gztain mine if can by earnest endeavor.
1t is only within a short time that my
Sheaven has been shown me, and when
the time is meet I'll put my fortune to
the test"
Then without permitting reply he
quickly said:
"Come, Miss Templeton, the day is
fine, the air good and you have been
much housed of late-come with me for
a short walk, I'll bring you back to your
mother in time for dinner"
Annie willingly acceded, and ran away
to prepare herself for the walk.
As she walked and chatted with him
freely and with more gayety than she
chad ever shown him before, she was hap
pier than she had been since her brothers
death, and she was surprised to find how
bright the day was and how joyous a
time the autumn could be.
And Holbrook thought it a rare day
one in thousand.