The morning call., 1890-06-17
THE FRONT DOOR.


his father had done, and every word mat ne
learned to spell and every multiplication table
that he mastered was studied with that end III
view. AS time went his father was glad to
fall In with hts plans, for Jack began TO be aWk-
ward IN his manners and clumsy III MS way OF
expressing his thoughts and these fautsi II IS
generally conceded, be most quickly and
Completely eradicated IN tie East In general aud
Harvard College in particular.
SO. at the time our story opens, JACK nad Deen
improving by this training process Tor nearly
four years and was now a shining light III the
senior class. He belonged to the leading college
societies, aud was 10 be the ivy orator on class
day. In fact, as he rode down tie street he was
trying to think OF something 10 say on that I'M
port ant occasion which should be entirely I'M
like anything ever before offered 10 an audience
composed OF fond and dotlng parents aud bloom
ing buds" In his preoccupicd state he lailed
to observe large hole In the asphalt until just
too late TO avoid IT, and, making an unSualded
movement, he made his fall much worse than 1t
otherwise would have been. There was quick,
short crack as he struck the pavement, followed
by agOuiZiug pain In his light leg and arm:
on gioaued Jack, nov am in the soup
But ] suppose | would better go back to college
as soon as possible" Observe the complex ma
ture OF a college, at least an Eastern educa-
lion When Jack left Washington Territory he
knew nothing of slang; but, on the other hand
be would have said Il had better so back with
out a suspicion that Il was open to criticism.
he had learned a great deal)
When he attempted 10 move. however. he
found that the pain caused by the effort made
him so faint that lie was obliged TO give II up
and fall back again. That was truly pleasan
situation, as lie knew no one In that part OF The
cry and had no idea exactly where lie was
having been 100 much absorbed IN thought TO
take much notice OF his surroundings.
In much less time, however Than 1t has taken
to tell this he was sun ounded by sympathizing
crow d. which sfTang up in the mysterious way
in which crowds generally gather Vi all Things
in The world, Jack hated scene and 10 be HIM
self The central figure was too much for him. He
gave sudden start, intending 10 assure the by
ISLANDERS that lie was all right, and dlSperse the
company If possible. But with groan lie fell
back quEe UNCONSCIOUS.
When he came 10 himself he was in a clean,
rat her scauliy furnished room, lying on bed
and closely watched by graye-U0king DOCTOR
A lie opened his eyes look OF relief calIe over
the doctors face, and he turned away, saying:
" He Will come along all right now bul," turning
TO Jack, you will have 10 Keep perfectly sun
for al least Il mouth, young man. You have mad
! narrow escape and these broken bones VIII
have TO be carefully treated 10 prevent your be
Ing cripple. l SPEAK pialuly, Tor see you are
rather impatient, and probably not inclined to
follow my directions without seeing 4 good fea-
son for doing So"
Jack looked pileously at the other person in
the room, plain unattractive woman, who WAS
evidently tile mistress OF the house. She dp-
peared somewhat emDa fTassed al lllS uneN-
pected addition 10 her family Though she looked
with favor, as most women did, upon The waving
br own hair and dark blue eyes Of Inc young man.
He was Il handsome young fellow, and even more
attractive aud winning IN his mauners Than III
his face, and having u peculiarly sweet smile.
She was sorry for his misfortune, although II
promised 10 b.lng her a welcome Increase In her
income, She Kept a respectable, though not
Luxurious, boarding house, on one OF those
and sometimes had hard work TO make both ends
meet. l am sorry TO disappolnt tue reader, but
| she had no beautiful daughter 10 entertain the
| Youth until he fell victim 10 her Charms There
! was not young lady IN The house the boarders
being mldule-aged men and their wives, having
almost nothing IN common with our unhappy
| hero.
The next morning, after night OF pain, Jack
! looked Out OF the window, which was opposite
| The bed hoping 10 fad entertainment or al least
! distraction from his WEAKNESS. There were four
brick houses III sight as lie lay, all exactly alike
! numbers So, 40 and A. As he looked lisilessly
| at them lie found himself mechanically wonder
| ing 10 which house each door belonged, but as
| he knew nothing OF the arrangement OF the
| street lie dismissed the subject from his mind"
although his friends we've very Kind aud at
tentlye, SILL he had many dismal, lonely hours;
! the room Itself was not very Cheerful; the paper
was ugly, The Carpet glazing, the furniture dis
| carded parlOr set, with horse-hair covering
| sisted OF an apple stuck with cloves aud wreath
| of HAIR flowers over The mantel- piece. Mrs.
| Phelps, the landlady, although KIND. was In no
way calculated 10 he Il companion to him, even II
| she had had tie time TO spend with him. lie had
begun TO be 4 lntle melancholy, when one day
| Fred Wade, Ills ehum, came III 10 give HIM tile
| college news and ask impaliently low soon he
! could return TO his old quarters AS lie was re-
| plying dlsconsolaley 10 this question Wade.
| who was at the window, suddenly exclaimed:
BY Jove! You have pretty neighbOr, any
way, and ought not 10 be quite 30 down on your
| luck"
"Where is she?" said Jack, without much
| interest; :" haven't seen pretty girl for so
| long that don't think | should recognize one."
| Why here at No. 40, no IS; Which is ii, any
| how 2"
" Thirty eight" said Jack, without looking
| however.
The next day, having entirely forgotten this
conversation, lie saw an extremely pretty girl
come 10 the window opposite and sit down with
her work. He watched her for long lime ad
miring her golden, fluffy hair and dark brown
eyes, but without any attempt 10 attract her at
teDtlOn, for Jack was respectful 10 all women,
aud would not have done anything like that, even
] pour pdsSeT lie temps.
This very mild form OF amusement served 10
| distract his mind for several days, When remenl-
berlDg some Story he had read, II occurred To
! him that il would be delightful 10 write to tits
| fair vision and receive replies from her, on all
sorts Of mpersonal subjects, and lie wondered IL
| II would be possible 10 10 so properly. lie sum
moned Mrs. Phelps and asked her If she sup
! posed the young lady across the street would be
! offended II lie were to write 10 her and beg her,
as favor 10 disabled man (here lie put on u
most pathetic aud entreating look, which quite
won Tie good ladys heattl, TO Ielieve his weary
| cOnvaeseence by friendly correspondence.
The street was quiet one, and, strange TO
say, the people were acquainted with each other.
| The story OF JACKS mishap was well known to
all The residents In tile Vicinity, aud Mrs. Phelps
| had made them familiar with his good qualities,
which she was never tired of Tehearsing, elicit
| ing thereby many offers OF assistance from The
nelghbOrs who offered TO do anything in their
| power to help so interesting patient. Conse-
! quenlly she felt justified III saying at once that
| she knew The young lady would be only too
| happy 10 do what she could.
| Strangely enough she did not ask what young
| lady lie meant, and he forgetting after his long
| seclusiOn that there could be more than one
young lady never Inquired her name. However
that was easily known, for on the dOor-plate he
could read the name Dana"
SO lie al once set about his letter, and that
afternoon sent OUT ny friend a teller addressed
| TO Miss Dana, IS Clark street." The very next
day came a pretty, iadyllke reply, well ex
pressed, according to his request Which II is
needless 10 say he put in his very best style.
The correspondence thus begun H0urshed
amazingly, and they wrote OH all subjects under
the sun except poetry, which they both detested.
| He uJaa taIl SIT ~
shown IN her letters, and lie thorough scholar
ship which she displayed, while she admired
his manly tone and the chlyarous respect with
which lie conducted a correspondence under
| such peculiar circumstances.
| He still watched her from the window, and,
| although at first he wondered that she never
| showed any sign OF being aware OF his existence,
| he soon decided that IN this way she gave still
clearer proof OF the refinement OF her character.
| His letters grew DseDsibly warmer in tone as
| his interest increased, and he even said some
things which he considered bound him almost as
much as If lie lad spoken to her aud prOlessed
| his admiration IN person. All this time lie was
! improving In health, for happiness aud interest
In other people Drlug one through great many
| Ills He was now able to walk little around the
room and had the promise OF soon going out
When that joyful day arrived lie dressed with
great care and went at once with cane and
crutch, to 49, where lie sent up his card to Miss
Dana. His impaiience and nervousness can be
imagined by those who have been In similar
situation In 4 minute he heard The ruStling OF
dress on the slairs, and his heart stopped beat
Ing Tor an instant, then hurried madly On 10
make up tOf II. 1he pOTteTeS were pushed aside
and small, brown haired, br0wn-eyed, brown
laced young lady came in. as different as posi-
Die from the one he had expected 10 see. He was
about 10 apologize for what lie supposed must be
mistake, when she spoke, and by her first
words showed that she was the person to whom
he had addressed 50 many and. OF late, such ar
dent epistes.
Jack had never been bashfu, but now his
tongue seemed 10 refuse its office, aud he stood
looking as awkward aud foolish as youth could
well look. have spoken Of his chlyalrOus feel
Ing toward women, AID lie at once determined
that, as he bad committed himself toward this
girl, he would never let her know that he had
been writing, as lie supposed, to someone else.
This, OF course, led 10 few little surprises In
their conversation, but these Jack, who was pos
sessed OF great tact, explained away. and at the
end Of the call lie found himself really interested
in the girl who at first bad promised TO overthrow
all the little romance he had been founding. But
before he went In that day lie hobbled up 10 the
end OF the street to whether there was a
door or house at the corner. and resolved that
q lIaaI q q a