The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-05-29
MISS CLARE,
By MARIA L POOL


OfOWu blueS bOOOu OUT hBallsb Lno Idu
sunshine without Q vine clambering near.
At little distance from Its southern end
there rose a tree, a dying sycamore that
drew itself together and refused TO droop
over blackened and mossy well curb
that stood at Its roots That was all one
saw in looking from the hill on whose
brow stopped my horse to rest him and
myself and to survey the country.
Hills rose all round the house, and tho
narrow, grassy road on which l was
travelling was the only sign any ono had
approached the building since It was
erected.
So thought, till, descending the slope
and trotting slowly down the road BY
the house, startled hen with q brood
Of little peeping chickens from q buckle
berry bush close by the way. Impelled
by strange impulse which I did not
understand nor try to resist, l reined in
my horse and dismounted The chick
ems ran screaming to their mother as l
walked by them to the door. Poor
thingsi" said to myself, "how viii they
ever get through the winterr felt
like saying that to everything saw
about the place. 1t was quite q long
walk from the highway to the door, and
my feet more than once got entangled
among the faded remains Of the tall
weeds that had hourished there all sum
mer. Close by the door was astonished
to see plot Of heliotrope set out In the
sun for an hour at midday, supposed.
The air was unusually warm for the late
fall, and the sunlight fell revivingly on
the sweet purple flowers.
Igave q resounding rap on the door
with my riding whip that made the
house echo like a great hollow shell.
Then, before anybody should come, ]
tried to think what l should say when
some one did appear A middle aged,
ordinary looking woman came from
somewhere far back, should think, for
heard her walking q long time before
she opened the door.
"Can you accommodate myself and
horse till tomorrow asked. II am
tired. and would rather stop here than
ride on to the hotel at the next village"
\ After q moments thought and scru-
tiny Of my face and dress she replied;
"Yes, I guess so; IL you'll take care Of
your horse yourself"
agreed TO the condition, and she
called child to show me the stable. A
little, toddling 4-year-old girl came and
went before me, down behind q knoll,
where found q dilapidated barn, into
which introduced my horse.
The presence Of the child surprised me.
l had not thought there had been Q
child on the premises for years. tried
to make her talk, but she would not, or
could not, so walked back to the house.
II was somewhat past their dinner
hour, and said wanted nothing to eat
till supper saw no one but the woman
and child, and began to think l had
courted ct Of ennui In yielding to my
impulse and coming to this quiet place.
Thought Of the heliotrope at the door,
and wondered II it belonged to this wo-
man. l studied her face, and decided
that II she wished to cultivate flowers
she would choose a bright, double mari
gold
l sauntered out Of doors, and round
into the front yard; the flower pot was
gone. My hostess had not removed Il, /
knew. had already woven o little plot,
the heroine Of which should be sweet,
blue eyed blonde, the owner Of the hello
trope. Blondes were my favorites, and
this lady must be Saxon beauty.
At supper, q slight, dark girl came and
sat down at table opposite me. She be-
slowed deliberate, inquiring look upon
me, and then ate her supper, never even
glancing my way again. It was very
provoking; that prolonged look seemed
to satisfy her that l was so very ordinary
appearing that there was no need Of be-
slowing on me another glance. think
! looked at her during the whole meal; I
could not help IT. Her dark face drew
my eyes, and unconsciously challenged
them to peruse Il. Her eyes were large
and dark, the darkness seeming to lie
principally In the great power Of expan.
sion In the pupil, which was luminous
and soft; 90 Il was then, though after
ward learned that II did not always pos
sess that quality.
l Launched several topics Of converse
ton, watching her meanwhile, hoping
sho would favor my frail barks with fair
wind, but she did no such thing; she sat
indifferently, and saw every little con-
versational venture sink down disabled
without saying q word to save IL men
toned number Of places l had visited,
In the forlorn hope that might hit upon
one she had seen. and that she might
manifest It. At last spoke Of hearing
q celebrated lecturer at q certain town
At the mention Of the man's name her
whole countenance darkened like cloud
where one expects to SEQ lightning play
ing, but she did not look up. and I saw
no lightning.
II won't go away from here till have
found you out and made you talk, /
said to myself, when she rose from the
table and left the room without having
articulated single word
So on the impulse Of the moment, be-
cause this woman hal wounded my van.
ity, made that resolve whose execution
changed my life as completely as lives
can be changed.
l devoted myself to my hostess. and
finally retired to my room, with the
agreeable conviction that I had made o
good impression upJu that lady, and
that she would board me as long
as ! wanted 10 STAY. I was to pay
her q good price; perhaps that had some
thing to do with her ready consent
ALLOW me to assh1 you; I am sup
posed to be stronger than you." said
the next morning when found the
young lady in the harm constructing,
with hammG, boards and nails some