Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1890-12-27

of my heart, and the light just undecided
enough for me to imagine any express
sion in her face that best suited my ar
dent longingsl Later, when the early
SHOWS began to fan, how merry were
those sleigh rides in the mayors sober
family sleigh, drawn by the sober family
horse, Tom always acting Jehui And
when the icier breath of winter blew
over the little lake, sheeting it with a
surface CLASSY smooth, had tenderly
strapped the tiny skate thong round that
ravishingly turned ankle-had held the
taper fingers in mine as we glided in
swift circles over its cold bosom. AS I
have said, Tom was always with us on I
these jaunts; but we were a partie car 1
rec and mindful of the philosophy as to 7
what constitutes company and what a 4
''crowdn
Anna Bolton was ever Toms compan- /
ion. A quiet. fair haired, sensitive !
mouse of n blonde, she was the direct !
antipode in all things Of her sworn ally,
Bette, under whose fostering protection
she would nestle confdingly as though
no harm could reach her there.
She was sole heiress and sole compan-
ion at her splendid residence, SHADY
nook" of very deaf but Argus eyed
| grandaunt minated herself for the
| full allotment of the human span, the
| senior Miss Bolton had small confidence
in the taste OF honor of the sterner sex.
] She jealousy w,.tched the every move
/ 1nent Of her niece, religiously believing
that each man VINO set his eye upon her
fragile form used it but as medium
through which to cast unhoiy chances at
the estate-some ten miles back Of Pike
ton--whose exponent she was. But the
home of the spinster had no great charms
for her heiress unless frightened by the
presence Of her stronger friend and ally;
so, when Bette could not be spared
from her household gods, it was great
comfort 70 quiet little Anna TO sit under
these also, and to stay there neekly so
long as Bette could alternately cajole or
coerce the deaf spinster into permitting.
But that ancient aud unwinliDg Cerbe-
rus had carefully reconnoitered the sur
roundings of the mayoralty. She had
long since concluded that 1 was the
property Of the lady Of the house. and
Tom, being only piece OF live furni.
ture, like the cat, was not TO be counted.
SO little Annals last visit had been al
lowed to run into months. She could
skate well, for all her fragility, and her
! taste and touch in music were both deli
| cate but decided. So, after all, we made
her useful. though 1 felt compunctious
! twinges when i reflected how heavy on
| hand she must be to poor Tom; for, be-
T sides all other reasons, it was an under
= stood thing among as that Miss Bolton
{ was engaged. II not formally contract
s ed to him she was so far committed TO q
I | certain Mr.. Goodwin as 20 make that
contamination a mere matter OF time.
Not very enticing person was Mr.
I Goodwin, GO in years and money grub
e In nature, but--as the senior Miss Bel
ton was wont to say grimly-lf not a
. brilliant man. he was at least safe one.
{ Twenty thousand a year was his allot-
T ment of this worlds goods, and the. very
4 soul Of the spinster swelled within hei
Y when she reflected what that would dc
) for ''Shadynook."
( Yielding Ia all things. the white
i mouse appeared 70 accept her fate in thi:
r with perfect composure, but she shrunl
with peculiar sensitivencss from any al
fusion TO it by one Of us. So, OF course
J. hone was ever made; bat land / wa
n sure Tom as weil-loolzed upon her a
D one of the least interesting of the vic
2. Tins to the Moloch of CONVEYANCE
a Hence fully appreciated the unselfisl
D. friendship that caused him to become
a. martyr to her stupidity, that l might b
a left tetc-a-tete with his glorious cousin
o. One night when our bachelor pipes-o
re punch-had been stronger than usual
in said words TO that effect. Toms rejoir
" Ger was characteristic. lie thrust hi
ne tongue into his cheek, shut one eye yer
rk slowly, and nicling my glass with hi
sy said, Here's good luck, aud bad 'ces
IN to old Goldwinl'
ok Verify, we need never leave our ow
circle for evidences of the mysteries c
Natures complex mechanism. and wins
at very odd errors we make IN our estimat
to Of them eometilnesl
th Atkength its heiress had been impeSs
ce lively called back to "ShaG, : I
Mt minated Argus would have her retur
.er for its Xmas dismal2ess, and when tn;
NO spinster foot was onca put down thel
Ter it stayed Exacting the promise of
is speedy visit from Bette, before Xmas
lly possible, and indulging in many my
of terious whispers and perfect fusillaC
of kisses that set Ine on pins and needl
IN of envy, the white-mousey one wept he
:. self into her sleigh and faded out In
~ the snowy avenue.
d Tom and j, as members of Bette
ew personal staff, had, of course, been i
18th cluded in the invitation TO "Shad
nd nook" but no time was decided in Of
nc. council, and weeks rolled by with
old definite plans about it. Happy wee
IL they were to lne--fcll of sunshine, WI
- only such fecks Of shadow as made r
est enjoy Che more. basked in the snnil
ced of the only woman / had ever real
up cared for, and, whether they were
we for me or not, was namely happy,
till For there's nothing half SO sweet in life
WI As Loves Young dream
70 -, --,--,-.