The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-21

"Of Julia, I reckon? Heb! heb! hav
Yes, sir; reckon you meant julia
But Berry, with a look in his eyes as if he
mad been struck in the face, was backing
up the steps.
Good day, si,' he murmured in chill
| farewell.
He shut the door softly in Difference to an
instinct OF quietness which had been &C.
centuated by his lately dead mothers many
years of sickness. Old Mrs. Lowry had
been known IN the village as captain -
and her forceful presence still seemed to
Berry SO thoroughly to pervade the small
rooms that he would scarcely have been
surprised If sharp voice from the hall
bedroom had inquired if his boots were
cleaned before he came in. The old wo-
mans voice had not been one always to in
spire good cheer, but Berry had a sense of
longing for its high treble tones as he came
into the musty sittingroom and caught
fnnereal CLEANS of hair-cloth from the i'd
die backed chairs about the walls.
"Silas needn't hev spoke as he did," he
protested to himself, ''but he never had no
notlont OF anything beautiful" He glanced
look of restfulness came into his eyes, s.He
hesn't sense enough to appreciate Julia" he
said aloud, with something like triumph
ant consciousness of his own critical pow
ers.
Julia hung on the wall just above pair
"a ouAA0 saSsn, scIOiieu Win splOery pink
roses and fading gilt She had hung there
during the whole span of Berry Lowry's rec
election. He could remember staring up at
ner when he was SO small that his sandy
nttle head had lain clean back on his spine
IN the strain of upward vision. She seemed
20 MIN now. as she had seemed then, the
1ranscendent perfection of womanly beauty,
and perhaps this was SO because mis- aesthetic
consciousness had been tormed nnon
mel. lines and tints. These were
not of the most ethereal sort
Tor; indeed, Juiia's .graces were Of
rather norid type. She had an oval face,
with perfectly round cheeks on which a
rosy bloom spread, and her eyes, of sur
passing cobalt blue, were also perfectly
found. Her crimson mouth had one lin
which was like bow, and one which was
like cherry: Over brow something wider
maiden cares to cultivate, brown hair roll
ed smoothly down from parting which
seemed to have been laid of with a ruler.
and above each ear q clump of rinelets hung
with spirited outward spring. suggesting
the attitude of n fiery chargers tail. Her
gown made q straight line from sloping
shoulder to shoulder, and on one slim, APP
parently homeless finger Julia held dove.
as riRidly white as if done in block sugar.
About all this loneliness gilt frame nm
folded massey circlet of bloated cheru-
BIN violently sporting in wreath of fat
uOW0!6s
IF Lina's hair was only brown" medi-
tated Berry Lowry, gazing in rapture az
the vision above him, it d be easier. Bnt |
it's black. an believe thar's some gray in
It.. It's turrible still around the house
since mother died. like Lima better than
any one know, an yet somehow il I |
married her might always be setting Julia |
oH against her, and mebby my manner
sould show thet-thet didn't rs think |
Lima came out ahead"' He sighed and |
hen turned to listen, having caught the |
path outside.
There was hesitating sort of step on
he porch. and presently very little rap
ounded. It had grown rather dark ont
nde, and as Berry opened the door he saw a
ow white star in the sky just behind the
lgure OF the woman who was standing on
lls threshold. her arms weighted with a
overed tray.
She gave forward little, and there vas a
lncle OF crockery. "Oh. Nh. Lowry! why.
run IN with snack OF fried chicken an