The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-20
ROMANCE IN REAL. LIFE.
An Ideal Suburban Home Not Very
Far From New York
City.
Occupied by the Former Belle of
the Great Eastern
Cities.
A Lovers Quarrel Blishts Forever Her
Happy Dreams-Drudgery With
the Pen-Her Retreat.

Not far outside of New York city, in one
of the suburbs whose shores are splashed
by the waters of the Hudson, stands as
tidy and attractive house as it is posi-
BILE to find, says Edward w. Box, in the
Ladies' Home Journal. It's plate windows
glisten brightly in the sun, the we'll kept
lawns are the comment of everyone who
rides by; in short, it is an ideal suburban
home. It is occupied by woman, now a
triAe over 40 years of age, with face
which still bears the marks of its singular
beauty in youth. Early in life she was one
Of the bellies of one of our great eastern
cities. She became engaged to young
man of brilliant prospects and social stand
ing; but lovers quarrel broke off the
match and almost shattered the intellect
and health of the beautiful girl. She left
home, and. living alone and in poverty,
she determined to begin career for her
self. She had literary talent, and thise she
developed by writing stories. At first
she met with poor success, but
faced by starvation and too proud
to return to her family, she resorted
to writing sensational stories for the cheap
weeklies. Success began to favor her, and
she soon found her stories in greater de-
mand than she could menta lily supply them.
Night and day she worked with the pen.
however, and for eight years she toiled on,
denying herself every pleasure and comfort,
carrying ninety cents of every dollar which
she earned to the savinga' bank. Her goal
was for home of her own, nestled in some
quiet place, somewhere away from the
alone, she might enjoy the peace and quiet
for which her aching soul pinned. At the
end of nine years she chose the spot where
she now lives, and, under her own eve,
built the beautiful little home which to-day
is her temple of rest. During the process
work. writing more industriously than
ter the time she had purchased the
ground, she moved from her humble city
apartments to her country home. From
that moment till the present day, she has
never written line for publication, al
though for long time her publishers Of
fered her large prices. She had accom-.
plished the object for which she had toiled
so hard; and now, with home of her own
and small but comfortable income from
her invested literary earnings. she lives il
quiet and peace, her lot shared only by a
minor household work. Her neighbors
never see her except when she is working in
her garden during the open season. Her
home faces the water and looks over to the
opposite shore of the Hudson. There
directly opposite to her house, began
to rise, two years ago, a palatial residence
now completed, the upper windows OF
which often throw the reflection o.
the setting sun into the open door or cur
tanned windows of the more modest dwell
ing of the literary recluse. The handsome
home on the western side of the river il
that of a rich merchant, whose wife is
well-known society leader, and whose chill
dren are their admiration of their circle
The merchant knows not who lives in tn,
trim little house on the opposite shore
The sweet faced woman, whose life-happi
ness now is within herself and her home, i,
ignorant of the occupant of the mansion OF
the other shore. Only few persons know
the occupants of both houses and they d.
not lift the veil, for peace and content
ment dwell in the houses on both shores
and why disturb their tranquility?