The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-08-06
OVER-THE-W AY.

woman. ISM lC9 III was dig jim Gray-
he's telegraph operator on morning
newspaper-w gave her the name Of
course we found out her real name after
ward but none Of us at Mrs. Smiths
ever spoke of her except as Overthe
Way. 1t was at the breakfast table
we are all night workers, and the break
fast hour at Mrs Smiths is noon-and
Jim sits where he can look out of the
window. Miss Elliott-she docs co
ciety" on another morning paper and is
quite vivacious-noticed that Jim was
neglecting his plate of buckwheat cakes
and staring with all his eyes across the
street Now Jim is a master hand at
buckwheat cakes, and Miss Elliott, hav-
ing a reputation for vivacity to sustain.
was perfectly justified in remarking that
M Gray did not seem quite himself.
We laughed, as in politeness bound. and
that brought Jim back. He got up and
made flourish with his napkin and
said:
LADIES AND GENT1.EMEN-lt now
gives me great pleasure to present to
you the neighbor we have long been ex-
pecting. Over-the- Way"
We were so interested that we got
right up from the breakfast table and
crowded to the windows. Even that
reserved and sarcastic Elizabeth Haw
kins-she's telephone girl, and | sup
pose she's justified in having a poor
opinion of mankind. and trying to get
even out of Office hours-forgot her dig
nifty for once and was as interested as
anybody You see. the workmen had
been busy on little cottage right across
the street for two months or more We
did not pay any particular attention to
It until they began to Iut in a second
STORY bay window that was almost as
big as the rest of the cottage. After that
bay window had done duty as family
Joke for two or three weeks we fell to
wondering what sort of people had built
1t, and who would occupy such funny
little house.
Handsome Henry Roberts-he's win
dow dresser in a big State street dry
goods store, and a great hand with the
giris-said he knew some woman was
responsible for that window and hoped
she would be good looking: it would be
. pity to spoil such a fine window
Whereupon dear old Miss Brooks-she's
nice looking even if she is forty, and has
come down from better days to proof
reading-reminded him, in her precise
genteel way. that young men who had
an sometimes came to grief The grace
less Harry responded that a homoly
woman was a real grief, and pretty
one a joy forever Here the scamp
looked hard at Elizabeth Hawkins
Elizabeth Hawkins looked back at Har-
~, and | thought she was going to say.
Busy. what's your number And John
Berry-he's some sort of an editor and
doesn't say much. being as reserved as
Elizabeth Hawkins and peculiarlike-
saw Harry and scowled
Well, as | was saying, we had many a
discussion over that little cottage, and
fnally came to feel sense of proprietor
ship in what we called "Over-the- Way"
So you see it was great day for us
when Over-the- Way herself appeared
To be sure, there wasn't much to see
when we did get to the window-just a
big transfer wagon loaded with new fur
niture, an express wagon heaped high
with household belongings two drivers.
an old negro woman with gorgeous
t9rban, and dear little woman in a
smart jacket and wide brimmed hat.
Harry Roberts declared he was simply
perishing for exercise and fresh air. and
put on his overcoat and strolled past the
cottage. He came. back and reported
that the little woman was a beauty; in
fact, he grew quite eloquent over hel
charms. And then. of course, we had
to talk it all over whether she was
married and if she was, where was hel
husband, and if she wasn't, was she go
ing to live all alone with the old colored
auntys and SO on
Over-the- Way was evidently a capa
bic little body, for she had the furniture
in and the house to rights in no time
And the way old Aunt Amanda-that':
the name we gave to the colored woman
and her turban-rnade things fly moved
Mrs. Smith to wish, with tears in hel
voice, that the days of slavery were bacl
again.
But though the nest was ready, n,
male bird appeared. After week hat
gone by we women began to hate ''hiIn,
as we called the man Over-the- Way wa
waiting for We knew there was
.shim" by the way. She few to NEE
the postman and fairly hugged the lette
w~when she got one, and kind o. droope.
when she didn't. And there were might.
few days when she dropped too.
But his absence didn't seem to bothe
Over-the- Way a bit She was bus
for him. The big bay window was evi
IDENTIFY the pride of her life. Every after
noon she'd put on pretty house dress
snuggle down in big arm chair righ
In the middle of it, and read over he
letters. Harry Roberts thought it wa
AL for his benefit until he found. afte
repeated trials, that she had no eyes fo
him except to find his gIances and att
tudes subject of mirth. And then on
day we found out why it was she had n