The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-12-12
A FORLORN HOPE.


Tallp Yes very. She stood head
above the average man Slight? No.
That is too poetical a word 10 be in
any way applied to the heroine OF this
little tale whose lean, scrawny figure
looked for all the world like series
OF badly connected angles and whose
STOPPING shoulders and narrow chest
were clad In a faded black jacket
This garment with its rusty surface
and pulled seams. suited well the sad
looking woman into whose dreary life
came ono little bit OF color. which /
shall try 10 describe.
Her face correspondent well with tho
rest OF her appearance, for il was faded
and worn. and surrounded by n fringe
OF straight dusty brown hair, pulled
tightly back from the sallow. weary
face. whose one redeeming feature was
the eyes---dark gray. and oh! so sad.
She had that expression OF wistful
waiting sometimes seen IN the eyes OF
n faithful dog who has lost his master
and seems ever TO wait always pa
tiently. and 20 watch ever expectantly
for the beloved face Sho was a Nor
wegian. named Eta. and lived in our
family as cook for nearly year.
Weeks passed by and early autumn
which had brought her 10 us. shed
leafy tears. and departed suddenly
leaving us all unprepared for winter's
advent which announced itself in a
cold dismal rain.
Up TO this time Eta Ind never re-
ceived letter or any communication
from tho outside world. She never
left tho house and scorned tho idea OF
nn afternoon out However. on this
drizzling day. camc a surprise, IA great
surprise for Eta wa discovered hold
ing an open letter tightly grasped in
ono hand. But when she found her
self regarded. IL was hastily thrus, in
20 voluminous pocket in her skirt.
The mysterious episte was seen sew
cral times again. and these glimpscs
showed IL 10 be worn and rumpled
with much reading No doubt IL
would have been read and reread ont
of existence had not another fresh
and clean. replaced the first.
This ] took from tho postman and
charocterless writing. the Christina
posfrnark. and Norwegian stamp. II
was followed week later by another
then another.
! became Interested for ] felt ] was
on the track OF real live romance.
The pale. tired face seemed TO grow
brighter in those days and for the first
time Eta made frequent trips TO the
city. returning laden with bundles OF
every size and description. All her
spare time was now employed In sew
ing. Calicos and prints were made
and laid aside. For some reason or
other Eta was replenishing her clean.
but scant and somewhat dilapidated
wardio ODE.
Another link in tho chain. thought
]. and began TO imagine the arrival Of
a stalwart Norwegian lover left in
Norway two years before when she
had come TO try her fortune in Amer
lea.
Letters came moro frequently. and
Eta grew correspondingly brighter
and cheerier-she even seemed 20 try
10 bold herself more erectly for often
the bent shoulders were suddenly
Strengthened az she went about her
work Her voice formerly so tired
and hopeless took on n moro cheerful
tone.
About this time / mentioned my ro-
mauiic notions 10 my mother. but she
only laughed. being entirely unable TO
connect Etta's sad appearance with n
lover. Norwegian or OF any other land.
She called mo romancer but / still
felt sure / was right
Sooner than / expected came the
chance TO vindicate myself, for the
next day as sat idly by the window
watching the passers-by. my attention
was attracted by queer little figure
way down the street which camo on
toward the house at n rafting pace
gaily swinging huge cane. and puff
inc vigorously nt mammoth cigar.
Al distance. 10 was impossible 10 tell
whether he was boy or man, such a
comical. little figure he was. dressed
Ia n snuff colored suit with rose In
his buttonholc. and the tiniest derby
Imaginable tilted over one ear.
Gazing laughingly ut him ! was just
u.