Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-10-03
LITTLE MRS. HAYNES.

~ Wuo hu tNruNiui Urn III INV Young ilft
when my father announced his intention Of
renting the light, airy. southern chamber Of
our old brown house 10 young portrait
painter, who was about becoming a resi.ien,
In our village during few weeks OF the sum.
mer. Never before had an event SO stirring
and exciting in ills tendency broken over the
monotony OF my existence Never before had
my childish imagination been furnished with
30 wide field Of action, or my little heart
throbted and palpitated with such strange
mixture Of wonder and delight A portrait
painter under our own roof, within the walls
OF our own home what rare chance for my
fnquisitive eyes 10 draw in a new fund Of
knowledgel What an object Of envy should
be TO my little mates, and how daintily would
mete out to them what | learned from day
TO day of the wondrous man Of the wondrous
employment
had heard Of portrait painters before IL
Is true, hut only as | had heard and read OF
fairies In my little story books, or listened to
my father as he talked of kings and courtiers
In the great world afar of. Upon our par-
lor walls, from my earliest remembrance,
had hung portraits OF my grandfathers and
grandmothers, but | had no idea how their
faces came stamped upon the dark canvas, or
when or by whom their shadows had been
fixed within the heavy gilt frames Like the
trees that waved before the door and the
lilacs that bloSsomed every year by the old
gate, they had 10 me always been 10.
But now my eyes were To rest upon the
face Of one whose existence had been like a
myth, fable. What "a wonderful parsonage
he would be- What a dark visage he would
boast and what monstrous, giant like form
How entirely unlike every person that had
sfssf mr. EnaNn txn4ti,1 la t=fr
painter
While these speculations were at their
height in my busy brain the hero made his
appearance, scattering them merciessly to
the four winds. There was nothing giant
like in the little graceful figure that sprang
from the village coach, or dark in the pleas
ant boyish face, shaded 10y masses of brown
hair, and lIt up by IA merry pair of blue eyes,
running over with mirth and mischief His
name, too, like the generality OF names, had
nothing wonderful or striking to characterize
It, He was simply Frank Haynes, nothing
more or less, and when, with IA pleasant easy
grace, he sought to win NV childish favor, /
should have bsen quite AT home had not the
stunning knowledge of his art overtowered
me. IL was a strange freak for child of ten
summers, but somehow 1t crept into my baby
brain that must not like him, although the
while, in spite OF myself, preference for his
opinions, ways and looks grew mp strong
within me Ii he spoke to me when any one
was observing him ! was silent and shrank
away from him timidly; but when we were
alone l chatted and chirrupped like young
robin. think he must have noticed this,
and from il have taken into his head the boy
ish idea OF teasing me.
To him, he said, was little Phebe Lester
Iona hat ks. 4
cared for him, For the future he should call
me Mrs Haynes-little Mrs Haynes-and
should I've very angry if everybody in the
house did not follow his example. / must
not ever have any little heaux among the
schoolboys now that my name was changed;
but must be prim and proper like any mar
ried woman who is faithful to her husband
"Would | agree to thisI' he asked
i glanced up from the hem OF my white
muslin apron, which ] had been twisting
about my finger, to meet my mothers eye
liked laughingly upon my face In moment
my lips were closed resolu.ely, while he.
seeing at once the cause Of my silence. reached
out OF the window and plucked IA rose from a
running vine chat crcpt nearly TO the messy
caves.
"Little Mrs. Haynes must wear the rose, y
be said at would never do for her TO toss
her head and throw his gifts narelessly by.
All married womeh wure flowers which their
husbands gave them. Would wear the rose r
l glanced about the room again. My
mother was nowhere to be seen, and so 4aid
that would wear il il he wanted me to.
'And would | consent to he called little
Mrs Haynes
"Yes. would consent
"Then it was all right. He would never
look about for a wife, nor should look
about for husband We were Mr. aud
Mrs Haynes Did that SUI; mef'
''Oh, yes, that suited me. | like that"
"Well. then. he should have To buy me a
little gold ring to wear upon my third finger,
10 let folks know that some one owned me- y
''No, didn't want ring
''Tut, tut, tut That would never do.
People who were engaged To be married al,
ways gave such pledge He should speak
10 father about It,, 80 that il would be all
right. II he was willing, would ! wear the
ringf'
mo, didn't like rings"
Wouldn't | like the ring that he would
buyG"
"So. wouldn't like a ring at any rate
During his stay, which was protracted &c
months, instead of weeks, he stroye in every
way TO change my determination about the
engagement ring, as he termed it. was in.
exorable A ring | would not wear. MOI
even when he made ready for his departure
and told Inc that in few weeks he should bs
thousands of miles away from me, nor when
he piled up before me pictures that he had
drawn at his leisure during the long summer
hours that hung heavily upon his hands
would l revoke my decision. / tsould tax.
the finely executed drawings, tito prettily
framed portrait Of himself, but would hay.
no rings.
At last he went from ns. | shall never for
get the morning, or how cold, dull and cheer
less IL seemed TO me. How dreary and desc
late everything looked because he was goinl
away. IL was not every day grief that bor,
down upon my young heart, no childisi
promise that assured him, as he kissed m,
quiyering lips, that would never forget him
and that would always be his little Mrs
Haynes
''would write to him and sign tina
namer'
.Yes, would
81 was a good girl, then, and he wouli
never forget me. Good-byI"
"Good-byln My voice trembled and fui
tered uIon the words In my short life the,
were the hardest had found to speak
During the next two years no lady Low
could have bean inore faithful TO her absen
knight than l was TO Frank Haynes. Til
brightest moments VI my hfe circlsd abou