The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1891-12-10

dressed in q snuH colored suit, Win
rose in his buttonhole and the tiniest
derby imaginable tilted over one ear.
Gazing laughingly at him, was just
telling my mother to look at that absurd
little creature, when what was our sur
prise to see Eta. the staid, the quiet,
dash wildly across the lawn, rush down
to the gate. and throwing her arms
about the little fellows neck kiss him
first on one cheek and then on the other.
-
The man, after few quiet but ear
nest struggles, managed to free himself
from her long, thin arms, and looked up
into her face, 80 high above him, with
pleasure surely, but without trace OF
loverlike ardor.
On closer inspection it proved to be
such funny, rosy, childish face that it
was impossible to look at it without
laughing. Eta seemed to find it so, for,
smiling happily, she escorted him back
to the house, her long arm linked in his
short one, almost lifting him from the
ground at every step, and presently we
heard the low monotone Of their voices
in the kitchen below.
Not the least queer thing about this
queerest OF queer men was a yellow
shock of hair, plastered down in care
fully arranged scallops all around his
chubby face. Isuppose it never occurred
TO him that the back of his head was
ever seen, for there the hair stood
straight out in bristly points.
Soon Eta appeared, and blushing and
hesitating, said, My cousin hat coined
from Christians"
That was all, but my theory was
proved, and made use of that timeworn
and sggravating phrase, "What did
tell your"
DAYS came and went, and so did the
little Norwegian, but nothing was said
of an approaching marriage. Parcels
poured in upon us, and Eta sewed stead
lily on. Each afternoon Auguste 1--WE
learned his name) appeared, apparently
propelled by the regular motion OF the
big cane. Somehow he always seemed
like a piece of machinery, for his appear.
ance never changed-always the snuff
colored suit, the little hat and the but
tonhole bouquet; and he seemed to 60
and come mechanically, enveloped in a
cloud of smoke pulled from the big cigar.
Eta owned one thing strangely out Of
keeping with her other possessions. II
was large gold watch, attached to an
old fashioned chain, from which dangled
two or three odd, foreign looking charm:
of fine workmanship. She was very fond
of it, as ii had belonged to her mother
and wore it always, till at last 1t seemed
almost a part of herself. Seeing hel
without il one day, exclaimed imme
diately, as l thought she must have
lost it.
She waited a moment before replyinG
and then said slowly, II hat lend it tC
my cousin"
She then told me that Auguste was a
barber by trade, and had come to Amer
lea with money she had sent him for the
trip.
After the disappearance of the watch
Auguste came less frequently, and a:
time went on seldom appeared oftener
than once q week. There was no more
sewing, and Eta began to look more as
of old. Little by little the happy light
faded from her face, and the gray eye:
became sadder by contrast, perhaps
than before.
A time came when weeks passed with
out a sign of the little Norwegian, but
one day a letter arrived for Eta in the
same crooked writing. Some time latel
in the day, going into the kitchen,
found Eta leaning on the table, the let
ter crumpled in her clinched hands anC
her face buried in her arms.
l touched her gently on the shoulder
but got no other response than the low
stifed sobs which shook the poor, thir
body from head to foot. At last sh,
raised her sorrow stricken face, and lift
ing her eyes to mine said slowly, with
her lisping accent, II hat to go way;
hat sorrow, great SORROW"
She would tell but little of her story
She was to have married her cousin in .
few weeks time, but he had tired Of her
and that day a letter had come from
him, first begging her to forgive hin
and then telling her that he had sold hel
treasured watch, and by the time she
got that letter would have sailed on 1
vessel bound for Norway.
shall you, too, go homer" / said.
Slowly and sadly came the answer
"No." and felt that with the utteranc,
of that little word she gave mp all hope
and renowned forever all thought o
the happiness she had been picturing fo
herself the last few months, as she sa
sewing steadily, only psusing now ant
then, with a little flush in her pail
cheeks. to softly steal q hand into he
pocket and touch the letters she Away
carried there.
Next morning Eta could not be found
In a corner of her room stood littls
hair trunk labeled with q Norwegian
address and filled with the garments 81
recently finished. IL was corded up ana
sent to Christiana; it may have reaches
its destination or it may not, its fate 1
as uncertain as Etta's own. The poo
woman, tired, disappointed and hope
less, had vanished that night, taking
with her little else than her sad, sal
thoughts.
often picture her with her stoopinl
shoulders and pallid, tear stained face
every vestige of love and hope gone ont
wandering away into the night and gsz
ing up at the stars, 50 serene and IA
away, ss she murmurs, ''Forsaken, for
saken.--F. L. c. in Boston Herald.
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