The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-12-12
A FORLoRN HOPE.

Tallp Yes, very. She stood head
above the average man. Slightp No.
That is too poetical a word to be In
any way applied to the heroine OF this
little tale whose lean. scrawny figure
looked for all the world like a series
OF badly connected angles and whose
STOPPING shoulders and narrow chest
wore clad In q faded black jacket.
III This garment with its rusty surface
and pulled seams, suited well the sad
looking woman into whose dreary life
came one little bit OF color, which l
shall try to describe.
Her face corresponded we'll with the
rest OF her appearance for 1t was faded
and worn. and surrounded by 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
faithful dog who has lost his master.
aud seems ever to wait always pa
tiently. and to watch ever expectantly
for the beloved face She was Nor
wegian, named Eta and lived In our
family as cook for nearly year.
Weeks passed by and early autumn.
which had brought her to us. shed
leafy tears. and departed suddenly.
leaving US all unprepared for winters
advent which announced itself in a
cold dismal rain.
Up to this time Eta had never re-
ceived a letter or any communication
from the outside world. She never
left the house. and scorned the idea OF
an afternoon out However. on this
drlzzling day. came surprise great
surprise, for Eta was discovered hold
ing an open letter tightly grasped in
ono hand. But when she found her
self regarded, it was hastily thrust in
to a voluminous pocket In her skirt
The mysterious epistle was seen sew
eral times again. and these glimpses
showed 1t to be worn and rumpled
with much reading. No doubt II
would have been read and reread out
OF existence. had not another. fresh
and clean, replaced the first
This took from the postman. and
so had chance to see tho uneven.
characterless writing. the Christiana
postmark. and Norwegian stamp. 1t
was followed week later by another.
then another.
became interested. for felt l was
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
wardrobe.
Another link in the chain. thought
J. and began to imagine the arrival OF
stalwart Norwegian over left in
Norway two years before. when she
had come to try her fortune in Amer
lea.
Letters came moro frequently. and
Eta grew corrospondingly brighter
and cheerier-she even seemed to try
70 hold herself more erectly. for often
the bent shoulders were suddenly
Strengthened as she went about her
work Her voice. formerly 80 tired
and hopeless, took on more cheerful
tone.
About this time mentioned my ro-
mantle notions to my mother but she
only laughed. being entirely unable to
connect Etta's sad appearance with q
lover, Norwegian or OF any other land.
She called me romancer but still
felt sure was right.
Sooner than l expected came the
chance to vindicabe 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 came on
toward the house at rafting pace.
gaily swinging a huge cane and puff
ing vigorously at mammoth cigar
At distance, 1t was impossible to tell
whether he was boy or man. such q
comical. little figure he was. dressed
In snuff colored suit with . rose in
his buttonhole, and the tiniest derby
imaginable tilted over one ear
Gazing laughingly at him. ] was just
telling my mother 70 look at that alb
surd little creature when what was
our surprise to see Eta the staid. the
quiet dash wildly across the lawn.
rush down to the gaia and throwing
her arms about the little fellows neck.
kiss him first on one cheek and thes
ON the other.
The man, after . few quiet but earn
est struggles. managed TO free himsel
from her long. thin arms, and looke'
up into her facA 20 high above him
with pleasure surely, but without
trace Of lover-like ardor.
On closer inspection Il proved Y
b ouch funny, rosy. childAsh fso
tAas II was Impossible TO 'Iook .