The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-03-12

/ Inc man. Attct -" L---' 49, 49,
/ nest struggles, managed 70 free himself
from her long. thin arms, and looked up
| into her face, 20 high above him, with
pleasure surely, bat without trace Of
/ loverlike ardor.
On closer inspection II proved to be
such funny, rosy, childish face that It
was impossible to look at it without
| laughing. Eta seemed to find 1t 30, 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 yellow
shock Of hair, plastered down in care
fully arranged scallops all around his
chubby face. Isuppose 1t never occurred
to him that the back Of his head was
ever seen, for there the hair stood
straight ont in bristly points.
Soon Eta appeared, and blushing and
hesitating, said, my cousin haf coined
from Christians"
That was all, but my theory was
proved, and made use of that timeworn
and aggravating phrase, What did ]
tell your
Days came and went, and so did the
little Norwegian, but nothing was said
| Of an approaching marriage. Parcelt
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 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 go
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 charms
of fine workmanship. She was very fond
OF it, as it had belonged to her mother,
and wore it always, till at last it seemed
almost u part of herself. Seeing her
without it one day,I exclaimed imme.
diately, as / thought she must have
lost it.
She waited o moment before replying
and then said slowly, Il hat lend it to
my cousin.
She then told me that Auguste was
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 as
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 eyes
became sadder by contrast, perhaps,
than before.
A time came when weeks passed with
out a sign of the little Norwegian, but
one day letter arrived for Eta in the
same crooked writing. Some time later
in the day, going into the kitchen, ]
found Eta leaning ON the table. the let
ter crumpled in her clinched hands and
! her face buried In her arms.
/ touched her gently on the shoulder,
but got no other response than the low,
stifed sobs which shook the poor, thin
body from head to foot. At last she
raised her sorrow stricken face, and lift
ing her eyes to mine said slowly, with
her lisping accent, Il hat to go way; ]
hat sorrow, great sorrow"
She would tell but little of her story.
She was to have married her cousin in a
ewweeks' time, but he had tired OF her,
and that day letter had come from
him, first begging her to forgive him
and then telling her that he had sold her
treasured watch, and by the time she
got that letter would have sailed ON
vessel bound for Norway.
shall you, too, go homer" / said.
Slowly and sadly came the answer,
mo-" and felt that with the utterance
of that little word she gave up all hope,
and renounced forever all thought of
the happiness she had been picturing for
herself the last few months, as she sat
| sewing steadily, only pausing now and
then, with little flush in her pale
cheeks, to softly steal hand into her
pocket and touch the letters she always
carried there.
Next morning Eta could not be found.
In corner of her room stood little
hair trunk labeled with Norwegian
address and filed with the garments SO
recently finished. 1t was corded up and
sent to Christiana; it may have reached
its destination or it may not, its fate is
as uncertain as Etta's own. The poor
woman, tired, disappointed and hope
less, had vanished that night. taking
with her little else than her sad, sad
thoughts.
often picture her with her STOPPING
shoulders and pallid, tear stained face,
every yestige of love and hope gone out,
wandering away into the night and gaz-
ing up at the stars, so serene and far
away, as she murmurs, ''Forsaken, for
saken. IF. l.. G. in Boston Herald.