Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-02-13
A FORLORN HOPE.

Tall? Yes. very. She stood head
above the average man. Slight? No
That is too poetical word 10 be in
any way applied 10 the heroine. OF this
little tale whose lean scrawuy figure
looked for all the world like u series
OF BADLY connected angles and whose
STOPPING shoulders and narrow chest
We're clad in faded black jacket.
This garment with its rusty surface
and pulled seams, suited well the sad
looking woman into whose dreary lie
came one little bit Of colos which |
shall try to describe.
Her face correspondent well with the
rest Of her appearance. for it was faded
and worn. and surrounded by fringe
Of straight, dusty brown hair pulled
tightly back from the saltow, 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
a faithful dog who has lost his master,
ana seems ever to wait always pa
tieutly and to watch ever eXpectantly
for the beloved face. She was amor
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
cold dismal rain.
Up to this time Eta had never re-
ceived letter or any communication
from the outside world. She never
left the house, and scorned the idea Of
an afternoon out. However on this
drizzliug day, came a surprise a great
surprise for Eta was discovered hold
ing an open letter tightly Grasped in
one hand But when she found her
self regarded. it was hastily thrust in
TO volumiuous pocket in her skirt
The mysterious epistle was seen sew
eral times again, and these glimPses
showed it to be worn and rumpicd
with much reading. No doubt il
would have been read and reread out
OF existence, had not another fresh
and clean, replaced the first.
This | took from the po5tmau, and
so had chance to see the uneven
characterless writing the Christiana
postmark, and Norwegian stamp It
was followed a 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 Ot
: other Eta was replenishing her clean,
! but scant ana somewhat diIapidated
wardrobe.
Another link in the Chain, thought
], and began 10 imagine the arrival o.
: a stalwart Norwegian over left IL
4 Norway two years before. when shc
had come 10 try her fortune ii Amer
n lea
Letters came more frequently. anc
Eta grew CORES OHdingly brighter
and cheericr- she even seemed 10 trJ
!. 10 hold herself more erectly, for Otter
the bent shoulders We're suddenly
) Strengthened as she went about hci
e work Her voice, formerly 80 tirec
and hopeless. took on more Cheerful
!, tone.
About this time mentioned my 70
!. mantle notions to my mother, but shr
5 only laughed, being entirely unable 4
t connect Etta's sad appearance with I
IS lover, Norwegian or Of any other land
Il She called me romancer but ! still
felt sure was right
= Sooner than | expected came TIN
Z chance 10 vindicate myself, for Thu
next day as sat idly by the window
watching the passers-by my attention
t was attracted by queer little fgur