Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-09-09

He put key in his pocket, looked Ions
at the door on the left, heaved grea'
sigh, then opened the door on the right.
He turned his head, again contemplated
the left-hand door, heaved SECOND
great sigh, and entered his own room
at the right.
Then he took a chair, placed it against
the wall, 90. sstride of it, lighted
cigarette, and remained thus, watching
the little clouds of smoke rise to the
ceiling, and every five minutes pressing
his ear against the wall.
He had been there long while, had
smoked a great deal and had many times
applied his ear to the wall, when his
face, hitherto sombre, took joyous ex.
preston.
Somebody was stirring on the other
side-"She has come in" he said,
aloud.
There was a noise of chairs and dishes
"She is going to diuel' said James.
And he pressed his head yet more
closely to the wall, trying to BE eaware of
the slightest movements OF his neighbor,
unable to see her but happy to feel her
there and to live near her.
Not to see her any more-ah! that
was heartbreaking for james. He saw
her often in other days.
He contrived to pass her on the stairs.
For that he waited in the street whole
hours; then, when he perceived her IN
the distance, he went back, rushed ur
stairs to give her time to arrive, and then
went slowly down. as if mere chance had
brought this blessed moment. But he
always felt so embarrassed to see her
pass by him so grave and 50 reserved,
that he ssluted her more awkardly than
the most boorish school-boy, and lowered
his eyes without daring even to lOoN at
her. 1t was very fine to promise himself
to be less timid, to study graceful bows,
to invent pretexts for conversation, to
imagine skillful declarations; all his
plans we're wrecked at the psychological
moment, and every time that the adored
one passed, James salute her more and
more awkwardly-once he even dropped
his hat.
So, despairing of ever being able to
conquer his simidity, aud trembling lest
he might impress her unfsvorably, he
had preferred to renouuce seeing her.
In that way, he thought. If l do not
succeed in pleasing her, at least l shall
be sure of not disPleasiug her.
And James, therefore, arranged his
lfc, taking precautions never to go out
nor come in at the same hours that his
pretty neighbor did: and contenting him
self with living beside her, for her and
by her-without her suspecting her ex-
istence to him.
However, in order not TO see her he
had learned about her. She called her
self Charlotte. She worked every day,
going out early and returning late. And
she was surely good girl. On! yes,
very good, for far into the night she
was busy with needle-work. And James
felt himself seized with admiration Tor
that brave and beautiful girl who, alone
in the world (she was certainly alone as
no visitor ever came,) knew how to re-
sist all the temptations that she must
fiud IN her path.
How had he come to love her. James
sometimes asked himself. She hal
moved into the house the year previous.
The first time that he saw her she had
seemed to him pretty. and that was all.
In the beginning he had scarcely paid
any attention to her. That had come
gradually-by force, so to speak, inevit-
abIy-through the wall.
James was quite sure now about the
sentiment he felt for Charlotte. He
adcred her, and he was certain that the
present fashion in which be adored her
was the way he Eould always worship
her.
If she had allowed him to speak