Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-04-26
ETTA'S ROMANCE.
BY F. L G.

By F. L. G.
Tall? Yes. very. She stood a head
above the average man.
Slight? 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 series Of badly connected
angles. and whose STOPPING shoulders
and narrow chest were clad in n faded
black jacket.
This garment, with It's rusty surface
and pulled seams, suited we'll the sad
looking woman into whose dreary life
came one little bit of color, which 1
shall try to describe.
Her face corresponded we'll 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 sallow, weary
face, whose one redeeming feature
was the eye-dark gray. aud oh, so
sad
She had that expression of wistful
waiting sometimes seen in the eyes OF
a faithfulidog who has lost his mas
ter, and seems ever to wait, always
patiently, and to watch ever expec-
family for the beloved face.
She was a Norwegian named Eta
and lived in our family as cook for
nearly year
Weeks passed by and early Au-
tumn, which had brought her to us,
shed leafy tears, and departed sud-
denly, leaving us all unprepured for
winters advent. which announced IT,
self in a cold, dismal rain.
Up to this time Eta had never re-
cefved letter or any communication
from the outside world. Size never
left the house, and scorned the idea
of an afternoon out.
However, OH this drizzly day there
was surprise, great surprise, for
Eta was discovered holding an open
letter tightly grasped in ono hand.
But when she found herself regarded
1t was hastily thrust into n volumi-
nous pocket in her skirt.
Now this pocket was marvel in it.
self, rs it could hold myriads of things.
Why, one day 1 saw her produce n
pillow case, work k-box, scissors and q
brass thimble at one fell swoop; at
another time-but 1 am wandering
far away from the letter and its con-
sequences.
The mysterious eptstle was seen
several times again, and these glimp-
ses showed it to be worn and rumpled
with much reading No doubt it
would have been read and reread out
of existence had not another, fresh
and clean, replaced the first.
This took from the postmau, and
had chance to see the uneven char
acterless writing, the Christiania post
mark and Norwegian stamp. 1t was
followed week later by another, then
another,
I 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 Sow
ing. Calicos and prints were made
and laid aside. For some rea-
son or other Eta was replenishine
her clean but scant and somewhat di-
lapidated wardrobe.
Another link in the chainl thought
1, and began to imagine tho arrival
OF stalwart Norwegian lover left in
Norway two years before, when she
had come to try her fortune In
America.
Letters came more frequently, and
Eta grew correspondingly brighter
and cheerier-she even seemed to try
to hold herself moro erectly, for often
the bent shoulders were suddenly
Strengthened as she went about her
work. Her voice, formerly SO tired
and hopeless, took on more cheerful
tone.
Not the least remarkable of Etta's
peculiarities was her manner OF
speaking; slowly and lispingly came
the broken English, which was at
first SO hard to understand. Such n
sad mixture of her mother tongue and
this new, strange language, such YER
bal combinations and misplaced
plurals were never heard before.
About this time 1 mentioned my
romantic notions to my mother, but
she only laughed. being entirely un-
able to connect Etta's sad appearance
with lover. Norwegian or of any
other land. She called me romancer.
but still felt sure was right.
Sooner than 1 expected came the
chanceto vindicate myself, for the next
day as sat idly by the window, watch
ing the passers by, my attention was
attracted by queer little figure way
down the street, which came on to.
wards the house at a rafting pace.
gayly swinging huge cane aud pull
ing vigorously at mammoth cigar.
at a distance it was impossible to tell
whether he was boy or man, such a
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 lauRhingly at him, was
just telling my mother to look at that
absurd creature when, what was our
surprise 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
thsn on the other. The man after q
few quiet but earnest struggles, man
aged to FREQ himself from her long,
thin arms and looked up into her face,
so high above him, with pleasure sure
Iy, but without trace of lovelike
Rrdor.
On closer inspection 1t proved TO be
such funny, rosy, childish face that
1t was impossible 10 look at it without
laughing. Eta seemed TO find 1t 80,
for smiling happily she escorted him
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