The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-03-22
SELECTED STORY.
A Postal Episode.

Street, Blank CITY. Inere was piano;
there were books, easy chairs, pictures.
Beside the furnishings that in these
DAYS are called necessary, there were
the countless small things that make
room something more than mere shell
ter. In the open crate the gas log
burned with irritating regularity and
precision, Haunting its beauty in the
face of the useful but monumental
steam coil Behind gay screen,
slightly ajar, there was tiny gas stove
and singing kettle; the half-open door
of cabinet revealed odd pieces of
china and shining silver.
This is what the sun shone upon
through the big east bay window on
New Years morning. This, and Kath-
crime GRAY at her breakfast table. The
posman had made his one round for
the day. Some business house had
sent her calendar, and there was one
letter. This she was reading. She
made a pretty picture as she sat thus.
The domestic signs and symbols were
becoming to her; they gave her an air
of homelikeness that made one wish
for a cup of the fragrant coffee, just for
the sake of seeing her pour it out.
She had a wealth of brown hair, sim
cere hazel eyes, and a most expressive
mouth. She was tall, slow of motion
and of speech. No one would have
spoken of her as pretty woman, yet
any observing person would have seen
that she had not stopped at prettiness,
but had passed on to something finer.
With all the rest of the world, she
was having a holiday. So she had ar
rayed herself in a becoming house
gown, and was enjoying it just as much
as though she was not, every day in
the year-Sundays and holidays ex-
cepted-engaged in the real estate and
life insurance business.
81 wish" she said-she had fash
ion of thinking aloud when alone
wish that this letter could have been
delayed until TO morrow. / don't like
being so disturbed on New Years day.
There is a saying that as the first day
goes, so goes the whole year" Then
she laughed, and she looked very pretty
when laughing. 81 wonder if I'm to
have proposal of marriage every day
in the year, and feel as bad about every
one as do about thsP"
AVN SUI TUS6 a!l'i Wdlheu W Iuc
mirror. The reflection was not I'M
pleasant; she smiled as she looked at
it. But she said; There's no use in
being fattered by the glass, Katherine;
the fact remains that this is your BIRTH
day and that you are thirty-four years
old to-day, and from this time right
along you are not going to grow any
younger. Here in your hand is an
offer of marriage from an eminently
worthy and respectable man, who
would take you away from Cell 80 and
its kitcheny parlor air, and set GU in
handsome home, where you wouldn't
have to hide your bread in the bureau
drawer, bake and boil in single dish, or
eat boughten pie who would make a
lady of leisure of you, and who, best of
ALL or what ought to be best of all, would
love you and be good TO you. And
yet" she continued, "you hesitate.
With the little lines coming around
your eyes and mouth, with work and
worry and WEAKNESS stretching out
Indefinitely before you-you hesitate.
/ am surprised. You don't show your
usual good business sense, your keen
appre citation of good bargain. You
are ungrateful, also. You ought to fall
on your knees and thank the Lord for
such piece of good fortune. That is,
L suppose you ought, according to the
worlds way of looking at such things"
Then she sat down before the fire and
fell into silence. Truly, she was not in
sensible to the material advantages that
were offered to her in this letter from
W
dealer in canned goods. She loved ease
and beauty and luxury; she could use
them to the adjoining of any position
that might be offered her. She was
tired of work and continuous struggle
for bread She had achieved some sue
cess in business way, and that, too, in
the face of every instinct of her being.
She had made something approaching a
home in this little suite of rooms. Her
friends drifted in of Sunday, or now
and then of an evening, and, slipping
tea from dainty cup, would pronounce
1t all $50 coy and delightful" 1t GER
tainly was great improvement on the
gregariousness of the boarding. house,
but in Katherine's secret soul she felt
it to be narrow and lonely life. She
despise d the makeshifts of light hous e.
keeping, and, being of very social
nature, she often found her solitary roll
and coffee lacking in flavor.
AS she sat thus, with her hands
clasped above her head, she thought
I" 1T it were not for that letter received
and answered ten years ago to-day
the first of the year is fateful day tC
me, surely-I know what my reply
would be to this one. If | could only
forget-but l may as well start my life
anew to-day as any time"
Then she went to her desk and tool
down the old calendar. You've haC
your day, and you may as we'll go with
the rest. One nail drives out another
Your successor ia here, with his ready
made wisdom. BY the way, Tll SEE
what sort this ISL she said "It's some
advertising scheme, no doubt; but i
may have message for me, just thu
same"
She read: "'Be more afraid of thu
companionship that enslaves than o
the solitude that leaves you Free Us,
the High'Ayer Bicycle. Best in TIT
world"
She read the quotation twice, smiling