Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-09-05
A RIVER ROMANCE.

II was hot night In London. too hot to
60 20 bed. and we were sitting and talking
of eli things under the sun-and of some
other thinga Suddenly Teddy Bowles. the
owner OF the rooms, who had not spoken
toe about half an hour and was leaning
against the mantelpiece, remarked that he
was engaged.
There was a general Strengthening Of
backs, and one man said "Boshi'
~ have reason to believe" persisted Ted
6y solemnly, that i am engaged to Miss
Florrie Sinclair"
"what, of the Arcadia theateri" ex-
claimed.
'sThe same." said Teddy.
"But thought you loathed her" said
one Of the other men.
There was few moments' silence Then
Teddy looked round upon us, and dropping
his voice to confidential undertone said;
$50 / do"
Clearly the matter could not be allowed
70 rest there. We signifled our desire to
hear some more.
Really IL was all the fault of this con-
founded photograph, combined with the
river (said Teddy, taking portrait from
his coat pocket and holding It out between
his finger and thumb for our inspection). 1t
was the photograph of nun, with the eyes
turned up as IL In prayer 1t seemed some
how familiar to me, though could not re-
member where had seen It haven't the
least idea how came by 1t (said Teddy. I
don't even remember when first saw 1t.
But one day noticed that 1t was begin
ming to establish itself itself as an Inmate
Of my rooms. 1t began, I think, as book
marker. The face had sort Of fascination
: a. bad f,,n nj n
ing, and it was SO friendless. made sew
really no reason why strange girl. whose
tie down In my rooms But you know how
impossible it Is to get rid of thing like
that when 1t has made up its mind to stay.
! tried to lose her among my unpaid bills
and invitations on the maptelpiece. But
she always turned up on the top every
morning and was the first thing caught
hold of when I wanted q paperknife. One
evening man came in when ! was cutting
new book with her and saw noe holding
her In my hand. He laughed, and threw
her across the room. The next day note
Of my piano stuck. ] found her wedged in
between the hammers ] hardened my
heart 1t was in the morning, and was
impervious to sentiment. Looking the
other way to avoid her plaintive eyes, /
dropped her into the waste paper basket.
After breakfast the next morning had
lighted cigarette and was trying to think
Of an excuse for not working when I
wanted an ash tray. I looked round, and
there she was lying calmly on my writing
table. The housemaid, her woman's heart
ever ready to rescue q fallen sister, had
picked her out from the rubbish and rein
stated her. For a moment I hesitated.
Then dropped my cigarette ash over her,
and we were one couldn't turn her out
after that. Ever since then she has lived in
my pocket.
/ was all the more willing to cultivate an
affection for the ideal, as thought It would
protect me against assault from the real.
My idea was to coagulate my sentimental.
ity, 30 to speak. and lAt it in q cool place
where 1t couldn't explode. One would inn
agine that, having concentrated my ten
derer emotions ON a bit of pasteboard, I
could move about the world with some Sc
curity. And so l did until yesterday.
Invent up the river to spend the day with
some people knew who are staying at
NARROW. Florrie Sinclair was with them.
There were some rather nice girls among
the party, but make it rule never to 20
on the river with q girl like. There Is
something about the river which induces
condolences, and prefer not to be over
confident. So got Florrie Sinclair to take
me In her Canadian canoe, thinking that
"a rather disliked her / should be mod
erately safe, especially II could get an oc-
casional glance at my talisman. All the
way mp to Hurley smoked good deal
and talked not much. What little did
say was about lunch.
Il was not till about o'clock that the
real danger began. Up to then the party
had kept together. But at about Florrie
Sinclair began padding around among the
backwaters. could not object, for she was
padding her own canoe. After bit the
hose OF the canoe dug itself gently into
bank. We swung round with the stream
and lay hidden from the rest of the world
under tree. 1t was 50 quiet that the wa
ter rats came up to look at us, and the fish
began jumping under our very gunwale
For long time we scarcely spoke, but the
magic Of the summer evening was sliding
into my soul, for the influence of the river
is quite irresistible,
BY 9 o'clock Florrie Sinclair was hnid'--
my band and telling m. .1 .ay fortune. She She
'e"''" was in love with some one
who returned my affection, which at the
time struck me as absurd. Then told her
fortune said there was one young man
very much In love with her, which seemed
ct the time more than likely to be true.
Then we both lay back, and she told me in
confidence several things which had hap
pened to her, and which she had never told
any one else, and l told her several things
that had not happened to me-
The sun was getting low and shot broad
gleam Of gold down the backwater. lust
catching her hair and lighting IL into an
aureole round her head 1t struck me that
10 years ago she might have been a very
pretty girl. And then began to think how
pleasant 1t would be IL were with girl
really liked. II only were alone with nv
grill took her carefully out of my pocket
in my handkerchief-and took look at
her. What guileless facel And yet how
noble. How commonplace Florrie Sinclair
seemed beside her.
"Whose photo is thati" said Florrie Sin.
clair.
She had detected me.
I concluded 1t was better to tell the truth.
could then talk sentiment freely and
without prejudice for Florrie Sinclair
would know IL was all meant for a third
party.
"That," / answered, "is the guiding star
Of my existence, the girl love- have
never told her 30. She probably wouldn't
care TO hear It. But her face is always
present with me. and I shall never love an
ether"
''Let me look" said she.