The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-09

| StoppinB' lh"V you tncn married the place wi q
| oookmarkcr with harp on IT. that YOU eric,
| ut tho tenth chapter. and kissed tho roo, ,yhn,
you ciosed IL YOUR SPIRIT FRIEND"
| Through my popping place l saw tn,
little woman take in the book; saw he,
read the inscription with amnzement
put her hand to her head and ponder
and then draw one of the white cur
tains and look out. A young man was
shaving himself ut u window opposite
saw that she ut once pitched upon
him rs the sender OF the book.
The next day She put blue shades up
Once, watching her from above. rs
though were an angelic being without
wings saw her come in from n walk
with autumn leaves in her hand. After
ward She lroncd them and made u
little wreath of them, which she hung
up over little looking glass. The
next day bought and left at the door
some dollhouse roses.
Since you care for autumn leaves
you will care for these" wrote on a
card, and signed it Your Spirit
Friend" as usual
This time she laughed softly aud put
them in water, and sat and looked at
them long while. Then she peeped
out of her window again. The young
man was not at the opposite easement.
Then she shook her head, and after a
time she took n damast rose from the
bunch and put it in her hair The next
time sent tho flowers | wrote on the
card:
You wore Il damasli rose from the
last bunch | sent you. Will you put IL
yellow tea rose in your hair this timer"
How | watched. ! saw her look,
half pleased, half frightened. At first
she only put the roses in II vase, but at
last she did take one, and it was tea
rose. and pinned it in her black braids.
kissed my hand to her from my Gle
waited situation, bat she did not know it.
So for At least six months | watched.
ana sent her flowers and fruit and
books and little gifts of all sorts But
rs for asking our mutual landlord for
an introduction, l never thought of
that-it never occurred to me. | should
not have dared to speak to her if / had
been introduced.
Tho autumn and the winter passed,
and it was often so cold that / was
Obliged to scrapc away the frost from
my p"cping place to see her; but did
Il, and let me assure YOU that did it
most respectfully, and with the most
~entlcmanly feelings. I played the spy
but it was with the deepest veneration
Spring came. Little green buds were
on the trees, and She opened the window
to let in the air and wore pretty, light
colorcd garments. Now that the win
dow was oDCn She drew her table
farther away from it and nearer the
the wall. This was more convenient
To me.
One evening She sat down at her
table to write Il letter and got INV
glass and found that could see the
words upon the paper. My hope was
that She would aliudc to her unknown
friend. 1t was gratiiicd She did.
After some talks of persons and things
knew nothing of, She wrote thus:
Now. dearest Lizzie. will tell you OF tho
sirangcst thing that has happened 20 me-
have no friends in the ci.y, nor have seen any
one watching me; but from some mysterious
source books, papers magazines. flowers and
fruit are sent 20 me- have had tickets 10
natnecs. Al first was afraid To- go 10 them;
but tried il and no one spoke 20 or looked II
nc. Everything this unknown does is done
deiicatcly. really have begun 10 &c, inter.
'Ssci III Hi'l w 40 ran lC nc oftCn 81: To
myself. Why does he hide himself: II liz
likes ne, why docs he not obtain an iuiroG &c.
ton
'l'crhars he is deformed or disiigured in
some way but il he were / should cert liniy
feel ,ha, 80 line Il soul deserved a better io.l,
Iii, taste IS perfect. When he marks passage,
in q boo; know l Shall like them In fact. 10
confess 20 you = truth when | would admit 10
no other living rci-;, ! am half way in love
with him. I!ow foo ii Of him to keep Iii, in
cocni:o when in so many ways he makes j,
NANTES, that he loves iac.'
read those words with 10Y and re-
treated TO my room to thin. them over.
Having done 50. my resolution was ar
rived ut. | seized e sheet OF paper and
wrote upon it these words:
'-.)i:Nn MADAM am neither d"formcd nor
Gi>iifurcd IN any WAY. Your fattcring opinion
q; ne is so dc!i:ht!hi that, though nodc,tv
prompts me 10 contradict you, ! cannot bring
myself TO do IL. IEGecd want yom to thinl;
even better al NE Than you do. for while | arn
wholly IL love with You, you are only half way
l inclosc my photograph. AZ the same time
make you an offer OF marriage, and will prove
To you rly respectable position in society and
my ability TO support ii wife. And how have
learned 50 much concerning you l will explain
II you will send me 4 line 10 - station -
box 80. Tho line that desire is an answer 10
my offer viii you have me il, on meeting you
are not disappointed in me-
Thanks to my glass roof was able
to see that dear little woman write
yes, or words to that effect: and
called upon her next day, and now no
longer dream that she is my wife. She
pours ont my coffee and makes my home
n paradise. When told her all | have
told you, she said: You ought to have
been ashamed of Yourself" She was
in duty bound to say it, but, between
YOU and me and the rose, She did not
mean it.-I.ondon 'lit-Bits.
An Expressive Expression.
81 heard an expression the other day