St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-09
SHE LOVED ONCE HERSELF.

Boston Globe.
BY all odds the most attractive house
in town was that of Miss Beth Daven-
| port 1t was charming little modern
affair, full of gables and windows, with
square porch before the front en-
trance, and set back in yard overflow
ing with flowers and shrubs.
Miss Beth was pleased to style herself
san old maid" She was thirty years OF
age, and III the ripe prime of beautiful
| womanhoOd. She was believer In
| fresh air and exercise, and her rosy
cheeks and graceful movements were
very pleasant to gaze upon.
So, at least, thought a young man OF
| twenty-five, who leaned upon the fence
one day and watched Miss Beth water
ing and tending her flowers.
She did not at first see Mr.. Mendon;
! then, looking up in a quick way, as peo-
pie sometimes do at feeling the eyes OF
| others upon them, she bowed and
| smiled.
81 suppose you want me to ask you to
come in?' she said.
"Oh, no." he answered, lazily. II see
| you are busy. 1t struck me at home.
however, that this cloudy morning
would be fine for game" And he
nodded in the direction of the tennis
| court.
"Oh, indeed. Sir Leisurely! And it
occurred to me that this would be an
admirable time to foster neglected
plants. Come! l have some exercise
for you. You shall be 'horny-handed
son of toil' now for while, and help
me train up those vines over the porch.
Mendon looked down at his SpotlesS
| flannels.
They are spanking clean,' he SAID.
60 home and get into some working
| Clothes" said Miss Beth's voice from
somewhere near the ground. She was
wedding.
"Pshaww he said, opening the gate
and coming IN. Il was trying to creep
out of it, but you make me feel ashamed
of myself. You're great worker. Miss
Beth"
THAT Is the only way to be happy"
said the spinster. "What is it with
you?" she asked. "You must confess
tennis was not your only object here
today. Did you want to see me-partlc-
ularIy?"
Yes. wanted to see-you particu-
larly," he said. changing the emphasis.
HAS she been cruel again?" she
asked, showing her white teeth as she
smiled.
That is all over" be said. ut has
been off for three weeks"
why, Max! You never told me-"
mo, was ashamed TO tell YOU
"Why?' she asked shortly. WAS it
your fault? All, Max, il was you tickle
thing"
She said the last III low, disapproy-
ing tone that made the blood rush to the
young mans face. He pulled leaf
from the lilac bush and turned toward
Miss Beth.
"Therep' he said. II thought you
were my friend"
$50 am" she answered. But l am
hers. too. and though L have seen you
every day you have never told me be-
fore. And had been thinking her so
happy"
she is not" he said, wretchedly.
''She is miserable. Every time | meet
her hate myself for the pain L have
given her. But it was useless to struggle
further, Miss Beth. l had ceased to
love her."
Miss Beth kept her own counsel. She
puzzled her active brain for reason for
the little quarrel-she felt sure it was
little one-although she would ask no
questions from either side.
Now, when Elizabeth Davenport was
twenty years old she had been very
much i'll love with young man, land was
betrothed to him. She afterWard decided
that she did not love him and had sent
him away.
She at length realized that she did
love him, but she could not call him
back, for she had no idea of his where
aboutS. Then the news of his marriage
reached the town.
So, drawing from her own experience,
Miss Beth desired to save Max and
Ethel much sorrow. She admired Max
extremely.
MISS Davenport frequently summoned
the young people OF both sexes to help |
her overcome the quiet of the evening |
hours.
1t was perhaps two weeks after Max |
had contided to her his misunderstand- |
ing with Ethel, and it was about s |
O'Clock in the evening when he Strolled |
over in answer TO Beth'S summons. |
There was light in the parlor and an
other in Miss DaYenport'S little room !
over the porch.
He was very much at ease in the |
house, so when the old woman who let |
him in told him that Miss Davenport |
was at home, he crossed the little |
square hall, laid his hat and cane on the
table. and lifted the curtain of the par
lor door with perfect composure.
But lnSide-What then? He saw
young lady seated facing him, evil
IDENTITY waiting for Beth; a girl with
large blue eyes and masses of pale
brown hair, seated with one hand rest
ing between the back of the chair and
her head, looking straight at him with
a very frightened little gaze. 1t was
Ethel.
Max did not enter beyond that first
step. With movement as quick as
lightning, he turned Oh his heel and
was out in the hall. He seized his be-
longings and fed.
Now, Miss Betb's house, as | said be-
fore, was modern one, and somewhat
peculiar. Max, in his perpleXity and
confusion, rushed out by a door that
led straight to the back yard, and the
walk ended in the door of the stable.
John. Beth's hired man, was III the
yard. Seeing a figure flee from the
house and running toward the stable,
he naturally supposed it to be a thief.
One of these gentry had been making
great excitement in the neighborhood.
SO, before Max could halt on the
threshold of the stable door, perceiying
it was not the gate. he found it clapped
to behind him-upon him-and himself
& prisoner.
In vain he shouted and argued.
through the heaYy door his voice
sounded unnatural, and John, eXcitedly
happy at having captured the burglar
who had been terrOriziug the vicinity,
could not recognize it at ALL At length,
finding eXpostulation useless, Max lay
down upon some hay and fell asleep.
He was awakened by light shining
in his eyes. lie opened them to find a
policeman with warrant and a pair of
manacles; John, looking much crest
fallen; Ellen, the cook, two or three
men, and last and most. in perfect
agonies of laughter, Beth Davenport
herself.