The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1893-08-17
A Postal Episode.

katherine Gray called her parlor and al
cove suite in the Norman, Cedar street,
Blank City. There was Il piano; there
were books, easy chairs, pictures. Be-
sides the furnishings that in these days
are called necessary. there were the
countless small things that make Il
room something more than mere shelf
or. In the open CRATE the gas-log burn
ed with irritating regularity and pre-
cisiou, haunting its beauty in the face of
the useful but not ornamental steaIn-coil.
Behind gay screen, slightly ajar, there
WAS tiny gas-stoye, and II singing ket-
tlc;a halt-opcn door OF IA cabinet re-
vealcd odd pieces of china and shining
silver.
This is what the sun shone upon
through the biggest bay window on New
Years morning. This, aud Katherine
Gray at her breakfast-tahle. The post
man had made his one round for the day.
Some business house had sent her a
calendar, and there was one letter. This
she was reading. She made IA pretty
picture as She sat thus. The domestic
signs aud symbols were becoming to
her they gave her an air of homeiness
that made one wish for a cup of the fra
grant coffee. lust for the sake of seeing
her pour it out.
She had "A wealth Of brown hair. sin.
cere hazel eyes. and most expressive
month. She was tall, slow of motion
and of SPEECH. No one would have
spoken Of her rs a pretty woman: yet
any observing person would have seen
that she had not stopped at prettiness,
but had Missed on to something finer.
With al the rest of the world, she
was having holiday. So she had ar
rayed herself in a becoming house-gown,
and was enioving it Just as much as
though she was not, every day in the
year-Sundays and holidays excepted
engaged in the real estate and life in
surance business.
II wish" she said. she had IA fashion
of thinking aloud when alone,-"l wish
that this letter could have been delayed
until tomorrow. don't like being so
disturbed on New Years Day. There
is IA saying, that as the first day goes,
so goes the whole year" Then She
laughed; and she looked very pretty
when laughing. Il wonder if I'm to
have a proposal of marriage every day
in the year, and feel as bad about every
one as do about this?'
Then she rose and walked to the mir
ror. The reflection was not unpleasant !;
she smiled rs she looked at it, But she
said There's no use in being battered
bv the glass. Katherine: the fact remains
that this il your birthday and that you
are thirtv-four years old to-day. and
from this time right along YOU are not
going to grow any Younger. Here is
la your hand an offer of marriage from
an eminently worthy and respectable
man. who would take YOU away from
Cell % and its 'kitcheny-paror air aud
act Won In a handsome home where Won
wouldn't have to hide your bread in the
bureau drawer. bake and boil in a single
dish, or eat .bo1ghten pie'-who would
make n l,dv of leisure of Won. and who.
hest of all. or what ought to be best of
all. would love YOU and be good to YOU.
And vet" She continued. you hesitate
With the little lines coming around
vour eyes and mouth. with work and
worry and wcariness stretching our in
detinitelv before vou-vou hesitate. /
an, SURPRISED. Won don't show your
usuol Good business sense yoir keen
apnreciation of "A good bargain. You
are uuuratcful. also. You ought TO fall
on vour knees and thank the ord for
such a niece of good fortune. That is,
I sunnose Won ought. according 10 the
worlds way of looking at such things. ="
Then she sat down before the fire and
fell into silence. Truly. size was not in
sensible to the material advantages that
were offered TO her in this letter from
Mr.. Browne. wholesale grocer and deal
or in canned goods. She loved ease and
beauty and Injury. she could use them
to ,hc ,,lorninp of any posilion that
might be offered her. She was tired of
work and The continuous struggle for
brcnd She had achieved some success
in business way. and that, too, in the
face of every instinct of her being. She
had made something approaching "A
home in thi, little suite of rooms. Her
| friends driftpd In of "A Sunday, or now
and then of An evening, and, sipping tea
from dainty cup, would pronounce it
all $50 COW and delightful" 1t certain
~ was great Improvement on the
9retariousness of the boarding house.
but in Katherine's secret soul she felt it
to be a narrow and lonely life. She
despised the makeshifts of light house
E.nt,iuu and hpinU nF a social n