The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-04

'"hlsI4eu me- When nave accidentally
overheard her, as l was putting away the
pest chlna and silver, after entertaining
one OIL Our more formal friends at lunch Il
never like TO trust Maggie with the best
emma, she Us so atrociously careless) as
L was saying, have been astonished to
oVerhear remark from my aunt Sophia
10 the effect that 1t wasn't because she
hadn't had chances that Eunce HADN'T
married. And then there would follow
something ID still lower tone, and aunt's
gray head, and Mrs. Walkers white one
with lis lace cap and nodding lavender
noWS, would draw still closer together. and
1 nave 1elt very paTGOnable curiosity to
know just what romance concerning my
early years Aunt Sophia was weaving.
1t Is useless TO demonstrate with her.
She doesn't like to be contradicted, and If
she Is convinced that because once when |
was visiting sister Laura in Oakland. and
brother Peter brought an old college chum
Of his home to dinner, and the gentleman
aitrrward escorted me across the bay and
nome, say, II she is convinced that that
was chance for me, ii is of no Use to eX-
pain that l never met the Gentleman but
once, that he lett the next day for South
America, whence he afterward drifted to
Africa, since which time, to my knowledge.
ne mas never been heard of. / am sorry to
confess That aunt is a reader OF light fic-
ton, and according 10 the tenets of her
faVorite author, this gentleman. who was
mldqle-aged and round-shUuldered and
wore goggles, and |, who am-well, We
two, somehow, should have fallen desper-
ately In love with each other during that
twenty minutes ride on the dismal Garden
Oliy, Ne should have been married thu next
day. and l should have bought tourists
ontht and gone delving off with him into
Africa, in search of gold dust and ele-
phants' tusks. But being of a philosophi-
ca disposition, l am naturally rather slow,
and not fond OF an adventurous life. Be-
sides, ] don't think | should enjoy the
climate OF Africa. But that has nothing
whatever to d. with the matter. Outside
OF Aunt SOphia'S imaginngs, | really do
not kn0W OF any chances l have ever had,
- first occurred one summer. good
u q years ago, when l was spending
IN H1th IN Mayheld for my health. \ tall
yovNS fellow, who worked about the hotel
In d sort of general capacity, from wash
ing dishes when there was a rush to work
InS n tie garden and doing general porter
Work, was seized with a sudden and yio-
lent admiration for me the evening l ar
rived, which admiration expressed Itself in
huge bouquet al my plate every III ornng
ana a humble gazing at me through the
side betwee the diuing-room and kitchen
at meal times. The poor fellow was some
what weak in his head, but Aunt Sophia
might have woven quite a pretty romance
out OF his humble devotion If she had
%At4b 81 any III luz dbuuL IL.
NV other was a chance in sober fact
young Reuben Brown, who is growing
what elderly and bald now, and who stlll
pays US friendly, periodical visits once in
three or four months or so. Reuben never
proposed to me, but he would have if l
had ever given him the slightest slow.
Aunt Sophia said so, and | knew it with
out her telling me. Ne woman ever needs
10 oe iold that a man cares for her OF
would II she gave him half a chance. But
well, have always thought that Reuben
would make an excellent husband for some
woman. but | didn't want him.
Now. that is confession, full and fair;
and II any one is imaginative enough TO
weave a romance out of that and make me
other than / am, ain, matter Of-fact
Eunice Perkins, old maid, why they may,
anu welcome.
d. admit that sometimes. in the twi-
lgft, when Aunt Sophia doZeS before the
mr., and the wind sOughs just little dis
MalIy through the eucalyptus tree by The
window, and makes the leaves pat, pat
gently against the pane, | have tendency
TO TAIL 10 dreaming.
Instead Of Aunt Sophia, see body
else IN the chair OPP oSlte there, and girl
with wavy brown hair and gray eyes, some
surh looking girl as looked pack at me from
the loOklnE-glaSS more than twenty years
ago, SITS On the rug al my feet, with her
mean IN nay lap. And by the bile yonder
BOY sits poring over a book, a hand
some boy, with a frank manly air, who
presently throws down his book, as the
SHADOWS Iengihen, and joins our group by
Tie nre IL Is pleasant dream, beauti-
iuI, happy dream; but somehow the figure
in the opposite arm chair does not look in
the least ike Reuben Brown.
And presently Aunt Sophia wakes ND
with snort and wants to know why on
earth L don't llgnt the lamps. And when
NE lamps are lighted and the curtains
drawn and the cards brought out for
game OF crib5age the visionary figures
nave melted away into that strange subtle
essence which dreams are made of. But
'hey come again and other dreams as
sweet. Dear dreamsi What old maid has
not had them-of husband, and children.
ana nome where she was the loved, guild
ing spirit? But as | said, the central
HSuTe II NV dreams does not in the least
resemble Reuben Brown, md Reuben is
The only man who ever showed the slight
est disposition to marry me.
But after al dreams at twilight are yery
sweet, and no old maid was ever harmed
by them, who carried that ideal Of herself
a size sees herself then. in her own home,
surrounded by her children. the counselor
Of her husband, the guiding spirit OF it all.
The
Perfect woman. noby planned
To warn to comfort and command.
II she carries that ideal of herself into her
everyday, practical. old maids life
There is tremendous lot of improve.
ment required in every old maid. before
she even approaches the ideal Of her
dreams. The little spiritual garden plat
of each ones life requires a deal of weed
ing before ii shall blossom as the rose"
and in the digging ont of the old. cross
grained stumps If ugly temper and weeds
of petty faults, the average old maid will
md her time so well employed and the re-
suits so excellent that neither she nor any
one else shall realize that this old maid
hath grown sweet tempered and fair, but
only that the ultimate end of all life is
use, and she hath most truly lived hath.
had most real joy of life. who hath. at all
times and in all places, tried by love of
use to be of use. EUNTcE PERKINS