Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-08-31
GREENE JONES.

/ n vr.,s i. ~. ,r.srr IL U.s. that made
the s.ropss,ss:sssce ot Hiss Lola Re<sirr. l
had been complaining 10 friend IL mins
Of she tamsae<s and dizziness OF ezistencel
with moth, K ..s,;o asyo think ais.at. when
she said: ..th. you liaSSnt usatfiNtsi esery-
thug. there's something to interest you,
yet. TIL take you 10 ssv Miss Lola
a.Ansi who Is Miss Lolaf'"
shes the slesrrst little old maid yoa
ever saw In your lite Her name Is Reesl-r.
but everybody calls her Miss Lola. You
sh IA see her tirss, and will tell YOU about
her afterwafd.
So, in ssst,h IT a new sensation, went
With Stsil. i.~Ain to visit this little old
maid"
She lived IN tiny cottage. quaint aud
Old fashioned. set down. like dolls house,
in the crnl.r oi wisle sweep Of ground.
bought when lsnd WAS cheap, before the
village had attained city dimensions, aud
held onto in spite. II many pecnnisry in.
du,ements To ts.rt with it ia the interest u
urban psocres& On either side OF her wcre
bioe ks ol city bellsilugs-terraeesw with theft
ioas fiight> oi sandstone steps leading up
to forbisia.ns hooking three story trontS
which facet, TIN, street with their hot, RID
brick stare .. stuisd Indifference. givine ne
suggestions o, houae or happiness withia
their walls hat betwcen them lay the
~ ecp of Miss I.ola's bright green lawn. he,
borders full uI pinAs aud hseheior's but
ions, her porch trvhised with nastur,snm
IN riotous bloom, and shoal OF sweet p~ss
growing in pink and white perfection,
At the NORTH vi the house were toses.
no, La France nor Mermets hor any Of thu
n n
ciuuan,e,,s and d,i,,sskS si.,l ..0,asiy hur
dred leafs and yeivers aud i,npcrtinent lie
tie burgundies with their prim floral disks.
queen vi flowers,
Can you tell what there il at the back
OF the houses" asked Stella smiling
"Oh, yes" said I. "hollyhocks and mari.
colds aud southeruweod and Jerusalem
cherries and sweet williams and live for
ever and lennon balm
You have the power OF divination. said
she
fonnd Miss Lola inst what | had con.
tecturcd her 10 lbs from such environments.
She was little and prirn, but graceful aud
genial Her cheek bore the color OF win.
ter apple. which did not vary. She had
tender, dark gray eyes. Her hair was a lit
tie silvered. but soft and crinkly, and the
top of her head was covered with square
of "bobin-t," edged with thread lace He,
gown was OF an old fashioned pattern OF
purple chintz and made in the ancient style
of round waist and full skirt that, having
swung around IA 10 years circle, is with US
once again. About the neck Of this there
was a little lace rufiie, softening the ont.
lines of n fair, fine skinned throat that had
hap,rp N wlthpr IA little
Miss Lola received us with cheerful grs
ciousness, but after setting us chairs went
on with her knitting. She knit very rapid.
ly and made use of an old fashioned Quill
sheath at her side for holding her tenn.
porarily superfluous needles. IL WAS n lit.
tie, long legged red yarn stocking ON which
she was busily engaged.
| remarked that 1t looked rather warm
for the season, but she told me she had To
knit all summer TO have them ready Tot
the first cold snap"
Stella explained, "Miss Lola had fad
for giving away stockings and mittens to
poor little girls and their mammas, but
never to poor little boys and their papas-
oh. nor said Stella, with dancing eyes.
Miss Lola pursed up her lips and shook
her head oh. nor echoed she. MEN
were decevers ever"
We made IA long call on Miss Lola, and
with simple unconventionality she showed
aud her stock of hose and mittens, gath.
erred sweet bouquets OF her garden treasures
for us and asked us on leaving to come
back again
When Stella had donated some skins Of
red yarn toward her charities and we were
on our way home, she told me Miss l.oia's
story.
When Lola was 10 years old, her fathet
had a clerk of Is in his store who boarded
in the family. His name wa, Greene } ones.
No doubt he considered himself vastly
Lolas senior. He petted the child. uamed
her fayorte doll Eva Roberta and called
her - Miss Lola - his little wife" and
been child Of deep and sensitive feelings
She believed herself really his sweetheart
and thought that when she had grown up
they would be married. She sat beside
him at the table, and ON her birthday and
holidays he gave her pretty trinkets and
books with bright covers, containing such
thrilling tales as "rhe Little Orange Girl"
and "Mary's First Falsehood." Among
the gifts of this adolescent youth, who was
largely composed of legs and arms, was u
pink coral necklace and "a locket that con.
tanned very indistinct, scared looking
picture that featured Greene Jones to
at.
One day. when he was 90 years old and
Miss Lola was II, lie went on II week Is wa
cation. He kissed her before going and
said: "GoOdby, little sweetheart Don't
forget mep' She cried herself to sleep that
night In week after he came back In
company with u 5toop shouldered young
person, with hay colored hair and weak
eyes, who wore bright yellow ribbon on
her bonnet, and whom he introduced to the
family AZ Mrs. Greene Jones'" Miss Lola
stared at them both for "A moment in indig-
nant amazement and then in the general
handshaking disappeared from the room.
She went to her dolls cradle in the nurs-
cry and lifted Eva Roberta in her arms.
The doll. sleeping peacefully, knew not
that danger was near. All unconscious OF
her coming doom, she was carried to the
stone doorstep, and her china brains were
there viciously beaten out. The Little
Orange Girln and the coral necklace and
locket were led to the kitchen fire. Miss
Lola then wrote in her childish diary: 81
have been deceived by Cream Jones' shall
never luv another. will he a man hater."
And" said Stella, she has kept her
vow. She turned queer from that time
on--lovely and charitable to women and
children. but Halter to men and boys.
When she wasa young woman, her parents
died and left her that house and IA tidy sum
OF money. She knts and sews for the
uoor. She raises her flowers for the sick
and sorrowful--old fashioned ones to re-
mind them of old homes and speak to their
hearts. They know her well Mt the hospitals
ana the open door. sometimes sne WnlkS
the streets after nightfall with bunch Of
these flowers in her hand. When she sees
a painted MaRdalene under the gasligbt she
goes up and gives them to her and says:
Fake these flowers, my dear. Think Of
God and your mother and try to be good
Oh" concluded Stella. Il wish my life
amounted to half as much as hers does"
Miss Lola died suddenly a few nights
later Of heart disease. Among the piles Of
smooth lavender scented linen in one Of her
lureau drawers the women who laid her
out" found II iAper labeled My Last viii
and Testament When it came to be pro-
ate'i, it was found that it did Lot leave her
estate or any part Of it TO the church. the
/. ospital nor the Open Door" for Magda
mes. 1t was all devised and bcqueathed
to my old friend, Greene Jones, now liv.
lug in Rutland. Vt. who is said to be sick
and poor, with the request that he and his
wife and only remaining child make tn,
future home IN this cottage, which has
been my home for 80 years. My only con
dition is that they keep the flowers bloom
ing for those who are unhappy and H."
THAT prove" said Stella, after hearing
the news, that she wasn't a man bater
aiter all..-MinEie w. Baines- Miller in Gin
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