Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-05-16
CUPID'S SPY.

| i llIcU "A Uht ana went 10
with n single servant-a black boy.
II was rather lonely work, and sometime
was Obliged 20 pretend that was mar
ried man, and that my wife had gone on
visit 70 her mother, to keep myself from
getting the blues
My imaginary wife was always plump
little woman, with black eyes and nice lit
tie hands with dimples In them. | could
sometimes believe that she would really
come In and sit down at table and pour out
the tea, ! had formed such perfect picturs
OF her.
On the floor below some one used the
conservatory for kitchen. Imust explain.
Some former tenant had converted the
back porch into conservatory and had
had IL all filled in with glass, Of course.
One morning impelled by the curiosity
which Is born OF loneliness, leaned over
my window ledge and peeped down. saw
below little kitchen. " tn a little table
and little stove.
At the little table sat-my wifei What
mean is that that imaginary being whose
football was always hearing on my floor,
who in day dreams sat at my table and
poured out tea--whose actual absence Icon
soled myself faR 81 sup posing that she had
EUne 20 take tea with her mother-sat
there In proper person, round, dimpled,
black eyed, IA my fancy painted her.
However, that was not the last time l
saw her. She sat a good deal In that con-
servatory-the most blooming rose IL ever
nouri she'd within its glass walls She
sewed there and read books there, a. well
as ate there
With an opera glass could read the very
pages Of the book she read, and all the
while she had no idea that any eye was ON
her. AT last ] took step-a bold one for
NE. / bought book-the last new one Of
| an authoress she had seemed interested in
| and left IL at her door with this on the hy-
leaf:
| DEAR MApAs-You were 90 much interest
| cd In that last book of Mrs. Edwards that !
venture 10 send you another. which hope may
prove as interesting. You will perhaps be sur
| prised when tell you that you read the first
four chapters Of that book without stoppingI
that you then marked the place with q book
marker with harp on Il: that you cried at the
tenth chapter and kissed the book when you
| closed IL. YoUR SPIRIT FRIEND.
Through my peeping place ! saw the lit
tie woman take in the book, saw her read
the inscription with amazement, put her
hand to her head and ponder and then
draw one Of the white curtains and look
out A young man was shaving himself at
a window opposite. saw that she at once
| pitched upon him as the sender Of the
book.
The next day she put blue shades up.
Once watching her from above, as though
| were an angelic being without wings,
saw her come in from q walk with autumn
leaves in her hand. Afterward she ironed
them and made little wreath Of them,
which she hung up over little looking
| ola ha VI \ oh off or
| the door some hothouse 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 and put
them in water and sat looking at them a
long while. Then she peeped out of her
window again. The young man was not mt
the opposite easement. Then she shook
her head, and after time she took dam
ask rose from the bunch and put 1t In her
hair. The next time / sent the flowers
wrote on the card:
"You wore a damask rose from the last
bunch sent you. Win you put n yellow
tea rose In your hair this timer"
How / watchedl l saw her look-half
pleased, half frightened. At first she only
put the roses in vase. but at last she did
take one, and il was a tea rose, and pinned
IL in her black braids. l kissed my hand
TO her from my elevated situation, but she
did not know IL.
So for nt least six months watched and
sent her flowers and fruit and books and
little gifts of all sorts But as for asking
our mutual landlord for an introduction.
never thought Of that-it never occurred
to me. should not have dared to speak
TO her II had been introduced.
One evening she sat down at her table to
write letter, and got my glass and found
that could see the words upon the paper.
My hope was that she would allude to her
unknown friend. 1t was gratifed. She
did. After some talk Of persons and things
knew nothing Of, she wrote thus:
"Now, dearest Lizzie, will tell you Of
the strangest thing that has happened to
me- i have no friends In the city, nor have
seen any one watching me, but from some
mysterious source books, papers. maya
zines, flowers and fruit are sent to me- I
have had tickets to matinees. At first I
was afraid to go TO them, but tried II, and
no one spoke TO or looked at me. Every
thing this unknown does IL done delicately.
really have begun to be interested In him
who can he beF often say to myself
why does he hide himselfi II he likes
me, why does he not obtain an introduc-
tionr
perhaps he is deformed or disfgured In
some way, but II he were should certainly
feel that 80 fine soul deserved better
body. His taste Is perfect. When he
marks passages in a book, know / shall
like them. In fact To confess to you truth
which would admit to no other living be
ing, am half way in love with him. How
foolish of him to keep his incognito, when
in 80 many ways he makes it manifest that
| he loves me-"
read these words with Joy and retreated
| TO my room to think them over. Having
done so, my resolution was arrived at.
seized sheet of paper and wrote upon 1t
| these words;
| DEAN MADAM-I am neither deformed nor
| dshgurod in any way. Your fatterins opinion
| Of NE Is 30 delightful that, though modesty
prompts me 10 contradict you, cannot bring
myself TO do IL. Indeed, l want you to think
| even better Of me than you do, for while Am
| wholly In love with you, you are only half way.
| inclose my photograph. At the same time j
make you an offer OF marriage and will prove
20 you my respectable position in society and
| py ability 10 support wife. And how have
| learned so much concerning you will explain
| you will send q line TO -, station -, box
| ". The line that desire II an answer TO my
offer. WIN you have me II, on meeting, you are
not disappointed In met
|