The Washington times., 1894-09-02
Miss Maria Piffi6kh.

Miss Maria Keith was sitting at afternoon
Tea on her piazza. Miss Maria las the whole
town calls her, in an affectionate familiarity
dashed with pride, for Miss Maria is a great
parsonage in the little university town al
ways serves afternoon tea. That is one rea-
soS why we admire her; she has travelled and
known the greet-At least the moderately
great, in other lands she speaks two modern
languages besides her own with extreme cor
rectness as 10 grammar and a perfectly uncon-
ceFned English accent, which, indeed, is so
frank and proud that ii quite overquells eriti-
cisun, and II any foreigner Of distinction comes
TO our town we always bring him to see Miss
Maria. No longer young, she has the com
posure and readiness Of an accomplished
woman who has always been admired. She
is tail and OF magnificent bearing, and II
her thick hair is gray the silvery shades only
enhance the fresh delicacy OF her complexion
and refine her rather large but well-cut feat
ures Her beautiful dark ewes are as brilliant
as they were when the college students used
TO set up nights 10 write poetry about them,
and her beautiful smile is gentler now than it
used 10 be. Miss Maria may be little i'm
perious, but there is no kinder nor more
generous woman living, and why should
she not like her own way, as the saying is,
when her way in most cases Is such q thor
oughiRre Of virtuei
Miss Maria's sister, Mrs De Forest lives
with her in Miss MHria's house, which is one
Of the show houses In town. Miss Maria being
q wealthy woman The house faces the col
iege campus and If is the only one in the
block. That implies yard Of noble dimen-
sions, even for the West, where we covet
space and cannot breathe too close 10 our
Sc v.fa ~,-A
with its ancient trees and yelvety turf, and
the tall hydrangeas that simulate perpetual
bloom, thanks to a vigilant gardener and his
greenhouse. The house is an American ar
chitect's fantasia on the medieval theme Of
an Elizsbethan plaster and timber house
ali IN wood. but the timber effect emphasized
by paint. Instead OF the contracted and in
commodious porch Of the original mansion
deep veranda runs half around the house, eI-
panding in front and its floors of stained and
wHxsd pine is protected by rough stone wall
which creeping plants wreathe with lovely
tints Of green. A hospitable company Of
roomy armchairs, and luxurious wicker-work
rockers" clustered about shining tea-table
equipage, cause more than one party Of stu
dents 10 loiter as they pass.
Miss Maria sat az the head OF the table. On
@ chair near her lay gorgeous tangle Of
shifting hues, scarlet and dull-tinted greens,
Miss Marla's embroidery that the sun was
sat Mrs. Carroll, wife Of the president OF the
the university, and Mrs. Allison, wife Of the
dean of the medical school They were both
comey women; Mrs. Allison was little and
graceful and always wore bright colors Op-
posite, Mrs. De Forest shrank out OF view in
a low chair, behind a brilliant hibiscus.
Really five years younger than her sister she
looked older. she did not resemble her sister.
Miss Maria had the mien Of queen, or rather
the popular notion OF queen. for real queens
often are dumpy, and sometimes stoop. Her
noble head reared itself above her stately
shoulders In magnificent lines: she walked
the goddess" and it may be mentioned
casually that the Chicago artist who made
her gowns understood how TO harmonize
her character and her presence. But Mrs
De Forest always wore widows weeds. caring
only to have them OF rigid neatness and
comfortable TO wear. She was a thin woman
narrow chested and prone to slump together
IN sitting. ana she never, Mrs. Allison main
tanned. had enough whaiebones in her dress
bodies. She had been pretty In her youth,
but now the hair beneath the widows cap
was grown thin. though black as ever. Her
face had an habitual dull pallor and was
lined and hollow checked; it looked like a
burned-out face. The eyes were the beauti-
full Keith eyes; but q wholesome mirth
sparkled in Miss Maria's eyes, and these eyes
were listless and sad.
In truth they had wept themselves dim,
since they saw Virginia De Forests husband
and little son shot dead at her feet during an
attack by Indians Every one knew the
story OF Capt. De Forests last fight. and it
was usual to drop the voise telling the tale,
as one ended, when the rescuing party got
up to them Mrs. De Forest was loading and
firing with the men. They do say she killed
an Indian herself Poor thing, she has never
recovered from her blow"
The intense affection that she had lavished
ou hor dead she transferred TO her only sis