Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-12-07
EUNICE EVANS VOICE.
BY NELLIE Il. c. SCOTT.


Mrs. Ainslee confessed with sorrow
to one bad habit-that of standing for
three solid half-hours of every day at
front window nervously watching
for the postman
But don't know that my con-
science ought to reproach me so severe.
ly for 1t, either" she said to herself.
81 have no pressing duties; my time
isn't worth much; and it's such an in
nocent excitement-there he is nowr'
and she peered out anxiously through
the lace curtain to see If the shaggy
pony and mud-spattered gig should
stop at her gate.
No; Mrs. Evans, next door, was the
favored one this time; but she was
not at home, evidently, for the post
mans whistle pealed forth again and
again.
Mrs. Ainslee went to the bay window
and watched the postman's efforts to
find place for the letter. First he
tried to slip il in between the window
sashes, but this failing he tried to slip
1t under the door of the entry, little
four-foot cuLby built on to the house
as an afterthought, to take the place
of a hallway. This idea, too, was for
some reason abandoned, and the man
followed the clam-shell bordered walk
around to the back of the house,
whence she heard the watchdog growl-
ing at him; and Mrs. Ainslee, instead
of following his movements further,
went back with an amused smile to her
place beside the parlor window
~ wonder II that ferocious dog al
lowed him to leave the letter." she
unused. "Well, Iguess he left it, some
where, and as it's from Eunice prob
ably, I'll trust the mother to find 1t, +"
The Evanses were poor-one of the
few poor families in the somewhat
aristocratic neighborhood of Milton
park, suburb of an eastern city.
Their house. with Its half-acre or so of
ground, represented their entire for
tune, and the profits of the small or
chard and poultry yard their income,
aside from the things-and they were
many-that Eunice's hands found to
do. Just now the girl was away in a
neighboring town acting as companion
TO an invalid-a rich mans daughter
who had taken ia ncy to Eunice when
they were together at the high school,
Mother and daughter were objects
of much interest to Mrs. Ainslee, and
she could see that the days dragged
painfully to the older woman, now
that Eunice was away Many timeu
had the observant neighbor seen Mrs,
Evans pause at her work in the garden,
or come idly to the door with the broom
or dish towel in her hand, and gaze for
minutes at the line of haze-covered
mountains that separated her from heI
girl. Then in the evening at dusk she
would bring out pail after pail Of
water and patiently sprinkle Eunice's
flowers by means of an old-fashioned
watering can. Not a weed dared tc
show its head among the pinks an6
pansies, or y elbow leaf to remain or
the geraniums.
Have you heard from Eunict
lately, Mrs. Evansp" inquired Mrs
Ainslee from her side of the division
fence few days after the latter cpl
sode.
"Oh yes heard to day; she's very
good about writing to me-"
''Is she coming home soon? How
does her patient get alongp"
mo. she won't be home for som,
time unless for Sunday, or-perhap
you've heard, suppose, about tn,
musicale Mis- Gildersleeve's goin' t,
give?"
Eyes; it's going to be grand affair
they say" said Miss Ainslee.
$50 they do. And l guess Mis-
Gildersleeve'll ask Eunice to 60
P'raps you remember at Easter time
when my girl SING the solos in tn
church, how pleased Mis- Gildersleev
was with her voice, and she said thel
she'd never be satisfied till her cousin
that's great peffessor of music il
that big conservatory, had heard tn
child sing. She hasn't said anything
W inc uDOut lb-ycb' uut MIS- olOTu
who's a friend of Mis- Gildersleeve
was here the other day to buy som
chickens, and she spoke of Eunice's be
ing there as II twas settled thin
that she was goin' to sing"
Mrs. Ainslee said she thought |
would be a very good thing for Eunic
TO have the benefit of professional
opinion,
Eyes; wrote to her about it; an
she's delighted, of course, poor child
She says in this last letter that she
bough. dress for the occasion-a soft
cream colored goods-and is maxim
up herself with the help of Miss Jal
dimes sempstress. They're wonderfr
kind to her. Miss Jardine's mus
teacher comes right along, and whe
she amt we'll enough TO take he
, lesson she makes Eunice go In he
place. | hope nothing'n happen I
keep her away; it'd be a terrible disal
pointment to her, she's set her hear
on IL so"
When next the two neighbors me
the important event of which all Mi
ton Park was talking, was only tw
days away. Mrs. Evans had been tc
busy harvesting her grapes and peal