The Van Buren press., 1895-11-30

| Well=ufessed man.
He Dreaght a handful of roses for
| Mrs. Milkes-a rare and beautiful Span
/ / ISL ISL fsiI ietY. His most cherished rose
tree. idolized and pampered through
out the winter, had been ruthlessly de-
spoiled to yield them.
Lucy, dear" said Wilkes to his wife,
this is Mr.. Penroyd. Sit down, Pen
royd. Glad to see you"
"You see, didn't wait for a second
| Invitation, Wilkes and Mrs. Wilkes" he
said, smiling.
I'VE wanted to know you," said Mrs
Wilkes, burying her pretty face in the
roses.
"Yes,s said Ned. I'VE had caught
glimpse of you here and there-at the
pump, in faet-and there was some
thing about you that made us want TO
speak,
Penroyd brought his open palm down
sharply on the wooden step, so sharply
that the sleepy kitten started up and
blinked fit him inquiringly.
Why, Wilkes. l must say that the
| coincidence is remarkable. Now, the
first minute that l clapped eyes on you
and your wife l wanted to talk with
YOU. Wilkes and Mrs. WEES, am go.
| ing to come down with the whole truth
at once and ask your opinion. To
speak mildly, I'm in the dickens of a
mess
Ned struggled to retain his gravity.
There's girl in it,. ] suppose" he
said.
There is, Wilkes. That is why am
presuming enough to, trouble you both
with my personal affairs. said to my
self; Wilkes there and Mrs. Wilkes have
Just successfully steered their vessel
into the sea of matrimony. They
probably found that it wasn't ali
smooth sailing to get there. Here is
Waitham penroyd struggling in the
same direction, with every wind that
blows blowing in his teeth. Who knows
but they will let him benefit by their ex-
perienee?
wilkes and Mrs. Wilkes" he said,
IF you permit me, am going to tell
you about this thing from beginning to
end. Unfortunately for me, that's a
very short distance"
Ned and his wife were most anxious
to hear.
You must have noticed" began
Penroyd, that there is a young lady
in twenty-six-a very handsome and
extraordinary girl, Miss Chandler She
has a sister-a cripple. They moved
into twenty-siN just one month yester-
day.
Wilkes, you know what asses we
young fellows are when there's a girl i'll
the question. Well, heard, of course,
that | was to have a young lady neigh
Dor. | was sick almost from curiosity.
They came in the evening, and hadn't
glimpse in the dark even. The fol-
! lowing morning about seven o'clock
heard her easement open. Her shut
ter creaks just as mine does. | sprang
to the window, wrapping myself in the
curtains to be invisible, And | got
my first glimpse of Edith Chandler.
That was the glimpse that laid me out,
Wilkes and Mrs. Wilkes. / knew in
that moment that | could love no girl
but that girl. That l should love her
for life and death if | never set eyes
on her again, | knew as we'll as if |
heard it from a burning BUSH l left
the window with cold pcrspiration on
my forehead. | recognized one of
those traps of fate in which man is
weaker than a hummingbird in a cats
claw.
'lt was fully an hour before she left
that window, but'I didn't ventuse an.
other look. | sat there in stupor
with that first image of her burning it
4 self in on my brain, the image of her
looking out over those orchis-pots, with
that unearthly sadness in her eyes and
the new sunlight on her face"
Penroyd stopped speaking and stroked
the kittens forehead meditatively with
his thumb.
Good heavens, mani" cried Ned.
Are you desparing of girl before
you have had an introduction?
"Oh, have been introduced, Wilkes.
/ mean l introduced myself and we
have spoken together little over the
gate. In fact, the first day or two l
almost began to hope. They were so
llind-she and her sister-neighbor
fashion, you know. But two weeks did
for that. l have found out that she
avoids me-"
How do you know, in heavens
name?' asked Ned.
'The hydrant unfolds the tale" said
Penroyd, dreamily.
Wilkes brushed back the hair from
his eyes and looked at his visitor in as
tonishment
What has the court hydrant to do
+ with your case. man?" he demanded.
Penroyd broke into a laugh. 81 for
got" he said. II was pretty obscure,
wasn't I9eThis is what I meant. AT
| first Miss Chandler used to come at six
| O'clock to draw water for household
| purposes-and ] got into the habit of
/ drawing mine Mt six, too. In fact,
/ Wilkes, to tell the truth. | went there
every morning to meet her andito carry
her pals for her. At first she must
] have thought il coincidence. Bot She
Eouidu't remain long in ignorance. And
the moment that she got on to the idea
she stopped coming at six; came at
five instead. Now, leave il to you.
Wilkes ard Mrs. Wilkes, if that girl
comes out an hour earlier of a chilly
morning isn't it sign enough that she
avoids me?" t#
a. ,f ,,-.,,