Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-01-02
speak mildly, I'm in the dickens of

'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 all
smooth sailing to get there. Here is
Waltham 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-
perience?
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-six just one month yester-
day.
wilkes, you know what asses we
young fellows are when there's n girl in
the question. Well, heard, of course,
that L was to have 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. | spranc
to the window, wrapping myself in the
curtains to be invisible. And | cot
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 1 should love hcY
for life and death if / never set ewes
on her again, l knew as well as if
heard it from burning BUSH left
the window with a cold perspiration on
my forehead. l recognized one of
those traps of fate in which man is
weaker than hummingbird in a cats
claw.
1T was fully an hour before she left
that window, but l didn't venture an.
other look. l sat there in a stupor
with that first image of her burning it.
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 strokcd
the kittens forehead meditativelv with
his thumb
Good heavens, mani" cried Ned.
Are you -desparing of girl before
you have had an introduction?"
"Oh, l have been introduced, Wilkes.
L mean | introduced myself and we
have spoken together little over the
gate. In fact, the first day or two
almost began to hope. They were so
kind-she and her sister-neighbor-
fashion, you know. But two weeks did
for that. / have found out that she
avoids me-
"How do you know, in heavens
p" 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.
constituent
what has the court hydrant to dc
with your case, man?" he demanded.
Penroyd broke into laugh. 81 for
got he said. Il was pretty obscure,
wasn't /? This is what / meant. At
first Miss Chandler used to come ut six
o'clock to draw water for household
purposes-and l got into the habit OF
drawing mine at six, too. In fact,
Wilkes, to tell the truth, | went there
every morning to meet her and to carry
her pals for her. At first she must
have thought it coincidence. Bat she
couldn'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 it to YOU,
Wilkes and Mrs. Wilkes, if that girl
comes out an hour earlier of a chilly
morning isn't it sign enough that she
avoids me?"
On May s Miss Wilkes made the fol-
lowing entry in her journal of days:
Med and l have begun to hope. Mr..
Penroyd sat with Miss Chandler all after
noon. from three to six, on her back steps.
The sister came over and sat with us. 1
love them BOTH"
On May 0 Ned wrote in the same
volume:
"Penroyd turned up here this afternoon.
Stayed half an hour. Said he had told
Miss Chandler that he loved her. She
asked him not to talk of such things, to
be her friend. p. says his brain Is splitting
with the agony"
On May 10 Mrs. Wilkes as follows: