The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-02
MILES PERRY'S LOVE.

dow
Dinner was All ovsr ana All the dishes
cleared away, and the thrifty farmers
wife had sat down to her sewing, with
pair Of silver speotacles perohed on her
Roman moss.
Fanny Clifford sat opposite trim.
pretty damsel, with a sweet sunburned
face and great gray eyes, with blue black
flashes coming and going in their irises-
50 Miles has really gone, said Fanny
after q moments silence, and there was
little culver in her voice that the mother
fully eomprehanded-
Yes, said Mrs. Perry. stitching dill
gently away at the unbIeached cotton shirt
she was making for her husband and pre-
tending not to see the flush on Fanny's
cheek, he has gone. And great fool he
Is, in my humble opinion.
-Oh, Mrs. Perry Fl ceurecased Fanny.
Well, what else is hes'' asked Mrs.
Perry, looking in an owHsh fashion
through the lenses of her spectaclas
Here he Is with as nice a farm as there is
IN the county, and him the only son, and
yet he's possessed to 60 to the city and
clerk in a dry goods store. just because he
thinks it q little genteeler than TO pillow
and sow and reap, as his father aud gran
ther did before him, and she hositated
q little here because he fancies Antonio
Archer viii be pleased.
She-she is very attractive = said poor
Fanny.
Yes, to them at likes gliding better
than true gold and is caught by red cheeks
and dashlng ways WenH-afser a min
ute 8 pause, during which she stabbed her
needle vinCictively into the unoEfending
cloth there's some as can learn by ex-
perience only, and cur Miles Is one Of the
sort He il be back, I expect when he 8
found out he isn't the only poor moth
whose wings have been scorched in the
fame OF a coquette 8 wicked eyes
''Oh, Mrs Perry Miss Archer never
would refuse Milssr' cried Fanny breath
Iessly.
IF Thought she wouldn't. Ishould give
upl'' said Mrs Perry enargeticaily-
The june sunset, fading in such tender
tints Of rose and opal and gold over the
hazel oopsss Of the old farm, was fun oG
glow and sultriness on Broadway.
The season was dull 1t was Satur-
day afternoon, and the Messrs. Scratch &
Staylace, after getting all they could out
of their much enduring clerks, had at last
reluctantly closed their store and put up
their wooden shutters
And Miles Perry, tired and weary and
aching ia every bone. had at last the OPP
portunity to hurry home to his garrett room
in a third rate boarding house.
Life in New York was By no means SO
delightful a thing as honest Miles had sup
with no reward save snubs and insults
flom his employers and covert sneers from
his fellow clerks, who called him clod-
hopper and country chap, was rather
harder than the ordinary course of exist
ence at the farm, although il might be
tride genteeler."
But tonight he would call on Miss
Archer, and with eager resslessness he tried
on collar after collar, and finally adjusted
a scarlet silk necktie, for which he had
paid the extravagant sum-to him-of 50
cents, securing it with gaudy mosaic pin,
borrowed from one Of his companions at
Messrs scratch g StHylace' s. and brushed
diligently awav until every speck Of dust
was removed from his coat and trousers,
pausing at the last to give his boots an ez-
ira shine
Miss Antsnia Archer lived at - Revere
street. an aristocratic and pretentious To-
cality, with q good deal Of polished glass
and plated door hinges, and at - Revere
street Mr. Miles Perry presented him self,
with blushing oountenanos and throbbing
heart
II wish to see Miss Archer, " Miles said
lOftily, and the maid showed him into this
library. an apartment divided from the
drawing rooIns by drapery Of blue silk
curtains hung between aueed pillars OF
variegascd marble, and there left him.
Through a disarranged fold in the silk
Miles Perry could catch a glimpse Of the
splendors Of the two rooms behind.
The middle one was tenanted only by
the grand piano and half dozen blue silk
chairs, nu5 IN the front apartment, where
administer carpets and bunl and gliding
gIistered under full lighted chandelier.
sat the fair Antonio in a dress Of lemon
colored Grape trimmed with rich black
lace, and close beside her on the sofa sat
bald, elderly gentleman, with diamond
studs flashing in his linen and double
chin.
Miles could see the blue ribboned lass
advance to her mistress and deliver some
message Tbs baIdheaded gentleman arose
and took q gold headed cane from the cor
ner, as If to depart.
IF you have other company he be-
gan rather testify, bat a ntonia laid her
little white hand carsssingly on his sleeve
Don t 60, = she cooed. Dear Nicholas,
whose company could possibly prefer to
yoursg It's only that country hey 1 told
you about yesterday, you know
The one that had the audaeity TO fan
in love with you out in the wildernessff'
chuckled the old gentleman.
Exactly. To think Of his having fol-
lowed me here. But thesa. rusuics have
neither sense nor discriminate
I'm 60 and send him away, said Mr..
Nicholas GoIdbease ter promptly.
But when he got 70 the library it was
empty. Miles Perry had not waited for
more formal dismissal.
The robin 8 nest in the old cherry tree
was deserted, and the leaves Of tho snow
ball bush had turned TO crimson and ma
room, and the garden path was earpeted
with leaves Of fallen foliage, brown. gel
low and jewel red
And Miles Perry. sitting up in the great
calico covered easy chair by q cracking
fire OF logs and eating a bowl Of Cruel that
Fanny ClHOrd's brown fingers had pre-
pared, said.
It's a long time I've been sick. Fanny,
ehs''
"A long time, Miles. There is your
n.olher coming Up the gareIen. I must 70