Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-08-17

~ tmA, ~ Ouch very little
sHs se5iH = u town that, after
tjf5sBaEG Gsr>S~-LJ you went up the
t.S,-. / ~-TIiI dusty street, on
y %%5s>--., which there was
ss=5s=--,. =, ~ S-s-@2 Il line OF low,
&c qes squat buildings
| IH@9as }s5.8ag bearing legends
| tsgi i.l-.. a 4. 80 ON their several
skG-4s)!sl- e'---'-',i'>'~I weather r.beaten
fronts of "Family Groceries" "Drug
Store" "Postoilico" AMI "Gcnoral
Supplies Sold Here" why, there re-
manned no more town TO see.
The rest OF the old place Just trailed
of into scattered bindings, some oc,
cupicd, but many falling 10 ruin for
want OF repair of occupancy.
But ii you went swiftly along jhe
quiet country road after awhile you
would come upon fury white cottages,
trim and neat, set in the midst of
! broad acres OF cultiyGtion; and there
would always be space reserved for the
matchmaking blooms OF old-fashioned
flowers, such rs country folk have
time to thrust into the soft brown
! loan.
In one of these white cottages she
lived 4 littlo fair sold maid" as
people called her. A mailenIy soul,
be sure, looked ont from her sweet
| eyes, and perhaps II certain gentle pre-
cIsion in her neat attire, and au ad-
! hcrence 10 ways which Miss Floribel
lose had proved to be good, might
have earned for her the epithet con
| siderod 50 unwcicome. But to me she
| looked the very esseLce of youth and
| purity and unconscious innocence.
BE all that as it may, as | started
ont by saying, she lived in the coun-
try, and III pretty cottage, with
bright green blinds and broad sur
rounding fields, and the prettiest
flower garden in the whole village.
Miss Floribol had Il perfect passion
for 'growing things" and it was
populNrly believed that should she
elect to bid the town pump return to
| its original wildwood condition there
would at once appear those little nibs
and nobs OF greun which show the be-
ginning OF growth.
Miss Floribel wrought no miracles,
| however, suye those needing great ia.
| tiencc and constant care. But it was
fact that, under her gentle care, flow
ers seemed to become sentient things
and appeared to develop eonsciences
of their own, which obligated them to
q certain amount OF bud and bloom,
in return for her ministrations.
We will peep at her rs she walks
leisurely through the small gate which
1 divides the flower from the kitchen
| garden, on Il Galmy May morning.
She is tiny woman small head,
small hands, small feet and delicate
features, with Aower-like ripples and
lines along her gentle fairness. Her
hair is soft and brown, and waves
away from q sweet, placid forehead in
smart, crisp little rlpples, which nc
cessitate frequent applications of Miss
Florihel's small, pink palm in u series
OF subiugatory pats and pressures.
Her eyes are Of deep and shadowy
blue, and they look straight out into
this work-a-duy world with an expires.
sion of pleased surprise at finding it
SO "good." Her figure is all soft,
warm curves; and she has many dim.
pies which come and go in all manner
of unexpected places. For instance,
who would ever expect to see q little
quaycriug dimple set up for itself
high on the delicate bloom OF un sold
maids" check? Very high up, so that
when she smiled at you, which she
very frequently did, there it was, a
provoking piece Of prettiness, near to
the sweep of the curling lashes, and
in nest OF soft rose color, which was
the flush on Miss Floribol's sweet
check.
On one side the long, deep gallery,
or veranda, that ran all across the
front OF the white cottage, grow tall
rose bush, with long, dciicately nutcd
foliage, and buds of pure, snow-white-
ness, cleaning in the midst OF all the
pale grecnness OF the bush. This rose
held Il strange place in Miss Floribela
life.
Twenty years ago there had gone
from the villnge n gay, rollioking lad,
with II reckless record back of him,
and all sorts OF possibilities fronting
him. lie was beautiful to begin with,
with the beauty of slim, gracefuI
lines, high-spirlted and clear cut
features, and deep and rich coloring.
He was gifted; learning all that the
grabbed old scholar who taught the
village school could teach him, in the
time in which other lads had Just be.
gun to comprehend; and ussimilntino
all of outside information that cam,
his way. He was favorlte with ali
who knew him, MS much Tor his lonely
solitary existence as for his charm o.
person and manner.
About his mother had clustered tht
village romance. An undutitul daugh
teri runaway marrlage-and the in
oytubio scgu.l; tho return to thu
stately mansion which had been he