The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-20
MARY'S ROMANCE.

email, pale girl OF QuleG manners ana IN
finite patience.
Mary was her name, and we all deemed
it fitting Her eyes were, as the village
gossips put it, her only beauty. They were
large and blue gray. There was wistful
sweetness in them that won the hearts OF
such of her patrons as occasionally let
thought stray from darts and leg o. NUT
tons and revers to the silent fRshioner of
the same
Aary's unobtrusive personality was re-
Hected in the gray gowns and hats which
she always wore. Some of her employers,
angular of face and figure and unlovely Of
charac ter, might have found cause for COM
plant in their hireling's prediction for
the sunshine and color and Joy of life. So
Mary adhered to nunlike shades and her
remarks were confined to inquiries about
the comfort giving qualities OF the gar
nents she manufactured.
She had come from the nearest city five
years before. She had lived quietly Gin
rooms,'' and those who peddled sensations
in their own f'sets'' found her humble lit
tie affairs of no concern. One or two
would be gallants found she had remark
able talent for aloofness. 1t was the same
with the few young women who might
have sought her society. The women
whom she served regarded her as a cheap
and skillful machine, and there their in
Teresa SnQeO. hers WAS d 4Oue4y ZIG, anu
it was some unknown influence that kept
her so well poised and quietly cheerful.
Mary had a romance. When asked about
it, she responded with bushes and happy
glances.
It was not very different from that of
other girls as poor and patient as Mary.
They had grown up together-that phrase
that embraces SO much of youthful hope
and sympathy Their parents had lived
side by side. Hers died first She had
learned the trade from city dressmaker
and had come to the village because there
were so many Of her vocation in the big
town. That was all, except that Frank,
too, became an orphan and his task of get
ting through the law school had been
doubly hard for that reason. He had just
completed the task and was going to locate
in the capital of the adjoining state. She
could not see him so often row, but if all
went we'll they would be together in a
year. Then her little sister lived there with
her aunt. Frank had never seen her, but
they would soon be friends because of her.
''Is your sister like you, Maryf'' asked
the merchants wife as she hemmed ruff
lie overland
ooh, mol" said the little seamstress. 81
have not seen her since she was child, but
she was beautiful then. Frank cannot
help liking her.
Mary told the rest of the story year
later with her head pillowed on her friend s
broad bosom and her slender, gray figure
shaken by the storm of a woman's great
grief.
"Don'tmind me, Mrs. Brown, - she said
when she felt big tears falling upon her
hair. 1T was probably for the best. She
is more suitable wife for Frank. I
couldn't keep pace with him when had
to sew all day and in the evening, too,
and she is so young and bright and lovely.
She didn't know and he couldn't help low
ba-. TN<,v,5 how.
The neighbOrhood seamstress, worn
from her close companiOnship with the
bright, slender needle that won for her her
bread, had yielded to her aunt's and sis
ter's invitation and gone to the capital for
a fortnight.
Besides as she wrote Frank, it was high
time she did some shopping in the city, for
she needed some of the things for her
modest little OUTFIT Frank made no ref
erence to this pretty little passage in his
reply. She thought this was due to his alb
sorption in his cares and tried not to be
panied by the omission.
Her ''Iittle sister, - grown into won
drously pretty young woman, and Frank
were at the station to meet her. Ruby's
greeting was warmly affectionate. The
proprieties did not admit of Franks being
so, she knew, and she scOlded herself for
the dull little pain at her heart because it
was so. She was glad to see on what friend
~ terms Frank and Ruby were. She was
so glad they liked each other. But she had
been sure they would.
81 found it out that evening" she sob
bed. ut was only little accident that
told me they loved each other. But a
womans heart Is clever if her brain isn't.
had good excuse for going to bed early,
for was tired from the journey. never
slept at all. Mrs. Brown, I could see how
well Frank and Ruby looked together
The picture Of them standing under the
gaslight drove me nearly crazy. knew
she was a wife Frank could be proud of,
and 1 WASH t. But my life was so empty
without him. My love for him and plans
for a little home of our own were the only
bright things in it. knew why his letters
had been so few and short when saw him
look at her that evening. I thought I
would go mad that night I believe 1
should have. But toward morning peace
came to me-that kind of peace, you know,
that comes after a storm on the ocean,
that leaves the shore strewn with wrecks.
Still it was peace. That came after made
up my mind to give him up.
Oh, Mrs. Brown, it was so easy for
him. He just said, I'm sorry, Mary, but
he looked as though be would have said,
L am ashamed, Mary, and he didn't ask
me why. He knew l knew all about it,
but she never did. Dear heart! I'm go
ing to make the white dress over to fit her,
and the other things too Oh, yes, will
You know, Mrs. Brown, I'm not used to
it yet, and it breaks my heart to look at
them. They will be married next month -
They were. Mary, the little seamstress,
still lives in the village, but she has
changed much. The blue Of her eyes has
faded into the gray, and we think some
times her cheeks are taking on that ashen
hue, or is it a reflection of her gown?
She is as patient as ever, but not so
strong Poor little Mary Ada Patterson