Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-10-14

yes" said he, fumbling abour
among the bundles, sit's somewhere
here. Oh, here it isl
Folks well?" she asked.
eyes. You've got Bells how ovor
here"
Yes
''Is he contented?'
Seems to be-
"Any news up this way?" inouire,i
he.
"They say John Sanders is worse
said Dorcas. 'They had council of
doctors there last night It's doubtful
whether he'll get over it,
THAT so? I hadn't heard of that
eyes. I was over this morning AMI
that's what Annie told me-
That's bad said the I'D man
thoughtfully. "Well, must be goin'. :,
he said, taking up the reins. ITS
gettin' late. Coin to the sociable this
week"
Il don't know-perhaps so. Per
haps,' hesitatingly, well both 60"
Mr.. Frost looked at her curiously.
Perhaps he said slowly, 'sI'm sure I
hope you will
1--WE meant her and Oscar" he ex-
planned to his companion as ne drove
away. II guess" he remarked, SEN
tentiously, she'll be tolerable pleased
to see him when he comes
Dorcas went slowly back into the
house. On the threshold she turned to
look after the retreating wagon
Fathers growing DID, she thought,
''he'll be sorry to see it when he
comes"
The lines of the lower part of her
face relaxed as she stood by the door,
nor showed that touch of rigidity, that
lack of tenderness, so characteristic Of
her manner and SO untrue to her real
nature. Her hand fell caressingly up
on the flowers at her waist She need
ed the flowers to brighten her up, she
thought, for she had grown somber
with the years, like an old engraving
It was picture of Washington near
her that made her think of the COM
parison.
She looked about the room with all
the pride of possession; for in her eyes
it was the choice spot of all the world.
It was large, and bay window added
light, and broke the otherwise rigid
outline. In the winter that window
was miniature conservatory, redolent
of pink and heliotrope, and gorgeous
with geranium and oleander. Now it
served merely KS shrine for a pot of
carnation, set apart by it's mistress, as
especially worthy of honor.
The room had been rather bare when
Oscar went away, for DOrcas had come
to the house with small dowry; but
now there was pretty carpet setting
forth bright leaves relieved by back
ground of green; a sofa covered with
gay Brussels, some eminently respect
able, but hardly inviting, black walnut,
including a table on which were laid
some of the current magazines, ex-
pressing Dorcas's pride in being in the
world and of it; some willow chairs,
ribbon bedecked; and near her a
large, well-filled bookcase-her medi-
| cine chest she called it, as she thought
| of the purpose which it had served.
During the first year of her loneli-
ness she had been angry and resentfui:
but in time the anger had burned out;
| then had come period OF waiting,
when she sat for hours, listening so
! intently that the fall of book or
step in the house Jared upon her like
a discordant note; then had come a
period of regret and self-accusing. She
| tried to defend herself from the charge
of being quarrelsome, by thinking that
her theories were not like those of 9th
ers, just patterns woven into the life
texture; hers were part OF it's very
warp and wool, and she could not help
| trying to set them forth and enforce
them, any more than she could help
the color of her hair. She became
more and more sure, as time went on,
that if there were ever to be any hap
piness in her home when Oscar came
back. and she made sure that he would
come back, she must somehow estab-
lish harmony of thought.
1t was for this purpose that she had
bought the books. Her hand ran hght-
ly over their edges as if they were pl-
ano KEYS, while she remembered what
thew had meant to her. She had pored
early and late over those on the nrst
shelf, that she might unlearn creed
as dear to her as her own nature.
CHANGING up, she noticed, across the
room, painted face just outlined In
the dusk. 1t was portrait OF her
Aunt Dorcas, prim, sweet-faced Wom-
an who had looked upon ''trinkets OF
gold'' and bright ribbons as instfu-
ments of the Evil One and nad even
mourned her own gift of beauty as a
snare set by this same Arch-contrlvet
to catch the soul.
Dorcas remembered for years Aunt
Dorcas had never looked into mirror ,
they said, lest she herself might De leu
| nov some SLIGHT and as Sne