The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-20
THE SPINSTER.

merrily in the open CRATE. My cat is curled
up on her soft cushion and is blissfully
purring herself to sleep Two books lie on
the coy little table near mo, the 80 'Reveries
of a Bachelor and the Love Affairs Of
an Old Maid My knitting, with its
balls of pale blue and deep wine red, rests
idly IN my lap. lean back comfortably
in my big chair, and with half closed eyes
I let my wayward thoughts wander where
free fancy leads them.
Who knows what tender feelings steal
into many lonely heart when the shades
are drawn and brOOding silence settles
down on a quiet little house2 I cannot
help wondering whether, after all, my
neighbor over the way is more or less happy
than 1, and my mind goes back to the
time when we were schoolmates
Lillian at 16 was the prettiest girl in
school Her wide open blue eyes, her soft,
round cheeks and her waving hair made
her picture of girlish beauty. She never
cared for study, but romp, a picnic or
dance was her delight Well, at Is she
married one of the boys and expected TO
have gay time forever after Her Jack
was a good dancer and drove n stylish
horse, all the girls envied her, and what
more could one ask for?
But the first year brought severe disap-
pointments. Lillian grew careless Of her
personal appearance and wildly jealous OF
JACK lie n1IeG scenes ana DEtIGEEE4 20
spend his time where he would not be an
noyed by them. After some bitter lessons
Jack 5 wife learned to keep within certain
well defined limits. With her fresh beauty
faded and with the knowledge that she has
lost her husbapd's alteration she draSs
along a weary life, in which there is neither
pleasure in the present nor hope for the
future. Said I to myself, Il am far hap
pier in certain loneliness than in such
companionship, and looked around my
coy room with a sense of relief to think
that no scowling face and no harsh words
marred my "old maids paradise.
Then 1 took up my half finished work
and knitted fndustriouly for awhile.
was making some socks for little Ted, my
young nephew. Who could tell the proud
joy, the infinite tenderness and love which
we're in the heart of Ted's little mothers
There was an answering thrill when
thought of her and cOntrasted her life with
mine. How closely she clasped the little
fellow in her arms as if she would shield
him from all the world. With what eager
ness she watched for the first responsive
look, the first plain word, and the first
tottering step. And there was even an
absurd fOndness in those tender mother
eyes as she gazed on the antics of her young
son and imagined them vastly superior to
those exhibited by any other infant in the
wide world. Ted was not a commonplace,
everyday baby; not he. His wOrdless bah
D1tuRS were lulA u W MlsNLO4AA1 OAAAl NO EJ4A
ordinary nOrtals could not understand the
mysterious language in which they were
uttered
laid down my knitting and in the red
Goals of the open fire CRATE read the COM
ing years, bringing the inevitable changes
for Ted and his mother. The boy is not
satisfied to live within the clasp of those
sheltering arms He must see life, be free,
go out into the world and judge for him
self. The mothers eyes are dim with gath
ering tears, and she trembles with fore
bodings. Her boy, her little Ted is cut
there away from her love and watchful
care. He may be cold or weary OF i'll. The
great world is pitiless, and there are many
| snares. She reads the papers and trembles
! at every sensational item. oh, if she could
only have kept him as he was. little in
| nOcent child, when she knew his thoughts
| and directed his actions! Her solitude IS
| far more lonely than mine, and for the
moment 1 am glad that the tiny sock in
my lap is for Helens child and not for
| mine.
| But as the years spin on see Ted
man, no longer a needless child, the
/ comfort and support of his mother. He
| has gone through the fires and come back
to her, with his boyish fapcies, his egotism
/ and ignorance replaced by the quiet deci-
I sion and self reliance OF the mature man.
How his mother appeals to him, defers to
| him and anticipates his wishes. In her
/ eyes he- is the wisest and the handsomest
| young man in the town. She is proud Of
! his Ioverlize attention to her, and with a
! flush on her checks and an added brilliancy
/ in her dark eyes she looks but few years
4 his senior. These are happy days, but in
/ the height of their enjoyment the shadows
| come stealing. 1t is at first only thought,
1 an imagined preference, but it is soon
| deepened into a reality.
Ted's mother believes in marriage She
| would say so if you or 1 should ask her
| She believes in it as the truest and happi-
| est condition for man and woman kind
/ She has deliberately and firmly studied
4 the question and decided that there is not
! a single girl in the town who would make
/ a good wife for her boy. There are good
| girls, pretty girls, accomplished girls but
not one who combines the necessary gifts
and p,tces. Lately there has been diff
| iSerenccHIn Ted. He has not talked SO freely
dinner and has been strangely absent
| n dnded. He surely cannot be attracted by
| fri volous little Miss Flossle the only and
| pct ted darling of DR.. EverettY Ted 8
| mo. her always admired her son S taste un-
| til II ow but in this most vital choice she
| cam VI understand him. In vain she ap-
/ peaIs 70 his reason. He says little and acts
| much Thorgh he respects his mother s
| opiufoI e. she is forced to see that she il
/ aiienati ug him at each expression OF them
/ So she Necides like sensible woman to
make the best of things
Miss FIc eEie is invited to spend quiet
afternoon.I With her prospective mother-in
law. She Is found to possess shrewd
| little head. a warm heart and a charming
| manner
After all t. Vat has been said and done
they decide to MAKE the most of each 9th
er. and in the .nteEtwining of my balls OF
feecy yarn SEA the parable of their united
! lives The last stitch on the last needle is