Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-09-08

ONS-, WSTe "edTyluS lOuSluSS IOr the
vanished weHlth. His daughter was al.
most stranger to him. She had gone
away a child, she was now q woman of
20. What sort of woman, evolved by
| her mothers worldliness and a false
| system of education, he hesitated to
consider. His life was spent in the de-
| pleted family mansion on Waverly
place with one old servant, amid furni,
ture masked in gray holland and por-
traits of his lost children blinking
through gauze sheetings. Only his pa
tients and friends had prevented him
from becoming like the piano in the
corner, which had almost forgotten how
to vbrate
But he knew what home might be
since Anne came to New York He was
deeply fond CT her, wholly in sympathy
with her. His gaze wandered to q
shadowy pastel On the wall before him
where her deep eyes were touched by
the sunsets fire. 1t seemed to tell him
much. Hers had been stern, starved
girlhood up to the present year. After
college days and between the ages Of 20
and 20 she had been chained to the bed
side of an invalid father, her life a
strain when it was not stagnation, un-
used energy fretting her heart, what
should have been the sunniest period of
| her life drifting by in shadow.
When her father died, she had found
herself wholly orphaned and free to
plan her future according to her tastes.
She had small income, thorough ed
ucation and the talent of being able to
write with splendor and force of what
ever she felt deeply. The controlled
yearnings for freedom had grown into
one desire, and she had gratified it.
The old home was rented, and like a
young David entering the camp of the
Philistines she had come to New York.
Three things she had determined on
to live alone, work, fill her days with
impressions, of life, fling away books
and study men and women.
When the maid appeared with can
dies, Anne followed her, bowl of roses
in her hands. The newspaper woman in
severe, collared gown was gone, and in
/ her place was an exquisite creature akin
to the flowers and the starry lights. Her
shoulders and arms cleaned through a
.gauzy black bodice. A modish knot
showed the fine abundance Of her hair.
One rose was fastened at her bosom,
where it famed in splendid warmth.
DR.. Ericsson looked at her critically.
She was more than pretty; she was i'm
perfectly lovely, or, rather, beautiful
without fulfilling conventional canons.
During quiet moments her face was &C.
rene and alluring, the dark hair upon
the pale brow like banded velvet, the
liquid brown eyes POLITICALLY thought
full, the mouth appealing. Softness,
strength and color were all there. But
in action and expression lay her stron-
gest charm. When the lips smiled the
| eyes lightened and the small, delicate
hands, as restless as Frenchwoman s.,
emphasized her words; Anne was ire
sistible.
81 am going to give you summer
dinner, she said, her fingers lingering
among the roses.
Nothing but roses?'
"You'd be near Nirvana if that could
satisfy you. Nora, bring the SOUP" she
added in q purposely practical tone as
she seated herself.
They were like children together
Anne listened attentively as she led the
old man on to philosophize of life as he
saw it. She told him of her newspaper
work, its newness, its delight, of the
novel she had commenced and how
sometimes she rose at dead Of night to
make note of an idea or q phrase, of
all her faiths, dreams and prejudices
70 him she was piteously youthful. To
her he was old, wise and weary. He
had settled all with destiny. She was
buckling on her armor. 1t seemed that
the heart he had lost throbbed in her
bosom. He longed that the impossible
might be made possible and she might
keep it forever so. valiant, Free happy
II suppose you know David Temple
very well by this timer" he asked.
You'd be surprised if you knew how
seldom he has spoken to me-" she said,
resting familiarly on her elbow. "Ho
sometimes seems a marvelously con-
structed machine instead of man. He
works so hard. He seems able to attend
to 20 things at once."
eyes; to lead is in his blood"
"That's it," she nodded. "If he'd
been born in forest in tribal days,
they'd have made him chief. Or can't
you fancy him a pirate, or stupendous
criminal with horde of cringing fol-
lowers, or cardinal with an eye to
pierce conscience and subjugate king,
or general like Napoleon, gazing in
------AN--ls,t .- .aS.N HUH
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