The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-06-10
tones directed my attention te he

stones directed my attention to he
street. What 1 saw there kept me
rooted to the spot. 4 great yellow
coach with large, heraldic emblazon-
ments. driven by a white-wigged coach.
man, had drawn up in front of No. 10.
The powdered man holding on behind
jumped down and gave a knock that
brought the rest of the Row to its par
lor windows in time to see the most
obvious dowager duchess disappear
through the doorway. What could it
mean? Had some dame of high estate
heard CT their sufferingS. and called to
play the part of Lady Bountiful?. Then
| remembered thai from EeSSie'S attic
could be obtained a capital view of the
new tenants first floor front, and
caught suddenly by 4 frenzy ot curips-
ity. binding me to all sense of deccncy,
| scampered up the stairs and arrived
at the attic window at the moment
when the strange visitor was crossing
the threshold If the room where [
guessed the invalid lay. From where |
stood | saw the poor little white figure
spring up on her couch. eyes wide. pale
lips parted as though She heheId Il
vision: then fall back on the instant
among her pillows. hiding her face in
her hands. Another moment. and the
visitor was by the bedside. bending
over her. and what followed came to
me as a blurred ;an~le of carcsScs and
emotion. in which the men s1andin" On
the other side of the bed WAS also IL
ciuded. Then | turned away. startled
suddenly into propriety by the con-
Sc~iousness of tears running down b.:
face.
\ week later the great yellow car.
rage drove up for the last time before
the door at No. 10. where is daily alp
p]earance in the interval had gone far
to compensate the Row for what il bad
undergone ut the hands of the new
tenauts. The dowa@er sailed in in her
usual ruStlIng state. and returned sup
porting Il bundle of shawlS. out of
which peeped a familiar. pathetic little
face. The husband followed behind,
anu llt liItS III dli three Sli'Itt iIht SUN
shine after rain as they entered the
coach and clattered out of High Row.
Neither Of the pair CAV us 50 much as
a backward luok. but the little maiG-of-
ali-Nork. experimenting the lading of
= fly with portman1eauS belonging TO
her master, cried miserably on the
doorstep.
And that was the end of it, and we of
the Row were decidedly out of conceit
with ourselves and with one another.
1t had beer a variation on the theme of
Alfred and the OakcS. and We had dis
tinguishcd ourselves in the part of the
ncatherd's wife. when a little more dis
might have placed us in per-
manent touch with the British ariS1oc-
racv. For. although we were never able
to learn the whole of the story. the fact
of the intimate connection of the couple
with that august BODY was established
beyond a doubt. Eut by tacit consent
mention was rarely made of them in
our ~neighborIy talk. They had been
she means of disp"lIin% our illusions rs
to the uHrrrin" character of Il in
StinrtS and perceptions. and the subject
remained Il painful one.
Gucr SAW the girl again. hut only for
y moment. ] had gone to stay with d
in London. and we had walked
one afternoon II the park to watch the
carriages returning from the drawing
room. She was in one nf them. stately
hat radiant. in nOdhin" feathers and
fla>hin" Jewels. princess, every inch
of her, How could we have miSr-ad
the signs. our eyes met. 4 look of
recognition crcpt into hers. then She
turned away with u flush and Il little
toss Of the head. They had understood
then. and GU" attitude of hostility. |
a"d had resented it and been panied 10y
it. while appearing to ignore it, /
wished She could have known how neal
| had oHCe been To holding out my hand. !
and my eyes flied with tears. which
owed none OF their bitterness to the
that il was Il nohl" lady who had
lust given Iuc the cut direct. For at
the moment ! could thinl; of nothing
but the lost opportunity of human
w /