The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-10

bandages, she laughed and cried:
Why the man is blushing. You bet
ter go and shave yourself she cried
loosely. You are no fit sight for so
pretty little runaway. Leave her to
me. and brush up. or she'll be more
than ready TO run back with papa when
he gets here"
There was good sense in this and I
crept down stairs, and meeting in the
hall my gentleman of the diamond pin
asked him shamefacedly where I might
obtain at once a bath, a change of
clothing and shave.
Again was led forth, and once more
We we're knocking at peoples doors.
and once more did surly men peer at
us through stingy little chinks. and.
by and by half-dressed barber stood
before u.s. mixing up cold lather. and
stropping razor with sleepy blind
ness far from reassuring.
You'll have TO get off them rags.
he said, with unnecessary rudeness
pointing to my bandages. and then he
stripped them from me with no gentle
hand, and fell at his work.
Be careful of that jaw, 1 said, heav-
lily; and then l think / must have
gone to sleep. for. though 1 remember
his asking me snappishly. (which jaw?"
/ remember nothing else until sudden
application of bay rum to a cheek all
self with a moan of pain.
Whatever have you had them rags
on for?' was the greeting of my tor
mentor, as he hastily covered the evil
dence of his brutality with a dab of
powder. and then my eyes, straying
about in sleepy wonder, fell upon my
reflection in the long glass before me.
What, indeed? Why. 1 was myself
again, How long had been masque-
a r-il in, h.ar
ages? Why. even my swoolen eye,
though thought heavy about the up
per lid, wore only a look of interesting
melancholy
1 could have sung for joy. 1 sprang
to my feet with such an expression of
artless delight on my face that the
man demanded four times the usual
rate on the spot. ITS too much to
be expected to climb out at this hour
and sharpen up extra for what one
would get at midday when the trade is
driving" he said in excuse of his rob-
berry, but l took him so pleasantly that
he quite bestirred himself whenshe got
to my hair. and when | mentioned with
an attempt at gaiety that 1 was without
hat or coat. he offered to drum up a
friend of his who kept a clothing store
a little farther down the street.
Lets be off, / cried like one lead
later / was so completely metainor-
phosed that the lady who had recon-
mended the change did not know me
when rushed in upon her, until spoke
forth into a storm of inquiries as to
the state of the invalid / had left in her
charge.
Where is she2" I cried for 1 was
burning to display myself before her
without my former dismal trappings.
7 ho har-
how she had learned to regard me; that
she was weak, tired, and in situation
of the utmost delicacy, and in a man.
ner did. but how without raising fatal
could refuse to enter when
the attendant pointed to the parlor and
said my bride" was in there. / might,
however. have gone in more slowly:
might have followed up my timid
knock. which brought Smothered
chuckle from behind me, with less
speed; but, as it was. l was inside the
door, and on my knees beside the chair
in which she sat, pouring out a stream
of inquiries, regrets and congratula-
tionS before noticed that she was not
listening to me. but had drawn herself
back from me as from some wild beast,
and was regarding me in a pallid hor-
ror which struck me to the heart.
Why, don't you know me?" I cried,
in pity and reproach, at which her face
turned crimson, then went down upon
the arm of her chair, and she burst
into tears with such an abandonment
of grief that 1 was beside myself
'Oh. forgive me, forgive mel / cried,
though l was not conscious of having
sinned against her. But she only shook
her head, and bade me leave, her, and,
as 1 could not do that, l dropped into
hopeless silence, regarding the crown |
Of fluffy hair, which was all I could see,
n helpless misery, until, gradually,
about an inch of her white forehead be-
gan to show itself above the handker- |
chief she was clutching, and a desper- |
ate voice said: How could you be so |
awfully young and all that? |
It's just-just too dreadful for any
hing"
Il know it," I said meekly. though |
did not think it dreadful at all. But |
you know all this is Just for little |
while. I only stayed to make you UNI
1erstand that. / will. leave you now,
f you prefer it."
There was a silence, then she reached
her hand cautiously towards me. still |
with her face concealed behind the
Il am not angry with YOU" she said, /
-imidly And if you had been old, you
know, come to think about it, YOU
couldn't have got about so; perhaps
is best this way, after ALL
Perhaps it is 1 murmured grave