The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-06-10

| picture hal. n a great plat. mar
tisticaIly stuck with %hairpins. uncoiled
! itself to the length of her waist. We
could see the little stamp of eNaspers-
ton that accompanied her unskillful
attempt at readiustment, and the
amused smile of the Nan watching.
Then the door was opened, and both
disappeared into the house. Mrs. De-
lane returned to the tea table drawing
in her lips and shaking her head, and
we read in the combined action what
would be the verdict Of the Row.
The result Of further .observatiOn
served only to deepen first Impressions.
The manhtr and extent OF the pairs
divergence from High itOv: notions of
| gcLtevl living became the faNOritc sub
| iect for discussion at all the tea parties.
Each one of us WAS eager TO contribute
his or her mite Of evidence. One morn
ING. when the little maid OF all work
had gone out Of the house ia garments
suggestive OF a days holiday. II Of Us
had seen Mrs. dc N~ii!irrs tthe incredible
hioh-iioWn name they gave out Is thcir
| 'HII Nstt~> tlE'4i az "a Ian y -
cap and apron and dab about the room
with a broom and buster. for all the
| world like a stare SOUbrettC. Her nus
band had stood by. laughin" urrcar-
| iously. and the whole bad concluded
with an affectionatc skirmi>h. i'll which
the broom had played an important
part. The pair made daily excursions
10 the shops. she carrying Oh her arm
a prcnosteruus market basket. itself an
Insult 10 the dignity Of the Row.
On hot summer nights. when we sat
| and stevycd respectively in our front
| parlors, these people would brin" deck
chairs on to their doorstep and lounge
| there till bedtime in shameless disha-
billie of tca@own and smoking Jacket
Hitherto the respectable remotcueS> OF
High Row had been appreciated ny
havkcrS and street MINISTRIES. and they
| had seldom troubled us with their viz
it's. liut now III" charm wa broken.
Some instinct seemed to urge them
daily IN our direction. IN instinct JUST
fed by the behavior of the newcomers.
| who bought shrimpS and water crosses.
| and threw haifpeIce 20 the man with
the cornct. Indeed. the dark suspicion
| rested upon them Of having inflicted
the squcaking vulgarity of a Punch and
judy show upon the peace of High Row
by deliberate invitation. They had Ger
tainly sat at their window throughout
the performance. e~Nhihitln" 7
signs Of appreciation.
Calling on them had from the first
been out Of the question. Now when we
came across them in tn" row. or street.
our countcnances We're wont /" put on
the most unapproachable look. where
by We hoped 5hey would gather the eN-
tent of their ~otfens". and he induced.
perhaps. To mend their WAYS.
Yet | am glad TO say. for the claraC-
ter of the row, that we were all of u
shocked at Mrs. Drlane. who. when Ill
tie Mrs. de Niiiicrs stopped Il morn
inw in front Of her Neranda 10 say pref
" words II the parrot summing itself
there. dartrd out red and w%rathfai and
bore the CAGE hack with her through
the parlor window. as though she feared
contamination for TIE bird. i;ut White
we Watching grew red and white in the
girls behalf. she resumed her saIntrr-
ing walk with Il little smiling twist OF
the mouth that expressed more If
amusement than of annoyance.
We had become aware. and thc fact
lay perhaps at the root of our hostility,
that We. the original inhabitants.
formed Il important an element in the
consciousness of TIA, pain as the pump
at The rornrr Of the rusty cIump OF
shrubs that did duty fer garden in the
middle of the Row. And So they con
tinGed to stand Gn their heads. meta
r~horically speaking, tXis~Sn"ratin@iy IN
different to the "N;sfrnce of an audi
rncr irving to frown them down into a
more conventional attitude.
Yet it was strange that they should
seem content 10 he let severely alone,
for as far as callers went rhcy might
have lived on Il desert island: the post
man rarely brought them letter. And
as uinmcr merged into autumn. Il
change like that affecting the season
cam" over the otfrndin" household.
The girls smart tUIictt"S. of which no
item Was ever renewed. began to look
faded and shabby. She drew the light
cloah. designed for Ummcr weather.
Cau>ely about her shoulders. but
thrwindb blew cold throughth he laceS and
chiff0nS. aud She Shivered miSerablv.
The little face under the big hat. whose
handsome feather had long been innO-
cent OF curl. grew whit" and pinched.
and the eyes had a frightened. wide
open look. The same look was reflected
in the face of The mau. as he stood for
hours together drumming aimlessly on
the window zane. Men who locked like
dun> We're seen to frequent the door
step. The girls appearance in the>trect
grew an occurrence of increasing rar-
ity. then ceased altogether. and had it
NOT be.n for a glimpse now and then of
4 pale face fitting past an upper win
dow. we might have believed she had
been spirited away. II WAS the man
who went 10 market now. mostly of al
eythin~. and armed always with the Of
fendin" basket. "A melancholy relic OF
the time when life had seemed a game
to be played with appropriate toys.
would have given something 10 dare
20 ,r,SS tho r,-y anJ ,r., ~ ,rD,- 70