Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-08

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asking question. and it never gets
the answer l can hear it in the day
and in the night. The white foam
breakers are saying that which think
/ 1 walk alone with them when there II
no one to see me, and / sing with them
I lie down on the sand and watch them
with my eyes half shut. The sky is
better, but it is so high above our
heads. I love the sea. Sometimes we
must look down too. After five days /
went back to Grahamstown.
II had glorious books, and in the
night could sit in my little room and
read them, but | was lonely Books
are not the same things when you are
living among people. cannot tell
why, but they are dead. On the farm
they would have been living beings to
me. but here, where there were so
many people about me, l wanted some
one to belong to me. ! was lonely. 4
wanted something that was flesh ard
blood. Once on this farm there came
q stranger. did not ask his name. but
he sat among the 'karroo' and talked
with me. Now, wherever have trav-
ieled have looked for him. In hotels
! in streets. in passenger wagons as they
rushed IL. through the open windows
! of houses, have looked for him. bit
have not found him never heard d
voice like his. One DAY went 10 the
1 botanic gardens. 1t was half holt
day. and the band was to play. lstool
in the long raised avenue and looked
4 down. There We're many flowers. and
| ladies and children We're walking about
beautifully dressed At last the music
1 began. had not heard such music
before. At first it was slow and even,
I like the everyday life when we walk
through it without thought or feeling.
/ Then it grew faster; then it paused,
hesitated; then it was quite still for an
instant. and then it burst out I.yndall,
they made heaven right when they
made it all music. 1t takes you up and
carries you away. away, till you have
the things YOU longed for. You are up
close to them. lou have got out into
large, free. open place. | could not
see anything while it was playing. 1
stood with my head against my tree,
but when it was done saw that there
We're ladies' sitting close to me on
wooden bench, and the stranger who
had talked to me that day in the 'kar-
REQ was sitting between them.
The ladies We're ve.'y pretty and.
their dresses beautiful. ! do not mink
: they. had been listening TO- the music.
for they We're talking and laughing
very softly ! heard ill they saia and
could even smell theSrose Oh the breast
of one. | was afraid he WOULD see me.
$50 ! went to the other ss!asof the trees
and soon tleySgo lii, and EeganNto p:lce
4 up and down in, the 4ayeniic, All the
81 time the music played they cisstretl.
tand he carried on his arm the scarf of
the prettiest lady did net hear the
music. tried to catch the sound OF
4 his voice each time be went by. Wien
III was listening to the music did not
/ know was badly dressed. Now felt
so ashamed Of myself. nayelsk knew
before what u low. horrible thing |
was, dressed in tan cord. That day on
the farm when we sat on the ground
under the thorn trees | Thought he
bquite belonged to Me. Now saw he
was not mine. But he Was still as
beautiful. His brown eyes are more
beautiful than any ones eyes, except
yours.
Eat last they turned to so, and l
walked after them. When they got
out OF the gate, he helped the ladies
intoa phaeton and stood for a moment,
with his foot on the step, talking to
them He had a little cane in his hand.
and an Italian greyhound ran after
him. Just when they drove away one
of the ladies dropped her whip.
Pick it up, fellow she said, and
when brought it to her she threw six
pence on the ground. I might have
gone back to the garden then. But
did not want music. wanted clothes
and to be fashionable and fine. felt
that my hands were coarse and that I
J was vulgar. | never tried to see him
again. l staid in my situation four
months after that, but l was not hap
ply. I had no rest. The people about
me pressed on me and made me dis
satisfied. could not forget them.
"Only one day something made me
happy. A nurse came to the store with
} little girl belonging to one Of our
. clerks. While the maid went into the
Office to give a message to its father
the little child stood looking at NE.
Presently she came close to me and
peeped up into my face.
"'Nice curls, pretty curls,' she said.
I like curls.'
"She felt my hair all over with her
little hands. When l put out my arm.
she let me take her and sit her on my
:. knee. She kissed me with her soft
. mouth. We We're happy till the nurse
girl came and shook her and asked her
, If she was not ashamed to sit on the
: knee Of that strange man. But do
7 not think my little one minded. She
laughed at me as she went out
"If the world was all children, I
, could like it, but men and women draw
l me SO strangely and then press me
away till l am in agony. l was not