Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-03-29

B0rth gdzcd after her IN establishment.
. tate on the borders Of Long Island
ssound. just beyond the limits of the
metropolis, on his coming to America
Large as it was, it was not large
Enough for his ambitious ideas. Mr..
Esorth coveted, very wrongfully, the
possessions of his neighbor, one Mar
Tin. The two properties together
about fulfilled his ideas of what a gen.
,man's country place should be. He
ed to buy. but Martin would not
n.kThis Objectionable person further
6@Airritated his neighbor by dupli-
g the high stone wall which Berth
erected in front of his place. the
5lish lodge at the entrance and the
aces of his lawn. Mr.. Berth was
a dudgeon when in the autumn he
t for England. He remained there
< months. While he was gone some
ning happened to Martin. He may
ave been squeezed in the Street. or he
may have tired of his property on the
sound. At any rate, he suddenly de-
cided to place it on the market. Mr..
Borth's man of business was slow. Be-
fore he heard the property was for sale
it. had found a purchaser. This was
the unwelcome news that greeted Mr.
Berth on his return to America in May
This is why he was still angry on this
lovely June morning
BE glanced now and then at the lofty
gables of the Martin mansion towering
above the encircling tree tops. ".Ah. if
l had only not gone away!' he sighed
"That stupid Smithers! | suppose I'll
never have another chance now"
Then he turned his back squarely on
file Martin place and resolved to think
pr it no more. He knclt down OH the
turf and placed tenderly in its moist
earthly bed a great cluster of sweet
alyssum, with which he was encircling
n gorgeous Mabel Morrison. He bent
over the delicate white flowers. rak-
Ing the earth around the roots and pat
ating it down softly. So cngrossed was
She in his work and his thoughts that he
Mdid not hear the sound of slow grind
ling wheels on the drive in front of the
house. Small wonder. then. that after
the wheels were silent he did not heed
IN light football approaching on the
gravel walk
When he looked up at last. he was
J startled to see the tall figure of young
woman not 80 feet away and coming
n slowly toward him. She wore simple
white summer costume trimmed with
4 ribbons and a big Gainsborough hat.
q In her hand she carried a white silk
II Nyt1, I
Snone of these things. He saw only the
calm. beautiful face beneath the broad
hat brim, marked only the majestic
grace with which the lady moved to-
ward him.
"She looks like princess" was his
thought as he stood up and lifted his
cap.
The young woman could not have
failed to see him, for she was looking
straight at him. or. rather, through
him; but. to Borth's surprise. she did
not notice his salutation beyond. per-
haps. the mercst dropping Of the eye
lids. Then she passed him by
Borth gazed after her in astonish-
ment. She moved serenely on her way
along his garden walk. turning her
head slowly to right or left and oc-
casionally pausing to look at s.r4
choice specimen.
Berth was at a loss what to do de
almost fancied that this magnificent in
terloper, with her proud gaze and
queenly bearing, was a phantasm of
h. brain, and he stood staring after
her until she disappeared at a bend in
the walk behind hibiscus bush. Then
he decided to follow her.