The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-26


spend many hours OF the following
week vainly trying TO determine wheth-
er she admired him most I'm "A sailor
suit or m the breeches and gaitefs or
which he was so proud. one never TO be
forgotten day the rain came down IN
torrsri-s just as her sultan and his
grand viZier reached the Blue House.
They took shelter with Dorcas. and ahe
sultan was graciousiy pleased TO be
lifted up that he might reach certain
mug from the top shelf OF the dresser
a mug which had belonged TO '"im as
We're gone" Dorcas made gingerbread
cats and ducks and her artistic efforts
went so far as to attempt a king with
crown upon is 'ead." After regaling
himself with these delicacies her sultan
would hold uD rosy face, ornamented
by sunjry sticky streaks. 70 be kissed
IN farewell: and when she had watched
him round the bend OF the canal her
eyes would grow dim. and she would
go back To the Book OF Revelation
murmuring 20 herself. "The Lard gave
and the Lard ave took away. Blessed
be the name OF the Lard"
or course. tie many charms OF the
little gentleman" were duly reported
10 Elijah. and tho residence OF Ethni
Harinan took on a reflected glory from
the fact that II was but q stones throw
II was a wet summer. and there came
four wet Sundays. one after the other
Nanly did Dorcas try TO fix her mind
on the streets OF jasper white all the
time she was straining her ears for the
sound OF the little voice that never
chimed into the stiffness She grew 10
hate the patter OF the rain on the path
outside: even the fact that the canal.
for once. was full. and three barges
passed i'm one week. DID not console.
her The gingerbread animals grew
STALE and crumbly between two plates.
and the gorgeous mug, "A Present
from Fairford." was nut back on the
ton shelf OF the dresser AGAIN.
The weather changed and there came
lovely SUNDAY Elijah sci. of 10 the
cat and ComDasses" as usual: Dorcas
hustled about with a pleasant sense OF
expectation and went and stood on THE
towing path. her ewes fixed on the dis
tant bridge. Some bows went by 90
battle beyond the second bend. with
laughter and shouting Then the only
sound was the hum OF bees settled on
the purple scaitous growing atop the
crumbling coroswold wall.
On Monday Dorcas could bear II no
longer. II be that tewey and narvous I
don't know what | be- about" she re-
marked, as she locked the door Of the
Blue House and hid the key under the
mat. Should barge come-well. Il must
manage somehow Barges were never
in hurrc'. She had come 10 a moman-
tous decision. She was going 10 inquire
after "her little gentleman" Whether
he was III or gone for a holiday. or was
merely forgetful. she would find out and
end this dreadful suspense She was a
very simple minded woman but IN her
heart or hearts she felt little sore
with the grand yizier. for she had no.
tion that he was by no means ignorant
of what these Sunday visits msant to
her.
ed "a cen let. A he that meek 'earted
a wouldn't 'Eurt vloi. let alone ont
z sh" sPid to herself with hair sob.
she was "cGvincei that hes sultan
could no fc fget 80 utterly tle hUmhlos.
OF his slaves. So she nut on her best
clothes and tight elastic sided boots.
with lots OF little white buttons adorn-
ing the fronts.
At the Blue House Dorcas was never
either self conscious or shy: but when
she reached her sultan's palace. having
timidly pushed omen the drive gate shn
became aware that tho new boots
creaked horribly, AMI that perspiration
was dropping from her eyebrows into
her eyes Having mopped her face and
generally pulled herself together. she
managed TO reach the front door though
her knees trembled and her heart nut
tered like a Gagged bird.
Never was such a noisy beni Il
and echoed in most alarming
fashion, she wished that the stone
steps would open AM swallow her up.
Whist would they think of her for dar-
ing TO make such a clatter? Besides
and at the dreadful thought she nearly
cried out-of course she ought to have
gone TO the back door.
For full five minutes she stood on tho
steps, listening for any sound INSIDE
the house, but all was perfectly auiAt
She turned and went into the drive.
To 60 round 10 the back door
when IL occurred 10 her 10 look back
at the house; she had been far too
nervous To do so as she came In. The
lower windows were shuttered. and all
the blinds We're down
They had gone. then and II II WIS emp
~ And they never didn't bring i'm for
to say goodby 10 me-"
Lifc's little tragedies generally hap
pen to the lonely. What I'm "a full
and happy life ranks but as an epi-
sode becomes an epoch i'm the sad col
ored days OF lean monotony. Dorcas
wiped her eyes more than once on her
days Elijah saw thai she was fret
ting, and tried TO distract her by news
from town and occasional suggestiors |
that she SO over and "and see sister I
law in an adjacent village: but be- /
yond her necessary Journeys 70 the /
town TO buy such stores as she could I
atord. Dorcas never left home. she /
scrubbed the kitchen table til she I
grudged to sully it's whiteness by so /
much as n yellow bowl, and she made :
herself warm new winter dress. but. /
for all her Industry. the time hung /
heavy on her hands. and she never for |
got her little gentleman" The wet 4
season was followed by an Indian sum /
Nor of exceptional beauty THE /
spirit OF October. mild and boon" was I
m the air: the tottering Cotteswold 4
wall. which laid its wayward length on f.
hc far side of the footwSv. was COW \
,ied by sprays NJ crims N blackberry
mingled with the nuffv grayness Of 4
'old mans beard" Dorcas no longer 4
stared hungrlly down the towing patn 4
M SUNDAY morning but she did not 4
forget: and. I'm token ~ her rcmcm- \
Drance. the twenty-nrst chapter Of tn,
Do0k OF revelation was marked I'm her
Bible by little woollen glove with n
arge hole ia he thumb Her sultan
lad dropped it during his last visit
The birds sane thuuch tt.0ra