Smyrna times., 1901-02-06
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mucu ike 10Y Wuou Iuey TOOK III, WAS
swept and garnished. The neat, white
blinds were drawn smoothly across the
immaculate windows, the pretty vases
upon the mantel piece were busted,
flowers in the boxes had been watered
and divested of their dead leaves. The
sunshine fell in a square, yellow patch
and the brilliant freshness of the car
pet.
George had left for town some hours
earlier. She had Just wandered into
the drawing-roOm to look out upon the
suburan red brick of the street-to put
fresh water into the little jars of wall
flowers upon the window sill The
sunshine made a pleasant brightness
around her, and rested prettily on her
fluffy coils of hair-on the soft curves
OF her face. She pushed aside the new
curtains, and sat down on the ledge of
the open window.
All along the street were little red
houses like their own, with corked or
tiled window boxes, and trim iron rail-
ings and nicely whitened steps. All
arong the street were tiers of neatly
curtalned windows, surmounted by
one regularly broken line of clean
blue slate. She found herself mechan-
ically noting the slight differences be-
tween the blinds, aud the colors of the
flowers in the windows, with a sort of
relief.
Three weeks ago, on just such
morning as this, life had seemed so
very different. She had been in a
whirl of excitement, of happy con-
fusion, and busy arrangement. She
ana George were to be married next
day and she had no time, and no incli-
nation for thought. Perhaps she had
never thought much all her life
There were so many people about her
to think, and feel, and understand for
her that it did not seem necessary.
But now she had to think for herself.
The soft air famed her face, the
sunshine veined her brown hair with
lines of gold; but she was conscious OF
a growing sense of disappointment, OF
discomfort. She had imagined, vaguely
that it would be very amusing to be
married, very exciting, very interest
ing. She had pictured pretty dresses
and furniture and freedom to do as she
chose in all things. She had looked
forward to it as a sort of gloritied aud
perpetual engagement, with George tC
make endless love to her, and call hel
pretty names, and bring her flowers
and little surprises from town. He
eyes fell on a blue china teapot on the
opposite bracket, and she remembered
incidentally that George had beer
rather cross because his coffee was
gronty. He was not half so gooC
looking, she reflected, when he wal
cross. The idea was something of q
revelation, because she had never seer
him cross before.
The sunshine grew intolerably hot
aud her head began to ache, but sh,
did not move. There was a photo
graph of her husband on the table be
side her, and her eyes were fixed on i
with 8 curiously critical expression.
She had never criticised him before
for she had taken it as a matter o
course that she was very much in low
with him. She had never analyzed th
depth of her feeling towards him, bu
then she had had no time, even sh
possessed any talent for analysis
These were her tennis tournaments
her banjo lessons, her bicycle rides, t
claim her attention. There were he
walks, and afternoon teas.
The banjo was in it's case in tn
corner; she had not touched it sine
her marriage. The bicycle was in til
! hall; she did not care to ride alone
There was no one to play tennis with
or to talk with; she did not kno'
anyone whom she could ask to tei
There was nothing, in fact, bu
George.
Again her eyes rested on the photo
graph. 1t was the face of a youn
man with good features, and rather in
pressive eyes. The mouth was som,
what large, but pleasant, the smi
rank and kindly, but somehow ii
whole face struck her as different I
anything she had imagined it befo1
1t seemed to her strange; it was
though mist had been taken from b
ore her eyes. 1t was such an ORD
nary face-George was a very commo
place young man after all.
She seighed leaning her head wea
, lily against the window frame, al
looked back into the room. 1t seem
to her as though she had lived in it
centuries, though she had only cor
into it few days before. She KIN,
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