The Marble times and Crystal silver lance., 1901-09-06
A Stray Man.

Ian without really knowing 1t.
and reared in an inland, manu-
bring town, "Miranly." as they
b her, had never found time to
= any too much thought on her
bnal appearance. She was up
Is of thirty, without relatives, and
hdent ON her own exertions as a
stress for support.
pm her father, Mirandy had in
ed the wit, good-humor and self
nee that made her a pleasant,
liable woman to 60 into different
Is, while from her mother she
to degree inherited the strict,
ideas concerning propriety and
anly reserve, especially toward
h-kind," that characterizes one
of the New England woman. 2
lever on any account, my daugh-
have anything to say to stray
!" her mother had cautioned time
again. "They are dangerous crea-
Many of them haven't any
cience at all. and no knowing
b 1t Is safe in the least to trust
hat is bred In the bone will linger
b whether it "outs in the flesh" or
And Mirandy, lone woman that
was, had unconsciously deep
ed dread and distrust Of the genus
except as regarded such as she
well and felt that she could trust
safety.
her innermost soul, Mirandy had
lin vague longings that are as in
rable from the nature OF an affec-
lte, willing. CHEEKY woman, as the
m is from the rose. She never had
ght it all out, but when in going
house to house, she saw happy
ren caressing their mothers, and
turning gladly toward the hearth
at night, Mirandy would heave
pd of smiling sigh, and half wonder
she must forever go to her two
rented rooms at nightfall and
be herself all by herself as It was
portion to do.
ID deep down In her spinster heart
one d1sire that for summer after
mer mad been a kind OF dream, a
an increasing longing, that now
had more. than half determined TO
".
could" she mused, "and without
rbing my little hoard in the
I've been SO industrious all
hgh the winter and spring that I
could take the money without
hing, and l declare, believe I'm
led to it. I guess I nights well
pver and see what Cynthy Wells
about my going"
Fandy had never looked upon the
BY this we do not mean the rivers
flow everywhere, nor the rippling
that flow often through quiet
!. Plenty Of these Mirandy had
aye, and feasted her eyes upon,
the water" was something she
never see enough Of. But the
the great, grand, limitless ex-
and waste of water that books
of and that people talked about,
med as though Mirandy actually
d to look upon with her own eyes.
vas hot and dusty in the inland
poor Mirandy was tired out, the
sea called more loudly than ever,
ow, oh, Joy! old Mrs. Farley who
plain little cottage at Serum
quite a resort of late, had writ
king q price for board for three
that had sent such thrill of
ment and delight into Mirandy's
lnly bosom as she had scarcely
known before.
thy Wells, a maiden lady Of forty
lers, lived in her own trim little
directly opposite Mirandy's
bgs. She liked Mirandy better
she would acknowledge, but in
cart Of hearts she was Jealous of
Mirandy was good looking and
heerful and was liked. Cynthy
AIDED, inclined to murmur. and
Ter popular. Dame Rumor had 1t
he had "becn disappointed more
pnce," but this other lone woman,
tier OF than poor Mirandy, held
bad well up, declared herself bet
than as If she wasn't her own
bis, and gave the impression
ly that she guessed she knew
& or two" when 1t came to such
ter as giving up ones independ-
listened a bit grimly as Mirandy
hgly unfolded her plan. ex-
hg as she closed, Nov congrat-
me, Cynthy, do! You know I
like to think people approve
ht do"
ll, Mirandy Rose, I'd congrat-
you fast enough, II conscien:
could!" was the unpromisine
But for q woman to go all by
to sea side place, and Of all
to an island running out into
can where they have one OF
dreadful Life Saving Stations
IN glad It isn't me, that's all!
y, think q Life Saving Sta
one Of the best things going"