Cañon City record., 1901-03-14
LETTER XXI.

shall become complicated again pres
entity. and you will hear from me d.
rectly that happens.
The house only emptied itself this
morning. I may say emptied. for the
remainder fits like n saint into her
niche and Is far too comfortable to
count This is C.. whom you only
once met, when she sat so much in the
background that you will not remem-
Der her. She has one weakness n
thirst between meals-the blameless
thirst OF a rabid teetotaler. She hides
cups Of cold tea about the place as n
dog its bones. Now and then one gets
spilled or sat on, and when she hears
of the accident she looks thirsty. with
thirst which only that particular cup
of tea could have quenched. In no other
way is she any trouble. Indeed. she is
great dear and has the face of
madonna. as beautiful as an apocry-
phal gospel TO look at and make be-
licve" in
Arthur. too. like the rest OF them. when
he came over TO give me his brother
ly blessing. wished TO know what you
were like. didn't pretend TO remeIn-
Der your outward appearance too well:
told him you looked like n common or
garden Englishman and reused his sus-
plcions by so careless a championship
OF my choice He accused me of being
In reality highly sentimental about you
and with having at that moment your
portrait concealed and strung round
my neck in locket. Mother-aunt stood
up for me against him. declaring was
too sensible girl for nonsense OF
that sort II Is n little weakness OF
hers. you know. TO resent extremes of
endearment toward any one but herself
In those she has .'brooded." and she has
thought US hitherto most restrained
and proper. as indeed have we not
bcenf Arthur and exchanged tokens
of truce. IN little while OF went my
aunt to bed. leaving US alone. Then,
for he is the one OF us that am most
frank with. Arthur" cried l. and up
came your little locket Ike bucket
from a well for him TO have his first
sight Of you. my beloved. He objected
that he could not see faces in a nut
shell. and l suppose others cannot
only I.
He. too. is gone. II you had been
coming. be would have spared another
you will remember. and we would have
ridden half way to meet you. But as
fate has trippcd you and made all com
ings on your part indefinite he sends
you his hopes for a later meeting.
How is your poor foot; I suppose as
II Is III may send It kiss by post and
wish 1t well. I do. Truly you are to
let me know II 1t gives you much pain.
and I will lie awake thinking OF you.
This is not sentimental. for II one
knows that a friend Is occupied over
ones sleeplessness one feels the COM
fort
l am perplexed how else to give you
my company. Your mother. know,
could not yet truly welcome me. and
wish to be as patient as possible and
not push for favors that are not Of
fered. SO I cannot come and ask to
take you out In her carriage nor come
and carry you away In mine. We
must try how fas, we can hold hands
at n distance.
l have kept up 10 where you have
been reading In Richard Feverel."
though IL has been n scramble. for l
have less opportunity OF reading. l
with my feet. than you. without yours.
In your book ! have just got to the Snug.
Cling away OF General Monk In the
perforated coffin. and my sense OF his
tory capitulates In an abandonment OF
laughter. yield. The Gaurs invasion
OF Britain always becomes broad farce
when he attempts 1t. This in clever
ludicrousness beats the uninteptionai
comedy OF Victor Hugo's "John-Jim-
la
Saxon christenings But Dumas,
through a dozen absurdities, knows
apparently how to stalk his quarry.
So large n genius may play the fool
and remain wise.
You see, have given your author
warm welcome at last And what
about you and miner Tell me you love
his women, and will not be Jealous.
Indeed. outside him 1 don't know
where to tind written English wo-
man OF modern times whom | would
care to meet or could feel honestly
bound to look up TO. Nowhere will |
have her shaking her rlnglets at me
In Dickens or Thackeray Scott is
simply not modern, and Hardy's wo-
men. II they have nobility in them,
get so cruelty broken on the wheel that
you get but the wrecks OF them at
last 1t is only his charming bag.
cages who come TO good ending.
like an author who has the courage
and self restraint TO leave his noble
creations alive. Too many try to en-
noble them by death. For my part,
II have to go out of life before you.
would gladly trust you TO the hands
OF Clara or Rose or Janet or. most OF
all. Vittoria. though, TO be accurate, /
fear they have all grown too old for