Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-12-13
Clouds Cleared Away.

= WAS lying lazily in the hammock,
meditating upon the falseness Of
e womankind in general and the
falseness of Dorothy Shepard-in
whom l had trusted so fully-in par
ticular. We had been sweethearts ever
since early childhood and were now
only waiting for the time when l
would be able to provide home But
the newspaper which had come in that
mornings mail contained an account
Of the marriage of Miss Dorothy Shep-
ard to her cousin, Reginald Pierce.
had been jealous of this cousin, the
year before, when he was visiting at
Dorothy's home. He was handsome and
wealthy, while L was only an ordinary
looking fellow and a struggling young
lawyer.
But my reverie is broken by sigh
from Mrs. Farley, my portly and moth
erly landlady, who for six summers
has boarded me in her comfortable
home in the picturesque little village
of Hopetown. She is in her rocking
chair on the piazza opposite me, en-
gagged in the construction of a fearful
and wonderful thing which she calls d
tidy"
Again the heartrending sigh.
What is the trouble, Mother Far
ley?" 1 asked.
We'll, Mr.. Harry, l suppose you'll
think I'm foolish old woman, but I'm
feelin' that bad this mornfn' you
wouldn't believe-and all because l
can't have my picture took"
"Well Mother Farley, l didn't think
vanity was your besetting sin. Why
are you so anxious to be photograph
edP'
Then the good old soul told me that
her son, who was out west, and whom
she had not seen for. ten years, had
sent her some money, and had begged
her to have her picture taken for him.
The photographer who had been settled
in Hopetown had skipped" one night
about a month before, leaving all his
apparatus in his studio, which he had
rented from Mother Farley's husband
The nearest town was ten miles away
and, owing to weakness in her back
Mother Farley was unable to drive sc
far; but she was inconsolable at the
thought of disappointing her son Rich
ard.
In my college days had used a cam
era a good deal in an amateur way
nd I of mic
strolled over to the potato field to In
terview Mr.. Farley relative to a plar
which l had in mind.
"Law!' he calculated, you don't say
you kin take pictures, too! My! Bu
won't ma be tickled!'
l got the key and went over to the
forsaken studio; found camera, plates
paper and chemicals all in good order
and early that afternoon Mother Far
ley, beaming with smiles and attiret
in her Sunday BEST" came over t.
pose. How delighted she was when
showed her the proof the next morn
ing, and that evening she carried 1t t.
the weekly prayer meeting and exhib
tied it to all her friends at the clos
of the service.
1 finally yielded to their urgent re
quest to keep the studio open for
week, and to make photographs of al
who cared to have them.
On the afternoon Of the last da
which l was to spend in the studio
was mounting some photographs of a
old maid with hooked nose and corE
screw curls when 1 heard a gentle ia
at the door. 1 called Come in," and
very pretty girl, dressed in a neat b
cycle suit, entered.
Good afternoon" she began, with
bright smile "My friend and 1 are o
wheeling tour, and would like til
type taken with our wheels, if you ar
not too busy"
81 shall be glad to oblige you, and al
at liberty to do so Immediately"
said.
.'Well, then" she said, would 70
please bring in our wheels for us? M
friend Is at the door with them, but
am afraid we cannot manage to q
them up the stairs"
We went down together, and thel
on the doorsteps stood Dottie! Befol
either of US could speak the 9th,
young lady exclaimed: HE will carr
our wheels up, Dot, and will take OIL
tintypes right away"
Dottie paid no attention to her, bl
came forward, all smiles and blushe
with outstretched hand. "Why, Hal
she said, 81 never dreamed that "
had gone in the photo business!
knew you were in Hopetown, of cours
and when Nell suggested that v
should wheel down here and see b
auntie, who lived in this neighborhoo
1 consented, and didn't write to "
last week for fear 1 should let out tt
secret, for l wanted to surprise 70
This is my future husband, MIR. Ga
ley, Miss Curtis, and now come Q