Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-04-05

mcfcd OTTO, While 0liuord hurrledly
passed out by the little wooden gate
into the road
In the meantime. however. Colonel
Bostal, having heard the voices, had
come through the narrow passage
from the garden to learn the meaning
of this unusual sound. The matter
was explained to him by his daughter.
amidst further apologies from Otto.
The colonel, withered-looking. gray
faced man of about sixty-fve. in a
| threadbare and patched coat and a
battered Panama hat. remembered
| the name at once.
Jordan? Jordan? Yes. of course.
know him." said he al once. "A
little fellow. with long mustache.
Yes. he often walks home with me as
far as the bridge. but there he always
turns back and excuses himself from
coming any farther"
Otto looked perplexed by this infor.
nation. but over Miss Bostars thin.
pinched face there came 4 little. pale
smile.
TRY the Blue Lion.' she said. rather
| primly.
Otto grew. stiff.
My friend is no frequenter or tav.
erns." said he.
TRY the Blue Lion" said Miss Bos-
tai again.
Her father burst into a little, dry
laugh
The Blue Lion has good many
frequenters who are not frequenters
of other taverns.' said he. Nell Cla-
ris. the niece of the man who keeps it,
is protegc OF my daughters. and the
prcttiest girl in the place
A light broke over Ot:o's face. But
Miss Bostal looked grave.
Il shall have to speak TO her very
seriously" said she. with little
frown. ''She encourages half the
young men OF Stroan to waste their
time out here"
But the colonel smiled and shook his
head doubtfully.
ITS no use speaking to a pretty
girl" said he. with decision. You
will only be told to mind your own
business. And there's no harm in
Nell"
Il know that" retorted his daughter,
| not spitefully. but with spinster's
stern solicitude. II shouldn't he so
much interested in her IL l didn't
know that she's good little thing.
But she's giddy and thoughtless.
shall really have to advise her uncle
to send her back TO school again.
"She won't CO." said the colonel.
And IL she would. old Claris wouldn't
part with her. We must rely on the
effect of your sermons. Theodora.'
Father and daughter had carried on
this dialogue without including the
visitor in the conversation. so that
Otto, who prided himself upon being
an acute observer. had an opportunity
OF peeping into the rooms on each side
OF the passage. as the doors were
open. without moving from where he
stood.
He was much struck by what he
saw; by the carpets worn so thread
bare that there was no trace oe the
pattern to be seen on them; by the
carefully darned table-covers, the
WORKOUT furniture. All was neatly
kept and spotlessly clean: all showed
pinched poverty which there was no
attempt TO hide.
He withdrew with more apologies
as soon as the short discussion be-
tween father and daughter was ended,
and rejoined his friend outside.
Well said Clifford. as Otto turned
toward Stroan in silence. land what
kept you so long talking to the severe
looking lady:'
Il wasn't talking. I was listening"
answered Otto. and working out in
my mind romance. pitiful romance.
OF the kind that is not SNOWY enough
for people to care TO hear about"
What. Do You mean to say that
Jordan's fallen in love with that ma
ture and lean spinster:" asked Gift
ford In astonishment.
''Oh. dear. no. He's fallen in love;
I've found that out: but it is with the
usual maid of the inn-nobody half so
interesting as Miss Bostal''
Interestingly
yes. l have an idea that the lean
spinster Is heroine. Not the sort of
heroine one troubles oneself about, of
course. But while they were talking
about certain Nell who is evidently
the object of Jordan's priceless but
transient affections just now. looked
into their rooms, their poor little din
ing-room. their bare. long drawing
room. and | saw such n history of
pinched lives ard sordid struggles as
made me long for pen and paper"
Clifford groaned.
1T doesn't take much to make yon
think your subject very interesting
| one
| ''Of course you would not. II is moi
obvious or commonplace or highly
colored enough for YOU refortet
1 Otto. But tn my mind there is some
thing infinitely pathetic in the tat
tered old coat OF this dignificd ant
distinguished-look old man. and il
the darns which the daughter mus
have lost the brightness of her eye:
over"
Decidedly. my dear boy. you mus
90 Il in poetry. not prose" said elf
ford. mOckingly.
Otto would have retorted. but tina
they had now reached the little bridg,
over the River Fleet. and were within
few yards OF the halfway house
This is the place where Jordan