Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-05-31
DOWN BLYTHE
C. RIG GRsANDF
BY-ET.S. CANFTELD.


the lips finely chiSeled and her chin firm
and deity moulded. 1t was in this cha
and in her straight level brows that her
character showed most Her eyes of
reddish hazel We're large, liquid, express
sional. compelling. They had a hundred
changes in an hour They bubbled with
laughter, or there was a mocking devil in
them, or sorrow looked through them, or
high resolve, or anger, or simple apathy.
Her hair, of that dark Titan red which
IS so rare and so lovely, was piled in
masses and when she loosed it the glory
OF 1t swept to her knees. Her form was
splendid combination of grace, supple
ness and strength. Physically she was
almost tireless. She did not walk as 9TH
er women walk. She did not waddle, nor
teeter, nor straggle from side TO side. 1t
was the very essence of the poetry of
motion, a long, gliding stride, effortless
| and calm, which took her over the ground
at four miles an hour, and miles of it
served only to bring Il deeper flush 10
her round cheek. Taken to London with
proper Accomplishments, she would have
been heralded as the most beautiful of all
| the American beauties who have set that
capital by tie ears. As it was, she taught
school in Grayborough and sang low
pitched songs in the summer twilight and
longed for freedom and sternly resolved
to do her duty.
1t was on the Sd day of September,
1898, that Miss Tabitha sent to depart
ment store in Boston and purchased a
pair of high-heeled shoes, a size too small
for her. On the Sth of September she
went to the millinery emporium COM
manded by the Misses Scruggs and had
made over heavy green silk gown, a
present from her dead brother twenty
years before. She had grown thinner
with the decades and it needed taking
| up" On the 9th of September her new
hat came home, very wonderful crea-
ton, indeed. Lois took it in hand and
made it less wonderful, but more like a
| hat. One the 14th of September she
| curled her hair on a hot iron and tied
pink ribbons in it, put on the high-heeled
| shoes, the green gown and the hat and
| went out for walk toward sunset She
| had not done such n thing since Lois was
child. On the 4th of October at break
fast there was a mixture of pride and
| timidity in her manner She looked affec-
| tionately, almost remorsefully, at the girl
and started a dozen conversations, to
| drop them when half begun. Finally,
with a hectic flush on her high cheek
bones, a culver in her voice and her pale
| eyes fixed on her plate, she asked des-
perately:
Lois, | am not very old, am I?''
Lois, busy with the Augusta paper
which had come the night before, looked
up and said: "Eh, Auntie?"
Il am" Miss Tabitha repeated, with
: touch of resentment, mot so very old,
am ~
why, bless you, nor'' Lois answered.
You do not seem any older to me than
when was a baby. Why do you ask
that?"
Miss Tabitha fingered @it of cold muf-
fin ON the tablecloth, looked up swiftly,
looked down, hesitated and took header:
You know Mr.. A. Z. Smith-Mr Alb
SALON. Eliphalet smith,
why, of course. l know everybody in
Grayborough The old carpenter: What
about him."
HE is not Old" said Miss Tabitha.
bridling. He is not yet sixty. To young
chits person of thirty is aged. Mr..
Smith is a man in the prime of life, a
careful man and a godIy man"
We'll, well"' was the soothing answer.
"Of course, Auntie. of course. | spoke
hastily. What about him.
Mss Tabitha bridled and cast her gray
curls roguishly abroad. She smiled sour
ly. She locked happy, yet somewhat
scared. She said:
"He-he has asked me to marry him"
The girl sat for moment dumb. Her
face palcd. Then she asked slowly:
And you nswered-what? But | need
not ask. l see it in your face. When is
it to lie, Auntie! Have you thought
well?'
Now, Miss Tabitha resented the fact
that her niece had not betrayed more
agitation. She resented also the inference
that her reply to the wooing carpenter
had been necessarily affirmative. SO she
remained silent for little space as
rebuke. then spoke with asperity:
Il have not set any time. | have not
told Mr.. Smith that | would marry him
Proposals are 10 such rarity with me that
should snap at any offer. might have
married any single man in Gray thorough
If / had chosen. ! did not choose As
for my thinking well, have done nothing
all my life but think for you and for
others. It would seem odd at this time
If l had not learned also to think for
myself. l consider your assumption to
be an impertinence.'
Lois rose, feeling genuinely sorry, went
to the other end Of the table and put her
long round arms about her aunt's neck.
Forgive me-" she whispered. II did
not wish to hurt you. Tell me all about
it when you wish, Auntic.''
Miss Tabitha was Modified She had
asserted the dignity of her spinsterhood
There was shadow OF Il smile on her
thin lips as she said:
II am TO give Mr.. Smith his answer
this afternoon. He will call for it. l
daresay that | shall tell him Yes He
needs me, l think He is a widower,
you know, and since his wife's death FIVE
years ago his home has been at skies
and sevens. His only child, Samanthy,
now fourteen years old. needs a mother
guiding hand and spiritual counsel.
You will not be sorry, Lois"
TO the girl. standing with bent head