The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1903-06-14


honeycomb. The evening sun camt
through the unshaded window. and Ii
up her pretty cottage room. She ROSE
and drew the curtain, so that the ligh
should not dazzle his tired eyes.
All the while he watched her eagerly
and wondering; and she poured out the
tea, and waited on him in her beautiful
uncOnventiOnality HE was a stranger
and she took him in''-that was enough
for her.
MAY / rest here for whileY" he
said, when the shadows heightened
room In order.
ooh, yes" she said. unfaltpringly
for a strange fancy had risen in heI
heart and drew her to the stranger.
Twill you go on spinning? 1t is a
rest TO me to watch you. So few
women spin now"
at was my grandmother's spinning
wheel. She taught me to spin when !
was a child. Have you no home?" she
asked
None. I am wanderer on the face
OF the earth; but not like Cain, through
crime, but because early in my life
lost all hope of a home; the woman
loved married"
Mrs. Milvain's eyelashes quivered
but she did not look up from her
spinning.
Gould you not find another woman
to make q homer
81 am one OF those natures so con.
stItuted that they only love once, never
again, and for always"
He spoke very quietly and emphatic
ally. Little Margaret the maid, com
ing in. Sylvia babe her take her sew
ing to the porch.
Margaret may have wondered at her
mistress choosing to sit alone with a
wayfaring man: but, as she expressed
1t to her mother afterward, HE looked
like one of the gentlefolk dressed up
for play" BY which she meant some
tableauX given Mt the castle the pre-
vlous observation-disclosures I'm which the
beautiful and mysterious Mrs. MIlvan
had been urged to take n part. The
part chosen for her had been Evan
geline, meeting after long years the
dying lover of her youth.
''I am too old and too sad to act in
tableaux," she had said, "and perhaps
my womanly vanity rescnts the part
Of Evangeline In her later days"
This she told the wayfarer.
81 nh y
fellows poem. l remember l admired
1t In the past-the long past. sup
pose we all have our ideals; Evangellne
was my ideal of the beautiful Puritan
maiden"
A little sketch of the girl's head In
water colors was hanging between the
windows. her loose, ash brown, wavy
hair parted on her forehead under a
Puritan cap, her grave, gracious eyes
looking out with n steadfast wistful.
ness under the level brows. In one
corner was written Sylvia" and a
date Of thirty years ago.
Sylvia saw the wayfarcr's eyes
glance from the picture to herself.
81 wonder If you would have recog-
nized it," she said, "if you had known
me all those years ago."
you are very little changed" he
said; and then. after pause, from
that picture"
"Thirty years must make some differ
cnce," Mrs. Milvan answered, but
without coquetry-mercly as stating a
melancholy but inevitable fact.
thine has Its favorites spoiled
children" he answered quietly.
And still her delicate fingers held the
spinning thread. and her foot trod
the spinning pedal, and he, lying back
against cushion. wondered whether
earth would ever again show him
so fair and restful a picture.
The daylight faded, and she became
n shadowy figure against the window.
The last sunbeam had lit her hair with
a good night kiss. Margaret came in
and threw logs on the fire. and still
gave him no hint that she was weary
Of him. And great silence fell. Per.
haps she thought he slept.
The clock struck. and still he sat
there, and she spun in the twilight.
At. last she rose and came near to
him.
He was asleep.
She bent over him and scanned his
worn features with sort of tender
scrutiny, but her expression was eng
NAUTICAL Then she lifted the lock of
gray hair lying loosely across bis fore,
head. and saw scar about the size
of her own little finger; then she sighed
and smiled
And presently he woke with n start.
81 beg your forgiveness" he said,
courteously FOR having slept in your
presence"
Il forgive" she answered. "Mcan.
while, You will stay and have supper
with me? Rest here
He was surprised at a new frlendli-
ness and alacrity in her manner Her
almost naughty graciousness had al
tered during his sleep. When she had
LEFT him and babe Margaret prepare the
supper,his hand stole furtivcly to the
little volume of Keats in the bookcase
| by his chair In the beginning was
written. Sylvia from Stephen" The
date was thirty years ago. Below ii
was written sylvia AIilvain." They
spoke very little at supper; each seemed
to be silently watching the other At.
terward, MS she prepared some coffee
he asked abruptly:
where is your huSbandF"
HE died long ago" she answered,
with some reserve of manner. very
long ago. Aud you-where is your
wife,"
Il have no wife. l have never mar
ried"