The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-12-29

| MAB8 EYES. !.
/ By FREDERIC HOWE MARION.


y
u In the first place 1 fell
Q M Q in lore with them That
is not strange. for they
>Sof< were blue and bright as a
rain-washed sky.
l had been called to EOseTiIIe on
business. / have no hesftaney in pro-
nouncing RoseTIHe the prettiest place
in the world, for everybody has q rose
garden Moreover. wild roses bloom al Z
along the roadside. and some species
I Of rOse-creeper climbs the rough bark
/ OF the outstanding trees. and hangs 4
Z clusters Of odOr0us blossoms from the I
I swaying b0ughs. The houses are al 4
/ respectable country seats. the people 4
/ all comfortable I don't believe there
IS a beggar or a cripple in the town. .
I And into this modern Eden. a mile 4
from the railroad station, waIkediOne
day.
It was June. and all the air was
I fragrant The bIuebIrds were fitting
/ about, and the robins were singing on
I the stone walls Some late apple trees
were in blossom. and eTerybody's doors /
I and windows were open to let in the
scents. and sounds. and sights OF early
I summer.
/ Suddenly a carriage. driven By a boy.
came around the corner Of a road At
the same moment a little Blenheim
I poodle, white as wool. rushed from
doOryard- and dashed under its wheels.
heard a sharp scream. saw a distract
I ed blue cambric wrapper rushing after,
and threw myself. al on the impulse
OF the instant. into the melee. To seize
the bits and raise the shivering and
whining animal from the dust was but
the work OF a moment As I bore it
toward the house. Nab. in Mab-s blue
cambrie wrapper. with Mab's eyes. met
me-
oh. thank you. thank yOu a thou
sand times. Oh. SIR. do you think he is
! kiHedg'
As the dog, at that moment. gave a
sharp yelp. 1 ventured TO proclaim
that he probably was not killed
sIy daring. ny dear. dear little
SnOwr' she murmUred- taking the
dusky and dismal little wretch into
the lovely shelter Of her bosom As
she was turning away experienced
Z sudden and brilliant thought
@Does not Miss Flint live hereT-
"YeS. sir. replied Nab. paUsTns with
her closely-cIasped burden
4 was about TO caH on Miss Flint.
said. most falsely.
Then Nab looked at me again. and
am free 10 confess that never before
or since saw such lovely eyes
Walk in. if yOu please" she said
'-and viii speak 10 aunty."
1 congratulated myself on having dis
covered so much-that she was Mss
FIiut's niece. But I was quite desper-
ate for an errand- Miss Flint ap-
peared-
Miss Flint said I. rising and bow
ing. I have lately heard that your
brother-in-law. Judge living. OF Maple
ton is very i'll AS was in your vicin-
ity. I thought I would cal and tel
You. thinking. perhaps. that yOu had
not heard Of it."
"A relapSes~ she inquired anDiously.
'-NO-no-nOt that an aware Of
MY brother was very i'll some six
weeks ago. but heard yesterday that
he was convaleScent.
"Ahi well. hearing the report 50 late
Il. ] supposed his illness Of resent
date, I replied Miss Flint win give
me credit for good intentions"
Certainly. You look warm. sir.
VIII you not take some refreshments''
Miss Flint offered me some lemonade.
1 p1rtook freely. I fingered half an
hour. talking of everything under the
sun. but was at length forced to depart
without seeing Nab asain-
Nv home was at Irving. the town Sd-
Joining Rosevile. I returned there
that night. hut could not forget thoSe
/ eyes. Henceforth I haunted every
public gathering. every party and pie
ME Of the neighbO-hood. but failed ut
terry TO see or hear of Nab For
learned her name. Nab Merle. iron
Miss Flint. whOhad casually mentioned
her.
As time passed my hopes were sub
jected to repeated dppOiutment-
dreamed OF NIab'S eyes. and cared fOl
nobody elSe's eyes. Ny sisters said
sulked. and the younser Tensile pOrtior
. of our community pronounced me
bear.
The summer passed and fan came
I had plenty to do. for had 4 farm o.
my own. and autumn is a busy season
with farmers.
a livery stable keeper in the city had
purchased some hay OF me. My MAJ
sam was sick. and not being too prout
TO take load Of hay TO town myself
/ started
1t was a days trip. The sun began
to set rs was on my way home TIT
birds huShed their twitterings in tn
trees. and the air blew cool and ladel
with dew. Gradually the beams OF tn,
moon gave Il soft light to the scene
and the horses settled into Quie
walk.
AS we were thus leisurely proceed
rag. a horse and tight buggy whirle'
ent Of erossroad. and suddenly tn