Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-23


| the young men walked down Centre
street towards the Cliff, Leopold re-
| marked that he did not wonder that
the Nantucketers loved their tight
little isle" and were sorry to leave it.
"One seems to be nearer Heaven here
than he does in crowded city, don't
he Quincy?" Quincy thought to himself
that his Heaven was in Nantucket and
that he was very near to ii, but did not
choose to utter these feelings to his
friend, so he merely remarked that
the sky seemed much nearer
The soon reached Mrs. Gibson's and
were shown directly to the young Ia
dies parlor and library, for it answer
ed both purposes. They were at
tired in two creations of Mrs. Chess
mans dressmaker, Aunt Ella having
| selected the materials and designed
the costumes. for which art she had a
great talent Rosa's dress was of a
dark rose tint. with revers and "
shaped neck, filled in with tulle of a
dark green hue. The only other
trimmings on the dress was d green
silk cord that bordered the edges of
the revers and the bottom of the
waist AS Quincy looked at her for
, she sat nearest the door, she reminded
him Of beautiful red rose, and the
green leaves which enhanced it's beau
ty. Then his eyes turned quickly to
Alice, who sat in her easy chair near
the window. Her dress was of light
blue. with square cut neck, filled in
with creamy white lace. In her hair
nestled a flower. light pink in color,
and as Quincy looked at her he
thought of the little blue flower called
the forget-me-not, and recalled the
fact that wandering one day in the
country, during his last year at col
both sides of which, for hundreds of
feet, We're lined with masses of this
modest little flower. All! but this one
forget-me-not was more to him than
all the world beside.
The greetings were soon over, and
Quincy was assured by both young
ladies that they were happy and con-
tented, and that every requisite for
their comfort had been supplied by
Mrs. Gibson.
The reading then began. Rosa
possessed full, flexible, dramatic
voice and the strong passages were
delivered with great fervor, while the
sad or sentimental ones were tinged
with a tone Of deep pathos.
At the conclusion Alice said, sT wish
Miss Very could read my book to the
publishers.
You forget" remarked Leopold,
with laugh. that reading it to me
will probably amount to the same
thing"
A merry party gathered about Mrs.
Gibson's table at dinner, after which
they went for drive through the
streets of the quaint old town. Quincy
had. as the phrenologists say, bump
for locality. Besides he had studied
map of the town while coming down,
and, as he remarked, they couldn't
get lost for any great length of time,
as Nantucket was an island, and the
water supplied a natural boundary to
prevent their getting too far out OF
their way.
While Dolly Gibson was helping her
mother by wiping the dinner dishes
she said with that air of judicial con.
viction that is shown by some children
that she guessed that the lady in the
red dress was Mr.. Leopold's girl, and
that the blind lady in the blue dress
vas Mr.. Quincy's.
After a light supper they again
gathered in the parlor and an hour
was devoted to music. Leopold Meth
er played nor sang. but he was an at
tentive and critical listener. 1t was a
beautiful moonlight night and Leo
pold asked Rosa if she would not
like to take walk up on the Cliff
She readily consented, but Alice pleas
antly declined Quincy's invitation tc
accompany them, and for the first time
since the old days at Mason's Corner
he and she were alone together.
They talked of Marlborough and
Mason's Corner and Aunt Ella for a
while. Then conversation Jagged and
they sat for time in satisfied peace
full silence.
Suddenly Quincy spoke. II had al
most forgotten, Miss Pettengill, ]
bought new song yesterday morning
and brought it with me. If you have
no objection I will try it over"
Il always enjoy your singing" she
replied.
He ran down stairs and soon return
ed with the music. He seated himself
at the piano and played the piece
through with great expression.
1T is beautiful melody" remarked
Alice. what is it?"
ut is German song" replied Quin
cy, "by Reichardt. 1t is called Loves
Request will sing it this time"
And he did sing it with all the force
and feryor of a noble. manly nature
speaking out his love covertly in the
! words Of another, but hoping in his
heart that the beautiful girl who list
ened to him would forget the author
and think only of the singer. How
many times young lovers have tried
this artful trick and in what proper
ton it has been successful only Heav
en- knows.
The words are very pretty, are the,
not?" said Alice. 81 was listening Sc
closely to the melody that l did no
catch them ALL"
Il will read them to you," rejoinet
/ Quincy, and going to the window
where the light was still bright enough
he read the words of the song in low
| impassioned voice:
| Now the day is slowly waning.
4 Evening breeZeS Spftlv softly ,,,,.