Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-09-14
CHAPTER NH.

more becoming. But with all my pains
I cut but very sorry figure.
Dear me. how spruce yon look this
morning. said Martha. as came down
to breakfast. "And quite elated. too
Before 10 o'clock | was in the neigh
borhood of her house. 1t was too early
10 go there vet; so | fingered about for
time. How very awkward it was that
I had no knowledge Of her namei | had
quite forgotten TO ask it. As the time
drew near | began TO feel nervous. A
church clock struck eleven as | timidly
knocked at the door. l was answered by
a stout, good tempered looking old lady.
You have a young lady staying here,
7 began, If a hesitating tone.
oh, 20 / are the young man that Miss
Clara expects, / suppose" Saying which,
the old lady deliberately drew pair
of spectacles out of her pocket. and ad-
justing them, carefully scrutinized me.
My appearance seemed to satisfy her for
she said. in more friendly tone, Walk
in young man; Miss Clara will be with
you directly"
She showed me into neat little par
1or. Upon the table were several water
'colored drawings some finished, some un-
III ished; also some Berlin wool work.
Bouquets of flowers were everywhere
upon the table amidst the work, upon the
mantelpiece in two vases upon little
stand facing the window, and upon the
cottage piano that stood in a corner. The
air was loaded with their perfume In
g few moments the door opened and
Clara came into the room.
You have come, then" she said, with
her sweet melancholy smile.
As If aught but death or Imprisonment
'could have kept me away!
She painted water-color pictures. and
did Berlin wool work for the shops, she
told me- She sat down at once and be
gan her wora, and | waited upon her,
washed her brushes, ground her eolors.
adjusted the blind. and between these
little offices / watched her busy fingers:
but oftener my eyes were upon her face
craving its every linoament upon IN
memory Never have looked upon al
other face so spiritually beautiful. II
was one Of those heads that the old Ital-
Tau painters loved to give to their An
gels and Madonnas so prefectly serene,
80 utterly free froTl human passions.
The fair wayy HAIR, uctrammeled by
art; the oval face neither full, nor thin.
.'oVt perfectly smooth; the low forehead
the blue eyes. the straight Grecian nose;
the small mouth; the sw cling. gracefully
arched neck the skin so delicately white,
tinted upon the cheeks with the faintest
carnation. Her figure was of about the
middle height, exquisitely graceful, yet
painfully fragile. She wore a black
dress, made high to the neck, with a
small plain white collar.
We talked very little: she was too busy
with her work. and silence was ore
congenial with our mood.
? At 8 o'clock Mrs Wilson called Us to
dinner, which we took in a breakfast
fparlor below. The old lady was very
chatty and very curious. and asked me
a great number Of indirect questions
those | did not care to answer | con-
erived pretty skillfuIly to eyade.
You must excuse my questions, sir, -
she said: but although Miss Clara is
no relation Of mine, and. indeed, l know
nothing about her, still | feel as much
Interested in her as though she were my
own child; she is SO innocent and knows
80 little about the world. that its quite
necessary that she should have some one
80 look after her. Now, you are the
drst visitor that she has ever had. and
she has lived with me these two years.
But. when she came home last night she
told me that she had met an old ac-
quaiutance who was coming to see her;
that he had come to the city in search Of
employment, and had no friends nor ac-
auaintances. aud was so dreadfully mis-.
cradle that it made her quite unhappy
10 see him. At first, l set my face
against 1t, but she soon coaxed me over
and | compromised the matter by saying
shat YOU should come this once, but that
Ii | did not approve Of you, ii was to be
che first and the last visit But | must
say you seem very nice. quiet. modest
sort of young gentleman. And what Kind
If employment might you be seeking?"
| told her I had been usher a "a school
but that at present | was doing copy ing
/ did not say of what kind. The old
lady remarked that an usher's was d
very genteel sort OF employment. Alto
gether she seemed very we'll satisfied
with me.
In the evening Mrs. Wilson brought
der sewing up into the parlor and pro
AUt
80 the evening glided on, oh. SO rapidly
until / could no longer see in the dark
aning twilight, and then we all sat near
the window. Mrs. Wilson chatting. | ans
Clara silent. She gazing into the street
with that absent look so common TO le-
I watching every motion OF her face. a,
Il grew more and more indistinct in ID,
deepening shadows. Lights were brought
and then we went down to supper, an,
tieu il was time to so.
You win come and see me again
won't you?" she said. as she gave me hei
Mand at the gate.
/ wanted no pressing, and arrange,
that | would come again on Monday. Sh,
wished me good night. and went in an,
closed the door, and the day was ende,
the day whose blissful memories will
never fade from my heart.
That day was the precursor OF many
nike ones, until. in short time. / cuul,
perceive that she looked forward to ny
coming with expectancy. and that my
presence had become a thing almost nee
essary to her. She oked for me to hanC
her the painting materials. to grind thu
cOlors. 20 select her skeins OF wool. I,
sit at her feet and read to her som,
pleasant book; while. between the lights
she would sit AT the piano and impro
wise strange, weird, plaiutive melodies.
1t was a strange communion. ours. II
II we lived only in the present moment
We never spoke Of a past or OF a ~
ture, for we wished 10 be happy: nj d
to both. the past was hideous. the IN
turc ominous Thus | knew nothing O
kar pnSf Efa rCr dil wish =, t-r..,,.
Like her, / did not wish the happiness