The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-08-12
Out Of The Ashes.
BY RALPH HENRY BARBOUR.


One afternoon she heard movers i'll the
| hall, and knew that the fourth-h0or STU
do had been taken. The next morning
unfamiliar sounds fell from above-a
! mans voice. deep and musical, leaping up
and down the scale, a cheerful, compan-
/ ionable torrent of melody that brought a
responsive smile to her face After that
she heard it frequently. Sometimes it be-
/ gan early in the morning, while she was
! yet busy over the tiny gas stove; some
/ times it broke off in the middle, and
left her hearkening almost breathlessly
for the next note; sometimes day or
| two passed without sound from the
fourth floor, and she was dimly conscious
of Il sort of loneliness quite new to her
who had experienced SO MANY sorts.
/ At first she had thought him teacher
of music. Later she knew the bursts of
melody were but outpourings Of triumph.
that lie burst into song when life and
work were going well, just as she, when
she had finished a bowl or tray or bit of
barbaric jewelry that satisfied her soul,
perked her little brown head like spar
row, puckered her red lips, and whistled
tune with ludicrous effect.
On the door of her room was 4 modest
placard announcing to the world that
ELIZABETH DAY,
DESIGNER AND WORKER IN METALS,
lived within 1t had taken deal of cour-
age to print that Elizabeth" for all of
her life-twenty-five years, to be exact
she had been simply Beth" an abbrevi-
alton far more suited to her diminutive
stature and gentle ways than the more
pretentious entirety. Nature had intend
ed her, with her soft and dainty femnin-
ity, for life of independently in some
still, untroubled corner of the world;
Fate had forced her, at twenty, into the
swirling current of New York. AS yet her
work-bowls, trays and vases of silver,
copper and brass, decorated with enamel,
bracelets, CHAINS and buckles set with I'M
polished stones-beautiful and distinctive
as it was, sold slowly. But she possessed
a wealth of courage and perseverance all
unsupported ere the death of her parents
had sent her from the little New Hamp-
shire village to seek her fortune. She had
been in the old house on Washington
Square almost two years when the
fourth. floor studio found Il tenant.
One day she had learned his name
Seeking letters from the pile in the lower
hall, she found colorman's catalogue
addressed to John Timson, Esq" She
had smiled al the name; Timson was SO
unusual and quaint and-funny! John
she liked; her fathers name had been
John. All the morning, as she worked at
the dull copper, she strove to picture a
personality betting the name of John
Timson.
A week later she saw him. They met
on the stairs, and he drew aside for her;
she passed, with little inclination of her
head All the way up to the top she felt
his gaze upon her; but recalling the grave
eyes and respectful manner, she felt no
annoyance, only wondered about the
placket of her skirt. After that they
bowed, and then spoke. Meetings be-
came frequent. Once he found her under
the striped awning of an Eighth street
grocery waiting for a shower to pass.
He had no umbrella to offer, so he shared
her imprisonment, and afterward, when
the sun came out and shone Respondent
ly on the wet roofs and pool-dotted side
walks, they went home together, and dis
cussed quite in the manner OF long ac-
quaintances the relative merits of fresh
and condensed milk.
That day she had examined him to her
hearts content. He was tall her head
Just came to his shoulder when she tried
hard. He was wide of chest and Shout
der, and his hands, as though from long
exposure to sun and wind, were large
and capable. His mustache and short
beard were brown, rs were the grave and
earnest and deepset eyes. The nose was
straight and large, and the forehead
high. He was undeniably handsome in
strong, grim fashion. His habitual ex.
preston was sober, but the smiles when
they came were worth waiting for. In
age he was thirty-four. His voice was
what attracted Beth most. 1t was in
the lower register, deep, soft and mel
Il,
quiet, dciftrential manner
Aside from the little weakened dealers
in old worries and curiosities on the first
floor, they were the only occupants of
the house who made it their home. That
served as bond of sympathy; and they
soon discovered others. They were both