Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-01-18
LOVE IN A GARRET
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Stephen Portway had determined
to leave his poor lodgings in Soho; but
he still delayed. At first, he was, not
frank, even to himself. But at length
he had to confess to the dark of a
sleepless night that woman held him
"a woman to whom he had never
spoken except with the commonplace
greetings of the day.
She was French, she called herself
Mademoiselle Lemoine, was, perhaps,
"a years of age, and she lived alone
In a room on the opposite side of the
landing before his door. She appear
ed to be very poor, very proud, and
very solitary, The landlord, little
Swiss matchmaker, would shake his
head to Stephens guarded inquiries,
as to how she lived. He only knew
that she gave French lessons at one or
two schools in the suburbs.
Without thinking, Stephen had got
to wait for her going out in the morn
ing, so that he could greet her when
passing. In the evening, too, when he
stairs, he would carelessly begin de-
scending, so as to look into the tired,
quiet eyes and hear the soft voice an
Swer his salutation. But at last he be-
came aware that his comings-in and
g0ings-out were but shadowings of her
movements, and in shame he put re-
Straint upon himself. For some mis-
cradle days, therefore, he still listened
for her footsteps, but forebOre to en-
counter her. But when, at the end Of
that time, he found he had not seen
her face for week, he threw self-con-
troll to the winds and watched to meet
her.
He was surprised and stirred at the
change he saw in her face. Once there
had seemed to be the possibility of
archneSs and coquetry, but now it was
pale and gaunt, and in her eyes were
fever and a great trouble. He could
not be deceived; whatever was her
mental anguish, he knew there was a
meaner a grimmer despair beneath it
all-she lacked food. All the evening
and long into the night he asked him
self what he could do to approach her.
Once he would fiercely resolve to go
to her tomorrow and bluntly offer her
help and friendliness; next moment,
he would enfage against the suspicious
conventions that were reared about
them.
Next day was Saturday. She did
not appear in the morning, and he
went listlessly to his work. Reaching
home quickly in the afternoon, he sat
in his room, near the door, and listened
for her Some time elapsed; he was in
great disQuiet, wondering what might
have happened to her. Suddenly the
quiet steps sounded on the stairs be-
low, and Selling his hat, he strolled,
wills fling, out of the room. She was
coming up the stairs with basket on
her arm, and, at the sight of the weari-
ness i'll her face and the frailty in her
figure, he felt impelled to speak to her
tenderly. AS she looked at him with
shining, feverish eyes, he thought that
for moment she seemed shaken be-
fore his gaze, and she hesitated in her
reply to his greeting; then she respond
ed and passed on with her usual dis
taRt bearing. AS she went by, he
glanced at the basket. A cloth was
over something within it, and, for the
moment, he was glad and then half
sorry with the thought that she was
not in such dire straits as he had i'm
agined AS she placed her foot on the
stair, he saw the cloth was pulled
aside at one place and piece of char
coal jutted up. He descended, feeling
pleased to think she was going to cook
something over her stove.
In another ten minutes he came
bounding into the house and up the
stairs. Half way toward the Museum
a terrible suspicion had entered his
mind; perhaps she meant to destroy
herself! He stood on the landing and
looked at her door. 1t was closed. He
listened, but no noise came from the
room. He tried to think of an excuse
for knocking and speaking; then, hap
pening to cast his eye to the top of the
door, he caught sight of a piece of
blanket damned between it and the
frame.
Quickly he bent; no light came
through the keyhole, and at the bot
tom OF the door flannel was thrust. He
knocked with restrained force, the
blood beating thickly at his heart. A
slight movement came from within the
room, but no reply. He knocked again
and called, "Mademoiselle!
Then her voice answered, in sleepy
tones, "Who is it?"
1T is l." he replied. "What are you
doing with the door blocked up?"
go away" said the girl, drowsily;
Il am all right now. / thank
you"
/ Hs pushed wildly at the ds0y. al his