The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-04-20
CHAPTER w.
WHICH MAY BE PASSED OVER

LlGEilLI.
When I came back to- some clearer
sensing of things, l found myself abed
in a room which was strange and vet
strangely familiar. Barring a great
oaken clothes press in one corner, a
raree SHOW of curious china on the
shelves where the books should have
been, anc the face of an arnored SOL
der staring dom at me from it's frame
oIer the chimneypiece, where 1 should
nave looked to see my mothers por-
trait, the room WGsa counterpart of my
old edchambe at Appleby Hundred!
There was even a faint odor of lavender
in the bed linen; II the sense Of smell,
which hath ever a better memory than
any other, carried me swiftly back to
my boyhood, and to the remembrance
that my mother had always kept a
spray or. two of that sweet herb in her
linen closet.
At the bedside there was claw-footed
table, which also had the look of an old
friend; and on it a dainty porringer,
filled with cuttings of fragrant sweet
brlar. This was some womanIy con-
celt. said to myself; and then I
laughed, though the laugh set a pair
of VOLTS Jaws at work on my shoulder.
For you must know that L had lived the
full half of King David's span of
three-score and ten years, and more,
and what womanly softness had fallen
to my lot had been well got and paid
for.
| closed my eyes the better to remem-
Der what had befallen, and when I
opened them again was fain to wonder
If the moment of back-reaching stood
not for some longer time. In the deep
bay of the window was a great chair
of Indian wickerwork. and IEcould
have sworn it had but now been
empty. Yet when l looked again a
woman sat in 1t.
Now Of a truth I had seen this wom-
ans face but twice and once it wore a
smile of teasing mockery and once was
full OF terror: but I thought I should
live long and suffer much before the
winsome challenging beauty of 1t would
let me be as ! had been before L had
looked upon it.
h knew not h I%was awake and
shaking the thirst of my eyes upon the
sweetness OF her, and so / saw hersthen
as few ever saw her, I think, with the
womanly barriers of defense all down.
lis a hard test, and n that makes q
blank of many q face beautiful enough
in action; but though this lady's face
was to the full as changeful as any
April sky, 1t was never less than tri-
~urnphantly beautiful.
/ had said her eyes Were blue. hui
now they We're deep wells rejecting the
soft gray of the clouded sky beyond the
window panes. / had made sure thai
her lips lent themselves most readily tc
knocking smiles scornful of any8wit less
~trenchant than her owe: but now these
mockiag lips We're pensive. and with
, the rounded cheek and chin gave hei
) the Q Of a sweet child wanting to be
kissed. 4 had said her hair was bright
III the sunlight, and SO, indeed. it was
Y lacking the sun it still held the dull
ulster OF FURNISHED copper in its masse,
and her simple, care-free dressing O
It at q time when les grandes dame.
We're frizzing and powdering and add
ing art to art to mar the woman,
crown Of glory, gave her yet more til,
4 look of q child.
Q Lastly, 4 had called her small. am
certain1Kshe figure was gfrlish besid,
sthose grenadier DANES OF Mari,
e Theresa's our to whom my old field
marshal had one presented me. Blu
when she rose and went TO stand in tn
Window-bay Z marked this; that no
! any duchess or margarine OF them al
had q more queenly bearing, Or. wit