Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-04-21
THE ROMANCE OF A FAN.

ftfuly around the solitary old gray
house. | knew that the sky was cold
and star gcmme6, because | could peep
M at it through the unshuttered window
from my resting place on the little table.
Inside. the freight danced on the oak
paneled wall of the low-eeiled room, and
Joyce, from the coy depths of her chair,
watched the play OF the pickering shad-
ows among the cleaning old silver on the
tea table before her.
Her lovely face. framed in its halo OF
dead gold hair, was very sad and wistful.
I could read her thoughts, for | pos
sessed certain occult powers, owing to
my eastern origin She was living over
again the sad events of the last two
weeks.
She seemed still half dazed from the
suddenncss of it all. Perhaps she could
scarcely realize even yet that her dear
mother, her LOVING lifelong companion,
had been taken from her forever.
Il cannot 90 on ike this any longer
her THOUGHTS ran: ''the loneliness would
drive me mad! Was any girl ever in
such sorry plight, l wonder? OF course,
| always knew that mothers income was
only for her lifetime; but then | never
thought of her dying. nor did she, except
in the dim future.
And now here | am, after the funeral
expenses and the doctors bill have been
settled and the servants paid off, with
Icxactly a ten pound note between myself
and starvation-li literally starvation! The
house is my own, truly, and | have
clothes to last me twelvemonth or
more CHANGING down ruefully at her
lplain but dainty mourning
tThcre's all OF granny's lovely old sill
yer. too That is mine now, of course;
but even if / sold it | should only be
staying off the evil day. And it would
be almost a crime. | must bestlr myself
and think o. something tangible If only
lack! If only" And she broke off
with sigh.
At this point in her musings my eyes
caught hers in sash of sympathy, and,
stretching out her little white hand, she
took me up caresslng'y.
was the first love offering he had
made her. and in my way was considered
a rare curio of intrinsic worth and great
beauty.
Well | have said that Joyce took me
up caressingly. She did, and pressed me
moment against her pretty lips. She
was thinking more of Jack than of me, ]
knew But where was the use of looking
back? 1t was all nearly two years ago
now, and the mystery was still unsOlved
She had never been to another dance
since that Hateful night; consequently
: neither had |.
That fatal night of the Hunt bali was
our last glimpse of gaiety. And he was
there, and he had never come near us;
he had carefully avoided meeting her
eyes whenever the mazes of the dance
had brought him into her vicinity Her
pride had forbidden her to make the
slightest sign, and she had borne up
bravely until we were back in her pretty
bedroom, quite alone. And we'll / knew
then how much she had really cared!
\ fcW weeks later she heard he had
gone amoad-gone without word or a
sign.
, A few days later Joyce iourneyed off
to the smart little country town some
three miles distant, and the next morning
/ the following advertisement appeared IN
the county paper, for | heard her read il
out to our one faithful maid all work
Lady desiring residence in beautifully
r situated country home can be received on
moderate terms.-Apply The Cottage
, Alcretou'
And Il week later, after the usual for
malties had been exchanged. the lady
, arrived. and was duly installed-an cX.
ceedingly prim old lady of quaint and
dienifed demeanor, with gray curl,
, down each side of her face and her eye.
partially ohscured behind smoke-colored
4 til l,,.
One evening, II few days after her ar
- chatting amicably over their teacup,
/ when the latter suddenly exclaimed. il
= the eruir voice / disliked so much:
4 What a very pretty fan that Is ans
: how those two emeralds glcam in tn,
= lamphght!'
! Joyce rose from her chair and handed
g me over for inspection.
n Remarkably well-cut stones. do no
r think | ever saw such perfect mita
= tions!"
L "Oh, but they are not limitations! The,
are genuine, l assure you!" corrected
Joyce
J My dear child, are you not rather m
! wise TO have anything so valuable lvins
about? Real stones of this size mus
l. be worth quite sGm of money?H
$ Il have never thought about its none
F. tary value. 1t was Il present from som,
; one for whom | had Il very deep regard
:. and Is associated with many very dean
: memories. | think it is quite safe. Yo
q see this Is my own private sanctum. ana
e very lew people beside myself ever com,
}. here"
; In thar same night mSt rs t1,. cI,.l