Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-03-05
Romance of a Fan
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Outside. the leaves rustled beneath
the starlit, frosty sky, and the wind
noaned fitfully around the solitary old
gray house. / knew that the sky was
cold and star-gemmed, because | could
peep up 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
ceiled room, and Joyce, from the coy
depths of her chair, watched the play
of the tickering shadows among the
cleaning old silver on the tea table be-
fore her.
Her lovely face, framed In its halo Of
dead-gold hair, was very sad and visit
full | could read her thoughts, for l
possessed 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
suddenness 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 so on like this any longer"
her thoughts ran; ''the loneliness would
drive me mad Was any girl ever in
such a sorry plight, 1 wonder? OF
course, l always knew that mother S
income was only for her lifetime; but
then l never thought of her dying, nor
did she, except in the dim future.
"And now here | am, after the fIl-
neral expenses and the doctors bill
have been settled and the servants paid
off, with exactly a ten-pound note be-
tween myself and starvation-literally
starvationi The house is my own,
truly, and l have clothes to last me a
twelvemonth or more" glancing down
ruefully at her plain but dainty mourn
ing.
There's all of granny's lovely old
silver, too. That Is mine now, of
course; but even II sold it l should
only be staving Off the evil day. And
It would be almost crime. must be-
stir myself and think OF something tan
gible. II only Jack! II only" And
she broke of with a sigh.
At this point in her musings my eyes
caught hers In flash OF sympathy.
and, stretching out her little white
hand, she took me up caressingiy.
l was the first love offering he had
made her, and in my way was cons,d-
cred a rare curio OF intrinsic worth and
great beauty.
Well, have said that Joyce took
me up caressingly. She did, and press
ed me a moment against her pretty lips.
She was thinking more OF Jack than
of ne, 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 fateful
night: consequently neither had I.
That fatal night of the Hunt ball 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 horne VI
bravely until we were back In her pref
" bedroom, quite alone. And well |
knew then how much she had really
cared.
A few weeks later she heard he bad
gone abroad-Sone without word or 8
sign
A few days later Joyce journeyed OF
to the smart little country town some
three miles distant. and the next morn
ing the following advertisement appear
ed in the county paper. for heard hel
read 1t out TO our one faithful maid
of-all-work:
Lady desiring residence in beauti
fully situated country home can be re
ceived on moderate terms. Apply Tn,
Cottage. Meretcn."
And a week later. after the usua
formalities had been exchanged. tn
lady arrived. and was duly installed
an exceedingly prim old lady of quain
and dignified demeanor. with gray curl
down each side OF her sace and her eye