The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-09-15
THE LADY IN
LAVENDER

She came to their little fishing town,
no one knew Whence, and hired the
small brown cottage on the bluff, COM
manding a beautiful view of the bay.
She was young and handsome and,
without doubt. from the city" On
account of the violet tones she af-
fected in, her dress, the sewing circle
began at once to refer to her as the
lady in lavender. She furnished her
modest rooms from the one furniture
store in the neighboring metropolis,
and bought material for draperies and
cushions from the grocery store in
the village, thus gaining favor as a
promoter Of the business interests of
the place.
Its curious how cosey her place
looks" said the first caller, rehearsing
the affair. "Nothin' but cheesecloth
curtains and straw mattin' in the par.
lor and some rag rugs old Betsy sent
down to the store, nobody ever think
in anybody was fool enough to buy
just gray and green pieces she had
to make 'em of-and not two orna-
ments in the whole room, just lot
of books on shelves. She did have
lovely pansy plants CROWN in the
winder and l dare say that's what
gave it the honey look"
Their efforts to find out anything
definite about the history or connec-
tions of the lady in lavender were
fruitlesS. Even the direct questions
resolutely put by the leading ladies of
bA ,irf nH wi
such skill that no offence could be
taken by the bafned inquisitors.
She gave her name as M. Briggs,
and the young persons to whom she
freely loaned her books found the
name Marble" in the fly leaf. She
loved the sea, and after the early
evening meal, prepared by the coun-
try girl whom she had hired for a
maid, the lady in lavender would
Chamber down the bluff and push off
for row In the bay. Or she would
walk beside the tapping tide, watch
ing the wonderful glow of the golden
sunset upon the smooth apalescent
floor of the ocean till the rainbow
shades had faded to gray and the
evening star appeared. 1t became the
custom for the younger people to
stroll to the bluff, which was the high
est point of land in the village, to
see the sunset. They never ventured
over the bluff, but curious eyes watch
ed the lonely figure on the beach.
Late one afternoon a beautiful
pleasure yacht sailed like a huge,
glorious bird into the narbor of Dov-
erton and dropped anchor. The hus-
band of one of the sewing circle, who
was mending q lobster pot near where
the craft anchored. brought in a big
story OF the elegance on board and
the "city chap" who was it's captain.
The name on the stern was, Marble"
From her beach that evening the
lady in lavender idly watched the mov-
ing figures on the yacht and heard the
creaking of the tackling as the sails
were furled and the lanterns hung
out the sounds coming with startling
clearness across the still water. She
had never felt her loneliness as at
that moment, when this symbol of the
world she had left mocked her with
it's nearness. A rowboat was lowered
and a man in q white yachting suit
rowed toward the pier. She could
hear the oarG chafe in the rowlocks
after he had rounded the point and
disappeared from her view.
A youthful couple winning their way
tc the bluff were passed by fine look
ing stranger. The name Marble"
was upon his white cap, which he re-
moved as he smilngly remarked he
was taking look at the town.
They saw him standing on the bluff
looking out upon the bay, then sud
denly leap to the beach below. When
they had reached the spot he had al
most reached the lady in lavender,
who was looking toward the sea. She
turned. and in an instant was folded
in his embrace. The embarrassed
couple on the bluff discreetly moved
away to view the sunset from a point
farther on.
After the first glad meeting was
over he told her he was earching the
world over for her, and would have
missed her then had his eye not
caught sight of the familiar violet
gown which he so loved.
But your mother" she reproached
him; how could you leave her."
"She died three months ago." he
said reverently.
Twelve months ago." said Marble,
Il promised her that l would not see
you nor write you for a year, and If
at the end OF that time your infatua-
ton for the actress was not dead, she
promised to withdraw all opposition.
felt that to deny her would have a
serious effect upon her delicate health,
and to save a battle with you, l left
secretly. l am glad went, otherwise
should have felt responsible for her
DEATH"
He kissed the beautiful eyes brim-
ming with tears.
There was the oldest wedding in
the brown cottage at high noon the
next day. The crew of the Marble,
!