Oxford Democrat., 1909-10-05
ONE AUGUST NIGHT,
She Was Told the Story Of the
Lady of ShaIott.
BY VIRGINIA LEILA wENTz.

day even for August. Every one
seemed sleepy or sleeping. Cobblers
slept with half mended boots in their
laps; Italian women slept at their fruit
stands with sleeping babies at their
breasts; horses trotted conscientiOusly
along in front of sleeping drivers.
In the department store where An
tona Wheaton worked the day had
been difficult, especially behind the
ytuffy corner where she measured out
ribbons. And, oh, what gOdsend the
loud sounding bell at q had been! Most
Of the girls in the store were city bred,
and they accepted the conditions of
August philosophiaclly but Antona
Wheaton had come from Il fresh little
country town in the west, and as she
leaned from her boarding house win
dow-the third floor hall room, back
a few minutes before going down to
dinner 1t seemed to her that she was
locked in Il place of torment from
which 10 escape was possible.
Tney dined ut in Mrs Browns
boarding house. In the half hour that
AntOna had been home she had taken
Il sponge bath, brushed her silky, flax
ell hair and changed her black alpaca
dress for simple white muslin. AS
che leaned out Of the window from the
| open space beside the storage house
In the rear she could see the dust
carts roll down the streets. The whisk-
ing Of their big rotary broOms remind.
| ed the country bred girl Of large tur-
key gobblers sweeping the earth with
disdainful, proud wings. The open
space faced the west, and, resting her
little oval cheeks in her hands, Antona
could see that the sun was doing its
best to set with some sort Of rightful
beauty. even in this homely downtown
| section.
"Where the quiet colored end Of
evening smiles
AntOna was speaking to herself In a
reprehensible fashion that was grow
ing on her, trying to recall some verses
which Francis Logan had quoted to
her one sunset time down on the Bat.
terry. She had fancied she could re.
member them, they were so simple and
lovely.
Just then Mrs. Browns cracked din
ner bell rang.
Across the long, narrow table Fran.
els Logan glanced at Antona with
something like lump born Of big.
protective instinct rising In his throat.
Every vestige Of fresh country rose
bloom had fed from the girls sweet
face, and in the intervals when she
fancied she was not observed the
young fellows alert eye noticed that
black lashes rested heavily against
her cheek as would those of one who is |
overweary.
Antona's WEAKNESS struck home per-
lIaps because Of contrast. Francis him
self was more than usually happy that
night.
The big importing house where he |
was employed had that very morning
sent a note to his desk informing him |
that his salary had been increased
some $40 a month. His dear mother,
over in Devonshire, had just written
him that q relative had left her an un-
expected little legacy. Altogether the
world was going well with Francis Lo-
gan.
"You look pleased, Mr.. Logan" ob.
served Mrs. Brown from her accus-
toned seat at the head Of the table.
"Ah, I remember-this is your favor
lite soup"
For five years now young Logan Lad
been an inmate Of Mrs. Browns estab-
lishment without having ever changed |
his seat at table or his room. Natural |
ly Mrs. Brown sought to ingratiate her.
self with him.
"Why, my dear" she had exclaimed
once 10 Antona in burst of enthusi-
asm, "he knows all the poets by heart.
lie sees only the best plays, even
ihough it may be from gallery seats.
lie knows all the finest pictures up In |
the Metropolitan. He has what they |
rall an art! tic taste too. My lands. |
you should hear him notice the sunset |
1T the end of narrow city street or n
my flower out in the park or
"Ycs, | know" said Antona impul- |
sivcly, for once coming out Of her re-
serve. lies pure gold-that's what hc
isr'
Huh. 'GoldT" Mrs. Brown had re-
iorted disdainfully. None D your |
,.rctty. soft yellow stuff for him. He's
;ocd solid. practical steel. IL any one
;jked me. Don't you forget it, Miss
Wheaton. And if you could be fortu-
iate enough to tie up to him
Mrs. Brown had broken Off abruptly |
ut fash from Miss Wheaton's eye. |
One dared not presume too far with |
Miss Wheaton, in spite Of the silky,
iaxen hair and the childish dimples, |
as many Of the young men in the de-
partment store had found out.
IF only they could be little more |
like Mr.. LOganw AntOna had more |
than once found herself commenting as
The pinned up her colored bolts. HE |
81 the soul of honor, and II don't |
know what I'd do without him"
"Had stroke Of luck today, little |
girl" Logan waylaid Antona as she |
was going upstairs after the scanty |
saucer of raspberries, made purple |
with milk, had been eaten. 81 want |
you to come out tonight and help me
celebrate-if you'll do me the honor"
A little later. from the basement din
ing room window, Mrs. Brown, who |
was arranging her cloth for the next |
mornings breakfast, watched them go |
up the street together. Antona, in her |
simple white muslin. wore nodding |
spray Of pink roses at her waist. As |
they walked toward the west the
young fellows eyes were fastened
adoringly upon her.
"Guess they'll hit 1t of all right"
commented Mrs. Brown as she went
on refilling the porcelain saltcellars.
"Tll tell you what We'll do" said
Francis as they walked toward the
cars. "Well go out to Riverside drive
and sit there for awhile till the night
gets cooler; then we'll go to some big
uptown restaurant and order some ice
cold chicken salad"
"Oh," broke in Antona in economic
defense, I'D just as lief go to drug
store and have some nice soda"
snow, don't you bother about the
expense. little one" said Francis gay