Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-01-19
ENDED BEFORE BEGUN
BY ANNA WOODBRIDGE.


fCopyright, 1910. by American Press Assoc
ciation.l
have had love affair of which l
Svas not conscious till it was all over.
How could this be? Listen and l will
tell you.
went to Paris to study art. l was
1hen a girl of nineteen. lived In a
pension occupying one door OF i've
utory building. There was an elevator.
nne OF that foreign kind which you
enter. shut the doors, press button,
and the cage takes you up, stopping at
your door. l lived on the fourth floor.
Sometimes / used the elevator and
sometimes walked up or down the
staircase. One day when ascending on
foot a door opened at the third land
ing and young man came out and
met me on the staircase. He was very
handsome, with great. dreamy eyes,
and faultlessly dressed. wished to
look at him, but he kept his eyes fixed
on me, and felt constrained to turn
mine away.
There was that about him which
made me DESTROYS to see him again,
but we did not happen to meet for
several days. Then we met quite fire.
0uentIy l was so conceited as to
think that he learned the hour when
Iceme from the art school and met me
purposely, Possibly be might have
watched at a window for me to enter
the building. At any rate. we met so
frequently that | felt had reason to
suspect that it was not all accidental.
After awhile he began to raise his
hat to me when he passed. replied
to his salute with a nod which tried
to make appear Indifferent. There was
nothing presuming in his notice OF me,
only civiety. Indeed. his manner was
30 deferentiai as well as engaging
that l was quite won by it. In time
he gave me a scarcely perceptible
smile In passing. l did not return it.
was brought up In America with the
understanding that II you give a
Frenchman an inch he will take an ell.
Nevertheless the time came when
there was occasion for me to speak to
him. was carrying some sketches up
to my room, and one slid out Of my
portfolio and f1uttered down the stair
case. He ran down after it, picked 1t
up and handed it to me. His lips
wore one Of his sweet smiles, and he
looked things unutterable with his
eyes. OF course thanked him, but
that was all. l passed on up to my
abiding place and entered without a
look behind me.
One day / became aware that an
other person was interested in me. As
I entered the building where l lived
! saw face at window opposite.
1t was the face of man, and he
stared at me. Indeed, it was so evil
dent that l was an object Of marked
Importance to him that felt trou-
bled. | ran into the house, took the
elevator and was lifted to my pension.
After that every day when l went
home the man opposite was at his win
dow, and every time he stared at me.
FfnaAty ] delayed or anticipated my
arrival in order to escape him.
There was such contrast between
his manner and that Of the young
man on the door below me that l rath-
1er warmed to the latter. The next
time yet him spoke few trivial
WdIs to him. He replied in Kind,
1.reating my action as matter OF mere
politeness. and passed on. After that
when met him / encouraged him to
make my acquaintance Finally
told him of the man across the street
who stared at me. The truth Is l
craved protection My friend was
sympathetic, but nothing more
The next day l had occasion to go
out to do an errand in the early morn
ing. / had just closed the door behind
me when / heard door open on the
door below and my friend appeared.
He waited for me till came down to
all in black. Not white speck was
visible. even at his throat. ] asked If
he had lost any one dear to him, and
he said he had not. He regarded me
with a singular expression. which
could not interpret, but it seemed to
me such an expression as man to
whom belonged might wear or that
of one who was making sacrifice for
me. We walked down to the street
together. A carriage was standing at
the door. My friend looked at me ear
nestiy. lifted his hat, got into the car
riage and was driven away. l went
ON to the art school, where became
engrossed in my studies and was oblivi-
GUS to ali else.
When went home by a rapid glance
] satisfied myself that the face dread
I'd was not at the window. hoped
would meet my friend on the stairs.
did not Nor did again meet him.
a week passed, another, a third, and
I did not see him. What did 1t mean?
Had he left the place without speak
Ing of his going to me? l was aston
ashed at myself for expecting him to
Inform me OF his intentions.
I tried to forget all about him, but