The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-02-11
Tobias Jarvey'S
Day Of Rest
BY {. LAWRENCE PERR Z

INC SOuul lODlS fTduCOlS Nav itI
de la Jarvis sat pondering in his
scantily furnished room on the top
floor of an old brick gabled building
In the heart of what was once Green
wich village. From his chair at tn
dusty window giving on Commerce
street he had noted the Homecoming
of more thon one wage-earner, laden
with bundles and fairly beaming with
the spirit OF the season.
In the dooryard of the house just
below he had seen a young woman
and her two children fairly maui an
elderly couple grandparents, OF
course-pulling them up the steps de.
spite their complacent protestations.
And he knew that the peculiar fiat
bundle which grandma carried so gin.
gerly contained one or more pumpkin
pies, and that the stout genial grand
sire's pockets were laden with all
sorts of homemade goodies.
The count sighed. He walked 10 a
bureau and took from the upper draw.
er a fragrant old brierwood and a
pouch Of tobacco filed and lighted tne
pipe and returned to the window.
where he stood looking down the side.
walk, putting thoughtfully. There was
food for thought, for below him he
could see the rhomboidal form of Mrs.
Amaryllis James, industriously plying
her broom to the lower tep. MIS-.
James was good soul; the count mad
gained that knowledge from many a
sidewalk conversation. And then. too,
hA 10
variably detected before the fact h8d
the quick eye NJ Mrs James had in.
occurred to him, she was ever ready
with her needle, which. indeed, to the
counts deep annoyance wls bpcom
ing more and more indispcIsab 2 to
his sartorial welfare
Twice in the months he had known
Mrs. James had he permitted himseli
the luxury OF visit in her comic IA.
bic apartments on the first oor. ard
each time upon making his departure
the impression was strong that he
had achieved strategic retreat.
There were clear suspicious as to the
nature that he had made his escape,
and indeed, upon receipt Of his trousers
the last time Mrs. James had patched
them. she had indited note so stroHg
in veiled suggestion that the count
was moved to reply in a manner which
he trusted would achieve the result
of protecting him from such episto.
larry attentions or intentions in the
future, while at the same time re-
tanning the services OF her needle.
Remember the aloofness of rank"
he wrote. Consider that the lilies CT
France are at heights remote. Look
ahead, not upward, and behold. it is
the arrow that pierces the bleeding
heart, not a needle"
All of which we dare say may have
been read by Mrs. James. according
as she felt. Be that as it may, the
Count Tobis de la Jarvis, which the
siren of the lower floor had construed
into Tobias Jarvey, was strongly NOV.
ed by the holiday spirit, and when he
weighed Mrs. Jamess invitation to
break bread" with her the following
day, against the prospect OF dining
alone, and sparing perforce. at
Bleecker street table d'hote, the bal
ance inclined strongly in favor OF the
hospital board OF Amaryllis James,
casting dice with fate though it might
be.
AS he stod immersed in thought
there came a ray of assurance.
After ALL" he murmured, "one has
but to be man, to arm himself with
mans strength. 1t is but to know
when to retreat that is the secret Of
all great soldiers successes. ITEMS!
There was, she said. to be turkey,
and OF the sauce cranberry-and-
and that the madame is talented as a
cook there is little to doubt. Mais
non Am fly TO enter a web? Eh,
bien. if fly am it is OF strengthy
wings. So ! go Non: not
o. your life upon, as the saying is.
dine at NJ. Gatin's.
Gatin's Bleecker street table d'hote
at one o'clock the next afternoon was
blue with tobacco smoke, and a cello
and violin struggled bravely with a
chanson de vim. There was laughter,
and the popping OF corks. and bursts
of son. But the counts ia.
vorite seat was vacant.
He was not there. in short, and in
seeking him it is pleasant to turn
from this scene OF Gallo revelry to
the simpler, quieter precincts where
love, perchance, sits dreaming over
needle, where the silence Is un.
broken save by the soporific wheeze
of the tea-kettle or the purring OF a
cat and the steady monotony OF a
rocking-chair's creak The cat, in
deed, purred in comfort and content.
ment; Amaryllis James purred in com.
fort and contentment. She was sew
ing with placid mien. She was piec.
ing in the frayed ends Of Tobias lar
vey's" coatsleeves she murmured
the name repeatedly to herself
ing in the end of the sleeves with
pieces Of silesia.
Nearby In an rmchair hat the rn,,nt