Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-07-26
HIS MANLY
BEAUTY
8, WALTER EMMoNs BROOKS
Copyright b. American Prsss Asso-
cation, 1911.


clothesiines and then the rears OF
other houses
One day while looking out OF my
window saw . girl sitting pensively
at q window OF house across the
yards. She was doing something With
her hands which I inferred to b knit
ttne. though Il was done beneath the
sin, 20 that I could not b. sura She
vas looking down pensiveiy. bot
whsthse her eyes were bent on nef
work I could not tell was struck
with her regular features and, above
all with an expression Of sadness
that seemed inapproprtats to . young
face
Il doesn't require much to set
young mans fancy flying. though By
this l do not mean to belittle the pic
ture to which l have referred ! saw
her about the same time every dny and
fell to dreaming about her. The fuel
Of love Is Imagination A youngster Is
attracted to a girl not for what she
Is. but for what his fancy paints her.
And girls are still more apt to endow
a man with noble qualities and love
him for them.
Ii was In the summer time. and
when I came home from business ev-
cry day at 9 It was still very light. and
every day at that hour saw the girl
opposite sitting In the same position
Since stood right up before my own
window II was impossible that she
should not have been aware OF my
presence there. Occasionally she
would turn her face outward. but l
could cot see that her eyes ever rested
upon me- But l remembered that .
pure girl would not gaze upon q stran-
ger-certainiy NOT when he was look
ing at her.
Every day ON entering my room after
my return from business dressed for
the evening. making myself appear a.
attractive a. possible. then threw
oper the shutters with - much CHATTER
a. possibls that might attract the at.
tention Of the girl opposite Hearing
the sound. she would turn her face In
my direction. but only momentarny
and without any look Of recognition.
This I put down to her native mod
esty and purity. But I remembered
that there was . young man opposite.
and It occurred to me that II she con-
sidered that young man especially
good looking she might fall in love
with him. for this was not only my
theoretical basis OF love at that time.
but saw no other way OF attracting
her.
spent some time discovering the
young iady's name. then wrote her a
note couched In as manly and respect
fui terms as l knew how. had no
thought of making Roadway by what
wrote. but l must open communica-
ton. and In doing SO ! wished TO give
the girl an opinion OF me common
surate with the admiration. II any.
that she had for my personal appear
anca
To make a long story short. receiv-
ed a courteous reply to my note. the
young lady stating that. though abe
could not consent to correspondence
with a stranger. In case l could End
means Of making myself known to
her through a mutual friend or other
wise. should my position and character
prove satisfactory, she would ba hap-
by to have me call upon her.
The day I received this note spent
some time before my mirror wonder
ing that the girl should have found
such attrnctiveness In II az to call
forth 30 favorable a reply. I set my
wits to work to discover some mutual
friend to introduce me; but. having
recently come TO the city a stranger,
| knew very few people. Finally I
wrote another note to the girl ad-
mired- stating the case and asking
permission to furnish references
To this l received q reply that she
would not receive calls for few weeks,
but II after the expiration Of that
time I was Of the same mind she
would be happy to receive me.
Those weeks were the longest Of my
life. From Sunday to Sunday seemed
Ike from month to month. After
three Sundays had passed l dispatch
ed . note asking II l might b. psr-
mitted to call. / received q reply CIV
ting the desired permission that day
week
When after the sending up Of my
card Ni0 Marley came int the
room where l awaited her what e.
pecially noticed was that she looked |
At me a. though she had never seen
me before and was curious to know |
what sort Of q looking fellow I waa |
Having received me with q fair |
amount Of cordially. We seated our.
selves, and she said:
Y VIII explain why I put you Oh |
so long. II was necessary. | had
learned who you are. and the delay
was not because the report had
OF you. for II was very nattering. |
The truth Is that | was born blind. |
Until couple of weeks ago had