The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1912-06-06
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a mas quirs Stssiraiisi siras Hal
Il stretched aRnr from The gllileflnl
ii.avushfsre lie = aitaiY lighted tua
nu The lonE taochs peFe casnposss
~ rather 80 fashioned rcd triei
dwellings. TIE more pneteuflons facei
with iaow nslo@o
iacaen Israddecs lad chosen blhhi
ssrnvs ~ the shortest cgt 70 his aisari
meats Ia the circle boiel which hris
itself exclusively apart from the ave
mes. where trains reared above apt
bsiaM Ihs ground ard electric car
pltayea on the surface hetwecn tb'
tuo
on this particular uiehi I-ufiei
,fsrsrsed The street with uahccnstom
81 taste The rain Zen sith sianiins
sginEihg sieadiBoss The DROPS drum
ned an bis umbfeils aii paiieFef
against The smooth surface ~ bis mack
iuiosk oDoo o. tpice be poto5 hi'
bead cot from under the umbrella e
tkls survey ~ bis surroundings
on the second occasion be saw u and
stopped shor, 10 bis tracks TO stare az
~ lighted parler window
iacien nfadtock had heard % bean
tifui hands he had read 10 novels Of
marble brows sud aiahasisr hands
and arms. bit ii the course of his
prosaic existence be bad never come
scruss these marks of feminine lowell
ness He bad seen pretty bands
Some were white. aud others were
tanned with summer sunshine, but
never had be seen a woman's hand
that might be ilkened 10 the aiabasier
ones Of bis novel reading days
Now be saw Il
II was white Hs snow Or marble or
the slabaster Of bis novels perfect 10
SHAPE. With small fingers. tapering TO
noiut FOR an instant be saw the
hole band. then the womAn's other
baud was lifted, and the shade was
dra an 10 the sill Of the window
FOR the nrst time since be had paus
81 before he window BraddOck be.
came aware that be was violating all
the rules OF poliieness Never before
bad be stared lnt0 q window 10 this
manner, and now be turned hastily
sud resumed bis way through the pelt
inr rain with mingled shame aud 60
h0sity
TIE recollection OF the white hand
be bad seen impressed him strangely
II had looked 80 dead white 20 lifeless.
50 rigid rs compared 20 the careless
grace Of the womans other arm as she
reat bed W 70 pull down The shade
His mind pictured dozen situations
that might account for tie peculiar
whlieness OF the hand The one which
found most favor with him was that
the beautiful hand was paHlyzcd and
quite bloodless
when be arrived at hls hotel he dis
missed the subject from his mind and
went about his evening enga gements
with his customary vigorous interest
Every night as be passed through
Blank street bis eyes Unfortunately
turned toward The block where stood
the house that Interested him II was
some time before he could locate the
particular house. because II was mere
BY by the mellow lighting Of the room
or the fgure OF the woman who had
stood there that be might hope 10 rec
oguIke the place once more
Then came another evening, when he
was saunieflng homeward with a pleas
ant anticipation Of the cxceIlen, dinner
that would await bis arrival home,
there fashed on his view the same pic
ture that he had seen once before on
that falay night The same woman
stood there holding back the rose col
ored curtains with that dead white
hand
once more Luclen Braddock paused
and stared up az the picture This
time be gazed al the womAns head
framed in its mist Of dark bair Her
face was 10 shadow bat he tancied
that she must be beautiful and as she
did not stir from her position nor
make any attempt 10 pun down the
shade. be was suddenly smltten with
a sense Of bis own rudeness. and with
az involuntary removal Of bis hat. be-
passed on
Then Il was that low, amused
laugh broke the silence " the stree,
Incien stopped aud looked around He
could have sworn that the laugh came
from the vestibnle Of the house The
front door was slightly ular aud
through the glass panel red light
.hoi down upon the sidewalk With
i shrug Of The shoulders and an an
feeling be went on. He
resolved ,hat he would not let curiosi
" again tempt him down the length Of
Blank street lie would walk one
mere block and traverse another street
Weeks passed and Braddock had
quite forgotten the incident Of The NO
nan with the aiabaster band Bust
less affairs Of unusual importance 90
.upied bis attention TO the exclusion |
u amusemepts. aud be found llfe tlled !
10 the brim with action
When the strain vas removed % the
',en.ng ~ the very day on which be
sad won the case which was 70 make |
lin famous among lawyers. be rode
some on the electric car and from
orce Of hab,, dropped "a at The cor
ler u niank street
Tie hsd gone half iis length when he
Sss conscious ~ some disturbance In l
'He u the sintd red brick dwellings
, bright liFhi Glekerd against ths
windows, and maidscryan, stood or
be porch screaming Historically
Lneien TOOK In iae situation q, a
lsnce and leapea % the slels sud into
BE- house u the woman With the ala
asiee baad just nov BE- had caught
glimpse u her ID her Customary AZ
tude ~ graceful negigeace lranlng
sgwsrd. oue hand heldng back siiken
fspeTsrs whilc the white laoc curtains
bore Der head we're blazing Gercely
he PASSED the servant Of bound.
sliced ghe bail ani turned Into The
oor that led INTO the ffaa, paFior q
.e house IS be aid - be was con
sous that ~omAa had come rwiftly
aNn The stairs ara was f0flawtuy 1