The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-28

Romance of the Girl Who
Was Tired Out.
BY VIRGINIA LEILA WENTz.

1t was warm spring evening, so
warm that they had ventured 10 sit
out on the little wooden yeranda.
There was Il suggestion Of approach
ing summer in the breeze, and the air
was redolent with lilacs. BY glancing
toward the right it was not difficult to
see where the fragrance came from.
On the other side of the hedge in the
deepening twilight was Il purple forest
of plumes. and beyond that, white In
the gray light, rose the old Howard
house. the oldest in the tiny village as
well as the largest Selden Howard
was the only living representative of
the family.
Presently the group on Mrs. Jones
veranda began to speak Of Selden,
leading up TO the subject from the fra
GRANGE of the bushes.
Then lilocks is sickishly sweet.
observed Mrs. Jones herself.
Really nauseatlng." acquiesced the
bOarder who had been spending the
winter here in this little cottage among
the Berkshire hills. "By the way.
saw a strange man at the postoffice
this morning, and overheard some one
say he was Mr.. Howard. Very good
looking man he was and seemed to
know n thing or two"
That's him." confirmed Mrs. Jones.
''But why shouldn't he know a thing or
two? He don't do nothin' but travel
and trapse round the country. Hardly
ever home and won't have thing TO
do with the people In the village"
The moon was beginning to show
red and low in the warm dusk. and the
lilacs made superb black shadow eff
fects on the lawn. The little tired out
city girl who sat on the lowest step of
the veranda and who had just arrived
that day had nothing to say. She was
filling her whole soul with the beauty
OF the coming night
Pretty soon, carrying her lamp, she
went upstairs TO her bedroom. She
looked at the high mound of feather
bed and at the small window at the
foot into which was already flooding
the spring moonlight For a moment
she stood irresolute; then she lowered
the shade. slipped on a cheesecloth XII
mono. drew the pins from her hair, let
ting It fall about her shoulders, blew
out the lamp and followed her within 10
lean from the easement.
1t had been very long while since
Katherine Hope had looked from a
window over garden when the moon
was shining. True. from the window
Of their stodgy city lodgings on Elev-
enth street. her mothers and hers, she
had leaned out at times when her head
was hot and aching with too much
work and had caught a breath Of out
side air. But that was so different
From that window she could look out
only on clotheslines, sheds and back
windows of the boarding houses on the
next street. and there whatever restful
thoughts might come to her were made
havoc OF by an accordion. cheap coon
songs or the caterwauling of feline
creatures on the fences below.
And now-oh. the feathery. pale flor
essence of the lilacs over yonder.
Katherine drew her breath in with de
light as their dominant scent came up
TO her. II only her dear mother could
be with her 10 enjoy the beauty of Il
all. But that had not been possible
When the physician had shaken his
head gravciy over his young patients
wornout condition and commanded an
immediate lange in the country II
had hcen ail that mother and daughter
could DO to scrape together the meager
savings Tor katherine's rest OF a fort
night And katherine was not one 20
new ard whmpor over impossibilities
she was here now. and she would
make the i,asi Of every moment 10 grow
strong and well again that she misht
20 back with new Iife 70 her office
work and { De- companionshlp of her sac
rifcinr little mother.
The mild country air and the thou
sand odars of the spring played upon
her face and lifted her loosened hair.
gildcd hy ihf mooushine into the like
ness Of mn aurcoie. Her white kimono
fell softly arnund her; from the posi-
ton in which she held her arms her
soft elbows were plainly visible. and
her exquisite face. leaning back bit
against ilIr dark painted frame Of the
window. stood out ike a cameo.
The rirl WIS little conscious Of any
thing except the wonder Of the night.
nor was she aware II one who watched
her moment from the shadow Of the
Uacs IN TIE garden beyond the hedge