Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-06-25

1
the question her color came, but she
asked 1t very sweetly and straight
forwardly.
II have fifty dollars" replied.
| 'Your uncle gave me hundred. sup
pose that more will be coming in
soon. I wish. though, that we weren't
going to have to use that money; I
hate the thought Of 1t today. For.
| ttnately the fifty dollars Is my own.
about all that have left"
| Nancy laughed. IT don't think that
you need have any scruples about
using the income money. am sure
that you have been doing all that a
man could to earn It. Uncle Ephraim
never pays for more than value re-
ceived"
Let us not talk Of him." said I, Eat
least not until after breakfast. Let
me help you. I think I can make
coffee"
Nancy paused abruptly in her hustle
Of setting the kitchen table.
Take off your gloves" she said.
mo one ever heard Of man making
coffee In gloves"
Put stammered and stood
hesitating.
| Nancy came over and stood square
ly in front Of mo. 1--WE might as we'll
{ got over this foolishness first as last.
Take off your gloves"
| I unbuttoned one very slowly; 1t
/ frightened me that she should see my
hands again.
}"oh, take them Off" Then softly,
and with her honest, eyes looking into
my shamed ones II am not afraid OF
your hands. i am very sorry, but am
not afraid. I, am glad that they are all
you have in your life to be ashamed Of.
You are too sensitive about Your
hands; you think too much about
them"
I wondered why she thought that I
had nothing else to be ashamed Of;
nevertheless I took off my gloves. I
know that new sight Of my hands in
the broad daylight OF the great old
| kitchen must have come to her with
| something Of shock, In spite Of her
self, but she made no sign of distress,
unless, perhaps, for few minutes, she
busted herself the harder with the
table setting.
We made a merry breakfast of 1t.
vowed, and So. truly, 1t seemed to me,
that Nancy fried the eggs moro beauti-
fully than eggs had ever been fried be-
fore, and Nancy said that never had
French chef produced more de-
licious cup of coffee.
breakfast over, we. made ourselves
ready for the long walk to the village.
Nancy had got little old straw hat
| from her trunk, relic of her school
days that she had kept because she
~ In tn "a ~
the heavy coils of FURNISHED hair, she
looked simply bewitching school girl
as she pinned 1t on. I said as much.
She looked up at me, her face very
rosy. "A young lady must look her
best" she laughed, when she takes
the air with the lord Of the manor, es-
pecially when he himself looks SO
great and strong. and naughty.
That is not haughtiness." said;
that is pride"
Els there any difference?"
t"All the difference between sorrow
and great happiness" answered. and
] thought that some Of my new-found
Joy OF life was reflected in her eyes.
So we chatted happily with each
other as we strolled down the wind
ing sweetness of our own long lane.
The day was a golden one, wondrous
!ewel in the crown Of spring. Yester-
day morning-yes, only yesterday I
had thought, even in my weary loneli-
ness, that the spring was very lovely
I had thought It beautiful as had
sat amid the cramped burgeoning Of
Washington Square. Today with the
country stretched before me. a
panorama bounded only by the horizon
glimpsing ever and again through the
tremulous foreground Of the trees, 1t
seemed as II saw spring face to face
for the first time. Perhaps one may
never see the greatest beauty from
lonely eyes. but must share the seeing
with another really to see at all. Per-
haps one Is always partly blind, until
some added greatness, some unselfish-
ness Of passion draws the veil from
his eyes.
/ drew d long breath. us 10 not won
derful?" I asked.
Nancy nodded. her eyes blue as tho
hills that held them.
ITO think that this Is all ours" she
sighed at last; that we are free to
look and look, and draw rest and heal
ing from 1t as long as We like!"
! blessed her in my heart for the
trick she was falling into Of saying
I'VE" II things could never grow from
the level that they were taking on this
our first day, even so, could be
happy. perhaps content 1t seemed
strangely unreasonable that should
even dream Of love. when so great a
boon as companionship had been
granted my starvation. glanced down
at Nancy. wondering If her thoughts
Travelled at all the same road as mine.
She was very pale, and her eyes had
lost their reflection of the hills.
what is it," I asked in astonish.
ment, for these recurrent fears Of hers
we're beginning to make me uneasy,
in spite of myself.
Nothing" she said; nothing" But
she turned her eyes to mine with an
effort.
I looked quickly about us, so nerv-
ous was growing; but I saw no one;
we were absolutely alone in our own
lane undar fha hrtrht Nav cun Than