Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-17

1t was a tiny cottage. 1t was so
tiny that the rose vine scrambling up
and over the front door seemed to
embrace the entire dwelling in it's
fragrant clasp.
Patience who lived within, was
wont to take the great pink blossoms
that peeped into her easement win
dow into the cup of her two hands
and press her lips into their odorous
hearts. But then-Patience was
dream girl. Perhaps, when she kissed
the roses, she was meeting In dreams
the soul Of the man who would one
day cross her threshold and enter
into her heart. '9's%E "t"' va Et
Patience never sat down by her
softly blazing fire without first
+ wing placed another chair beside
her own. After that she conversed
in her imaginings with the man who
would one day occupy that chair.
"He will be poetic" murmured Pa.
thence, land his eyes will be great
a. brooding like the eyes Of deer.
He will call me his guiding angel and
tell me that my eyes are like the
violets that grow by the silver
breath and wished that her dream
man were near.
Her tea tray was always prepared
for two, and her table with it's spot
less linen was continually set for that
other guest. An ash tray lay in read
mess on the small table beside the
couch and in the tiny suite Of rooms
upstairs there was a chiffonier upon
which lay pair Of military brushes
and collar box.
"I do not know what else belongs
there" Patience told herself and In
the glass she saw blushing face turn
swiftly away.
And because it was nearing the twi-
light hour Patience went down the
stairs and sank into her big chair.
Twilight was the hour Of her prettiest
dreaming and she wanted to miss not
a moment of the waning crimson
evening.
Because Patience wrote verses which
from time to time appeared In the
magazines she had been able to take
the tiny whitewashed cottage that
lay midway between the village and
the sea. 1t had beckoned to her con-
stantly when she had been living in
a room on the dusty, toilsome village
street.
"My dream man will be slight" she
unused while the crimson twilight
flickered joyfully over the gold Of her
hair, "and his voice will be musical
and soft" Patience threw her white
arms up over the back of her chair
and unused over the coming OF her
L oh v>inf
as entering her cottage to ask for
drink Of cool water from her little
whitewashed pump, and again he
would have sought entrance that he
might ask the privilege Of sketching
her artistic cot.
Patience fell into a light sleep.
When she awoke there was the pat
ter of rain upon her roof and outside
all was dark and cold. She shivered
slightly and poked the logs in her
fire.
She was about to sit down to her
late supper with the guest plate OPP
posite her when a loud knock startled
her
Patience opened the door and her
heart gave a great bound.
A man. so big as to fill the frame
of her small door, stood without.
There was wry smile on his face
and he was covered with mud from
head to foot.
'I have had nasty fall from my
motor cycle" he said. in deep. ringing
tones. that knew no timidity. II
would like to get a wash and clean
I'D If | could" He stood there gazing
at Patience, and she noted that his
eyes were neither soft nor deer-lika.
"They are crickly and laughing"
she thought, and slight frown
puckered her brow.
II will go around to the kitchen.
if you like" the man was adding,
supposing her frown to be for his
muddy appearance.
Patience opened the door and