Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-07
CHAPTER XVI.


My lady sweet. arise
With everything that pretty is.
My lady sweet arise;
Arise, arise"
TT WAS morning and CHAIRMAN was
i singing, The pure, rich notes foated
In at my open lattice and 1 heard the
clatter OF her pail at she went to fetch
water from the brook. wherefore pres
entity stepped out into the sunshine, my
coat and neckcloth across my arm, to
plunge my head and face into the brook
and carry back the heavy bucket for her,
as was my custom.
Being come to the brook I found the
brimming bucket. sure enough, but no
Chairman. 1 was looking about wonder
ingly, when she began to sing again, and.
guided by this, espied her kneeling be-
side the stream.
The water ran deep and very stifl just
here, overhung by ash and alder and will
low, whose slender. curving branches
formed a leafy bower wherein she half
knelt. half sat, bending over to regard
herself in the placid water. For a long
moment she remained thus, studying her
reflection intently in this crystal mirror.
and little by little her song died away.
Then she put up her hands and began to
rearrange her hair with swift, dexterous
the while. in this wise:
MY dear. you are growing positively
apple-cheeked-I vow you are! Your enc
mics might almost call you-strapping-
alack!
And then your complexion. my dear,
your adorable complexion!" she went on,
with a rueful shake of her head, you
are as brown as a gipsy-not that you
need go breaking your heart over it.
for, between you and me, my dear. I
think Il rather improves you; the pity
of II Is that you have no one to appre-
cite you properly-to render TO your
charms the homage they deserve, no
one-not a soul, my dear; your hermit,
bless you can see, or think, of nothing
that exists out Of a book-which. between
you and me and the bucket yonder. is
perhaps just as well-and yet-heigho! To
be so lovely and so forlorn! Indeed, 1
could shed tears for you II II would
not make your eyelids swell and your
classic nose turn red"
Here she sighed again. and. taking a
tendril OF hair between her fingers, trans
formed II, very cleverly, into a small curl
"Yes, your tan certainly becomes you,
my dear" she went on, nodding 20 her
reflection; mot that he will ever notice
dear heart. mol Were you suddenly to
turn as black as a Observation-Disclosures his
very eyes-he would go on serenely smok-
ing his pine. and talk 20 you OF Epictetus
-heigho" Signing thus. she broke on
a spray Of leaves and proceeded to twine
them in among the lustrous coils Of her
hair bending over her reflection mean
while. and turning her head this way and
that. TO note the effect.
'Yes,9 said she at last. nodding at her
image with a satisfied air that touch
OF green sets of your gypsy complexion
admirably, my dear-I could positively
kiss you'll vow / could, and I am hard
10 please. 81. Anthony himself. meeting
you alone in the desert. would. at least.
have run away from you, and that would
have been some tribute to your charms.
but our philosopher win just glance at
YOU with his slow. grave smile. and tell
you, In his solemn, affable way-that Il
Is very fine morning-heighoF'
Here (somewhat late In the day. per-
hapsl perceiving that was playing
eavesdropper. / move cautiously away,
and taking up the pail. returned TO the
cottage. ! now illed the kettle and set
Il upon the fre. and proceeded TO spread
the cloth "a luxurious institution OF Char
mian's, on which she insisted) and 10 lay
out the breakfast things. In the midst
OF which. however. CHANGING 10 fall into
a reverie became obliyious OF all things
turning. beheld CHAIRMAN standing with
the glory OF the sun about her-like the
Spirit Of Summer herself
And, as l gazed upon her. silent and
wondering, lol though her mouth was
solemn yet there was laughter In her
eyes as she spoke.
"wsn. slr-have you no greeting for
me7'
tits avery flne morningi" said l.
And now the merriment overhowed her
eyes, and she laughed, yet blushed a lit
tie, too and lowered her eyes from mine.
and said. stu laughing:
.Oh. Peter-the teapot-do mind the tea
tcoNTINUDD ToMoRRow)