Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-12-16

what the young man might be doing.
Also she wondered where the mother
was and why there was no one else
to care for the boy. She often hoped
shat the young father, who must be
Widower, would notice some OF
the pretty girls who sat in the park.
II was a shame for such a pleasant
nan TO look SO lonely. But he never
did notice any Of the girls After all
lac looked quite like gentleman, and
they were not his kind Of girls. He
was probably an authpr; she had
heard that they were usually poor.
- wonder why that child doesn't
get into mischief" thot Miss Mariana.
81 guess it's a god thing I'm sitting
here to watch him. His father is so
wrapped up in that book or whatever
it j. he's writing"
And then as the young man looked
up, gazing abstractly, apparently to-
ward the window where she sat, Mar
Iana leaned forward eagerly to no.
tice his fine, lean profile. Her eyes
were bright with an innocent inter-
est. 1t never occurred to her that
he might be looking at her--nobody
had ever cared much about looking
at her even when she was very young
Unconscious of his gaze, she sat
there, rocking gently, between her
ionG white shutters, the very picture
of homely peace and quiet. After
that the authors eyes strayed often
from his work, as tho he must seek
inspiration in the walls OF red
brick cottage or the long white shut
crs at its windows.
The day after this the young man
did not come into the park at all.
Mariana having finished her simple
household tasks, took her place at the
accustomed window, eager for a
sight of the life that moved about
outside. II she was eager for the
sight of one particular person she did
rot know 1t herself. Her heart was
unused to even the first throb Of that
emotion called love. Love as she
had read about ii. was thrilling
thing, that came upon one suddenly
usually in some picturesque environ
iuent, and she had never imagined
that it could steal over any woman
like a gentle warming tide of happi-
ness However, she was happy: there
was a shine in her eyes and Il bud
ding smile upon her lips. Altho she
did not know 1t, Mariana Winn was
looking younger than usual.
But as the afternoon went on the
smile faded little. She wanted to
9tt AIt lllNlc bbN. ollt Stdl Nlltu tdE
.erly among the throngs of children.
All, there he was a stout, rosy
faced young girl had him firmly by
the hand. She was leading him to-
ward the bench where the father
usually sat. Miss Mariana craned her
head to look at the young woman.
Somehow she had never supposed the
little boys mother would look like
that. He was adOrably brown carried,
but she wore flaXen frizZes that
looked suspiaiously artificial. She
was a bit untidy. too, and her soiled
white shoes were run down at the
heels a long sigh of disappoint-
ment escaped Miss Mariana, and
some frail thing Of the spirit seemed
borno away from her on its faint
breath. The shine had left her eyes,
but she sat watching.
Being comfortably established on
the bench, the blonde-haired young
woman drew out novel and began
to read. The little boy danced away
to play, and the autumn afternoon
shadows heightened visibly. At last
it grew dark and chilly at Miss Mari
aEG's window.
suddenly the air was rent by a