Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-11-26

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Copyright. 1919. western Newspaper Union)
The leaves blew in cracking heaps
across the wind-Swept veranda as the
man hurrying to escape an October
shower assembled the steps. To all APP
pearances the old house was vacant;
darkly unwelcome the windows con-
fronted him, and there was no re-
Spouse to his ring.
The stranger fingered as though
loath to leave, then went slowly
around the garden path. At the lower
end of the house a light rewarded him.
1t shone from a curtained window, and
the man went unhesitatingly to side
door set in vine-cOvered porch
AS he raised his hand to the old
fashioned door bell, he paused, struck
by a comfortable home-like picture.
Inside, a woman was seated in the
glow of a rose-colored lamp. Her face
was bent over the crimson wool she
was knitting, and her silvery hair in
curling tendrils touched her pink
cheeks. There was something singu-
larry youthful about that bent head,
Notwithstanding the whiteness of its
soft coiled hair. Though cold winds
shook the porch, the woman inside was
clothed in dainty white. And present
ly, as though instinctively aware of
watching eye, she raised her face in
the lamp light, while the man outside
caught his breath, as one who had seen
a vision.
Then no longer hesitant, his sum-
mons pealed through the rooms. The
woman, arising, stood startled by the
table: as she uttered a word, a great
dog came from beneath it, aggressively
speaking protection. The animal, pre-
ceding her to the door, she opened 1T,
awaiting the strangers mission.
The sound of his voice was pleasing
assurance.
81 found no one at home in the front
of the house," he said, "and so came
around here to beg for shelter. l am
overtaken on dark road in the storm.
May L ask the liberty of running my
car into the barn and, if possible, ac-
commodation for myself over night.
Twice l have found accommodation"
he FASTENED to add at her stare Of
establishment "in this same house"
81 see." The woman's voice sound
ed sweet in his ears.
"But you misunderstood. That was
in the great part of the house which
is separated from my small wing.
live here-alone. My neighbors have
gone away for the evening but will re-
turn later"
She considered a moment, her hand
on the dogs head. the wind tearing
around the corner tossed wet leaves
against their faces.
"You are welcome to wait in my sit
ting room until they return" she said
impulsively.
'Tt may help you pass the time, Mr..
Cole" she said. But the man took a
chair opposite her own, regarding her
thoughtfully.
81 would like" he said, "to tell you
Of one evening in my life which this
one recalls"
She looked at him with a quick in
viting smile, then into her blue eyes
came a wondering, retrospective light.
'It was on just such an evening
years ago." the man went on, "that l
lost my way in, this same road, and
begged for shelter for the night at the
same house. An elderly couple well
coined me Hospitality, and by their fire.
side, in a room like this, we sat and
talked of many things. They were in
terested in all that / could tell, while
nearby, her fingers busy with embroi-
derry, but her beautiful eyes often up
raised to mine, sat young girl" The
man paused. "There seems nothing
more to tell about her than that" he
said musingly, 'but her very presence
there, her personality, appealed to me
as no woman ever had appealed-be-
FORE
at was she who babe me good night,
passing at last up the high stairway
with but one backward glance to soften
my disappointment. l was obliged to
leave very early the next morning.
Back in my city home | realized in
establishment that I had not learned
the name of my protectors or more
about the young girl than that they
called her Le' Discouraging this
finality, to an ardent heart which
would have confded it's affection to
paper, seeking the faint hope of re-
ply. The girls unforgettable face
haunted me for year. Then a second
time 1 went back to the lonely road
and sought shelter. Strangers opened
the door of the house, strangers took
me in. The old MacGregors were dead
they said.
"'Their daughter? 1 asked breath
lessly.
"Dead also,' they replied.
at was as though my future had
ended suddenly before its beginning.
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