Life — December 26, 1895 — page 28: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

10 ~LIFE-: melancholy little sounds of a summer evening seemed the _ texture than when he folded it three hours ago; and he took utterances of other and yet more lonely spirits. The voice it to the light. This certainly was another kind of paper, of a whip-poor-will from a neighboring grove betrayed the _ finer, more transparent, and even doubled in a different wavering courage of a forsaken soul. And the moon, as fashion. And was it a mild perfume that came to his she rose above the orchard, gazed sadly upon him, as if she _ nostrils in the unfolding? He started when he saw the too, in her eternal solitude, yearned for a companionship of — writing; a daintier hand than his own, more carefully writ- which she found no promise. He strolled dreamily about ten, and with a finer pen. the old garden and encouras d the belief that if the original ” Thank you ; but I have no mind of that exasperating portrait were only here the world would For a lover so perversely blind.” be always interesting ; then with a bitter smile he mur- mured: “Grandad and I don’t seem to s picture. have much luck with x “Blind?” he asked in an anxious whisper. ‘ Why do our favorite girls.” ; $ you say that? Why am I blind?" After a few turns he The eyes, through the dim eireredh the houserand i light, looked into his own and without intention di- q came nearer smiling than ever rected his footsteps to- l : Wh ll before. They also seemed ward the library. A i i! $ more mischievous, and sleepy lamp upon the’ ; AN } “ (| as he bent nearer to table illumined the oR Y z i 4 catch the answer they space immediately hs . , took a frightened look, around it, but left the ‘ : : : as if annoyed. rest of the room in : =f . Beneath the lamp he obscurity. Cyrus Tae re-read the note. The threw himself upon a ee (eet Bis lines seemed fainter ; sofa, and with his eyes rata i, and as he gazed, with upon the portrait, now as ¥ the paper in his hand, barely visible in the shadowy light, ' ne ‘ the writing grew dim- was soon lost in a peaceful revery, \ mer, then slowly faded But he could see that she was . H ge from sight. Returning looking at him. And such a spell | to the portrait, he de- was wrought by the silence and the h \ manded : gloom that if, in answer to his own imaginings, ii “What is it I ought the lips had parted and she had spoken he j to see? Why not tell would hardly have been surprised. An audible 2 me?” But no answer came. conversation between the old-fashioned book- a Then, removing the shade case and the tall clock ticking in the corner would from the lamp, he stood upon have been in perfect harmony with the mysterious, — - a chair and carefully examined half-living atmosphere that enveloped the various the back of the painting, the objects and himself. And these objects were al! of a frame, the canvas, and felt character to meet a ghost half way. Every article ; everywhere for something, he was of a bygone fashion, and save the usual usage knew not what. But dust and and repairs, the little library was precisely as it disappointment were all he existed when his grandfather's father had furnished found. the house over seventy years ago, Everything was (MAT is 47, Fovewr ro seu? Way Returning to the table he old; the paper on the walls, the curtains, the carpet, sat down and wrote: the pictures, and all the furniture. The only signs of youth “* Why do you say [am blind? Why give such a meaningless were this girl and himself, And she was fifty ! answer when you know [Lam in earnest? For me your face shall As he gazed upon her face in the everlasting hope that the always be the first and dearest. impossible might occur, he detected a little white corner of ** Please answer, c, u." his note projecting beyond the edge of the frame. Had he This note, like its predecessor, was carefully folded, then been so careless ?- Could he have left it in such a clumsy tucked in the same place, between the canvas and the frame. way that the first comer might discover it? And when he In his most engaging manner he bowed gracefully to the recalled what a silly note it was he jumped from the sofa _ silent girl and left the room. and pulled it out. As he held the paper between his fingers The next morning, at the earliest opportunity, with a to tear it into bits it seemed thinner and of a different respectful, although a conquering air, he approached the He dropped it upon the table and returned hastily to the