HomeMy WebLinkAboutLucknow Sentinel, 1891-08-28, Page 211
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,..b. •mow
THE CRA, I AS A CRITIC.
What Little Uardelaw Said Whea He Saw
a Hoy.
" Dear mother,'" cried a little crab, " Fd like to
see a maw!
I've never yet Set eyes on one. Oh, tell me
when I•can!"
" Why, come with me," his mother said, and
took hdln UNtlger $119re
What luck!" said she. " Here comes one
now. Pray scan him o'er and o'er."
The crablet waved his high -stalked eyes and
clasped his claws with joy.
" Behold,' then spoke the mother wise, •" the
kind of man called 'Boy.'
Those bpys are dreadful creatures, love. B8
careful where you roam.
Lookout 1 Avoid that net! That's right. We'd
better -sidle -home'
Away they slid ; and, 'safe at home, the crablet
straight began
To tell his mother what he thought of that
strange creature man. ,
"How awkward it does seem," said he, "and
yet 1 see it's true,
While we walk straight on eight small legs, he
goes sideways on two 1
His shell looks soft, and seems to be a kind of
sicklyink •
Much uglier than our dull green and lovely
With his small claws how could he tear the
weakest fish in two
And if he tried to fight a crab -I don't see what
he'd do!
His eyes are flat. How can he look behind him
in the sea
I can't see how he lives at all. What use can
such things be ?"
"'Tis hard to tell," the mother said. "Your
father used to say
That boys and nets were trials love and useful
it
•
•rr
t
in thio .esar
'fined i attit' a are azy, an won earn
to swim with speed,
These creatures come to punish them, and on
- their 'bodies feed !
So walk as fast as you know how. and swim and -
dive with care,
That when the boys with nets shall scoop, they
will not find you ther.
not quite de rigueur-or, rather, we had no
learned about those things. We have bee
so out of the world, you see. We wer
dreadfully ashamed of ourselves," she added
candidly, with a little embarrassed laugh
" but you must set, it down to our ignorant
of .the laws of propriety, and not suppos
that we consciously disregarded them."
" The laws .of propriety 1" repeated Pau
hotly, his own face red and fierce. "It
is Schiller, I think, who says that it is the
experience of corruption which originated
them. I hate to hear you speak of im-
propriety, astif you could even conceive the
idea of it 1"
" Well, ..rad are -not -in Areadia. -now;-and
we must behave ourselves accordipgly,"said
Elizabeth, who was beginning to feel glad
in her gentle heart that she had been able
to make this explanation. •' I think we are
Wting corrupted will wonderful rapidity. e have even been called upon, quite as if
we were people of fashion and consequence,
by a lady who was dressed in the most
magnificent manner and who came inr
t
n
e
e
e
1
g s rs
Aarons. She said she had heard of our being
here, and thought she would like to make
our acquaintance."
" Did she ?" responded Paul warmly,
thinking how nice sand delicate it was of
Mrs. Aarons to respect his anxious wish
that his name and interposition should not
be mentioned, which was certainly more
> 1.hnn h.b a ti- ..
•
you a at ome when she called ?"
" As it happened -yes. It was •on Satur-
day afternoon, when we �1•e generally rather
busy." 71�
" And have you returned her call yet ?"
" No. We don't mean to return it," said
Elizabeth composedly ; " we did not like'
• her enough to wish to make an acquaintance
St. Nicholas
our rules -well, it will throw us back. And
it will be tt bad precedent, Patty."
" Then we won't break them," said Patty
valiantly. " We will go in our black
frocks. Perhaps," she added, with some
hesitation, " we can find something amongst
our mother's things to trim' us up a little."
" She would like to see us making our-
selves look pretty with her things," said
Eleanor.
" Yes, Nelly. That is what I think.
Conte• along and let us look at that bundle
of lace that we put in the bottom drawer
of the bureau. Elizabeth, does lace so fine
as that go with woolen frocks, do you thWk?
Ve-must ot--haye-any-incongrathfties ifwe
can help it." m
Elizabeth thought that plain white ruffles
would; perhaps, be best, as there was so
much danger of incongruities if they trusted
to their untrained invention. Whereupon
Patty pointed out that they would have to
buy ruffles, while the lace would cost Roth-
in
which
consideration,added
g, t , to their
seg t31 .. sf-Or a t. .p is -d g .fiN. •oxr ,
now
a`�the"occas on "
i 4or'it`had arisen-t$e
love of adornment being, though refined acid
chastened, an ingredient of their nature as
of every other woman's -.carried the day in
favor of " mother's things."
" And I think,,"' said Patty, with dignity,
when at last Friday came and they had
spread the selected finery on their little
beds, " I think that ladies ought to know
THE SISTE
" Are they nice ?-that is to say, are they
the sort of people whom one would -a --
care tc be responsible for -you know what
I mean? . Are they ladies ?" inquired Mrs.
Aarons, who, by virtue of her own extrac-
tion, was bound to be select and exclusive
in her choice of acquaintances.
" Most certainly," replied Paul, with im-
prudent warmth. " There can be no man-
ner of doubt about that. Born ladies."
" Then you want me to take them up, so
that you 'can have it Here ? Is that it ?"
The little man was looking se `ferocious,,
and his departure from her side appeared so
-imminent, that she changed her tone quickly
after putting this question. " Never mind,"
she said, laying her jewelled fingers on his
--coat-sleeve for a- momeat,"I= will not be
jealous -at least I will try not to be. I
will- go and call on them to-inorrow, and as
soon as they have called on me I will ask
themto one of my Fridays. Will that
do?"
" I don't wish you for a moment. to do
what would be at all unpleasant to your-
self," he said still i a hurt, bl int_ tone,
but visibly softening. • • •
" It won't be unpleasant to me," she• said
• sentimentally, " if it will please you." •
CHAPTER X.
THE FIRST INVITA•TIOI. •
Mrs. Aarons kept her promise, and'called
,-•upon the Kings •oh Saturday. Mrs. Mc-
Intyre saw her get down at ,the gate of No.
6, at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon,
watched the brougham which had brought
her trundling slowly up and down the street
for half -an -hour, and then saw her get • into
it and drive off; which facts, communicated
• to Paul'Brion, gave him the greatest satis-
faction.
He did not .see his neighbors for several
days after. He heard their piano, and their
• footsteps and voices .on the veranda ; but,
whenever he essayed' to go outside his own
room for a breath of fresh air;
they were sure to retire into theirs
• immediately, like . mice into a ' hole
when the eat has frightened them. At
last he came across them in an alley of the
Fitzroy Gardens, as he and they were con-
verging upon Myrtle street from different
points. They were all together as usual -
the 'majestic Elizabeth in the middle, with
her youngersisters on either side
• of her and they were walk-
ing home from an organ recital
in the -,Town Hall to. their tea, and . a cosy
evening over a new book, having spent.xnost
of the morning at the Public Library, and
had their mid-day dinner at Gunsler's. As
he caught sight of them, he was struck by
the change in their outward appearance
that a few weeks of Melbourne experience
had brought about, and pleased himself
with thinking how much their distinguished
aspect must have impressed that discerning
woman of the world, who had so kindly
condescended to take them tip. They were
dressed in their new gowns,- and bonneted,
booted and gloved in the neatest manner ;
a little air of the mode pervaded them now,
'while the primitive purity of their taste was
still unadulterated, They had never looked
more charming, more obviously " born
ladies " than to -day, as he saw them after
so long an interval.
The three black figures stood the shock of
the unexpected meeting with admirable for-
titude. They came on towards him with no
faltering of that free and gracefulait that
was .so noticeable in a city full ofstarched
and whale -boned women, and, as he lifted
his hat, bowed gravely --Elizabeth only giv-
ing hima digny(red smile, and wishing him
a good evening as she went by. He let thein
pas him, as they seemed to wish to pass
him ; then he turned sharply and followed
them. It was a chance he might not• get
again for months,'perhats,.kand he could not
afford to let it slip. .
"Miss King," he called, in his imperative
brusque way ; aria at the sound of his voice
Elizabeth looked back and waited for him to
join her, while her yorfnger sisters, at a sign
from fatty, walked on at a brisk pace, leav-
ing her in command of the situation. "Miss
King," said Paul, earnestly, " I am so glad
to have an opporttnity of speaking to you -
1 have been wanting all the week to see you,
that I might thank yott for your kindness hi
asking me to tea."
"Oh," said• Elizabeth, whose face was
searlet, "douh't mention it, Mr. Brion. We
thought of it merely as a -a little attention
--a sort of acknowledgement --to your
father ; that it might please him, perhaps,
for you to see that we had settled ourselves,
as he could not do so himself."
" It would have pleased me, beyond
everything in tl•e world, Mils Ines'. Only
only
" Yes, I know. We forgot -that' it was
of her. it is no good to put ourselves out,
and waste our own time and theirs, for.
people whom we are sure not to care about,
and who would not care about us, is it ?"
" But I think you would like Iter if you
knew her, Miss King," pleaded Paul, much
disturbed by this threatened downfall of his
schemes. " I am sure -at least, I have
always heard, and. I can speak a little from
personal knowledge, -that she is a °particu-
larly nice woman ; thoroughly kind and
amiable, and, at the same time, having as
good position in society, and a remarkably
pleasant house,where you might meetinterest-
mg people whom.you would like. Oh, don't
condemn her at first sight in that way 1
First impressions are so seldom to be
trusted. Go and call, at any rate -indeed,
you know, you ought to do that, if only for
form's sake "
" For politeness, do you mean? Would
it be rude not to return her call'?"
"It would be thought so, of course."
Ah, 1 was not sure -I will call then.
I don't mind calling in the least. If she
has done us a' kindness, it is right to
acknowledge it in whatever is the proper
way.' It; was mysisters-especially Patty
-who took a dislke to her, and particularly
wished not to see her again. Patty thought
she asked too many questions, and that she,
-came-from-some-motive of -curiosity -to -pry
into our affairs. She was certainly a little
impertinent, I thought. But ,.then, tier -
haps, ladies in the world' don't look at
these things as we have been accustomed to
do," added Elizabeth humbly.
" I don't think they do," said Paul.
By this time they hack, reached the gate
through which . • Patty and Eleanor had
passed before them out of the gardens. As
they silently emerged into the road, they
saw the pair flitting along the pavement a
considerable distance ahead of them, and
when they turned the corner into Myrtle
street _both. the +slender. •black figures had'
disappeared. Paul wondered to see himself
so irritated by this trifling and inevitable
circumstance. He felt that it would have
done him good to speak to Patty, if it were
only to quarrel with her.
Elizabeth bade him good night when she
reached the gate of N. 6, where the hall
door stood open_ putting Tier warm, strong
hand with motherly benevolence into his.
" Good night, Miss King. I am so glad
to have seen you," he responded, glaring
fiercely at the balcony and the blank win-
dow overhead. " And -and you will return
that call, won't you ?"
" 0 yes -of course. We will walk there
on Monday, , as we come home from the
.library. We are able to find our way about
in Melbourne very well now, with the .help
of the Map you were so kind as to give us'
when we first came. c I can't tell you how
useful that has been."
So, with mutual friendship and goodwill,
they parted -Elizabeth to join her sisters
upstairs, where one was already setting the
tea -kettle to boil on the gas stove, and the
other spreading a snow-white cloth on the
sitting -room table -Paul Brion to get half -
an -hour's work and a hasty dinner before
repairing to the reporters' gallery of "the
House."
He did .not see them again for a long time,
and the • first news he heard of them was
from Mrs. Aarons, whom he chanced to
meet when she was shoppingone fine morn-
ing in Collins street. •
" You see, I remembered my promise,'
she said, when matters of more persona'
moment had been disposed of ; " I went to
see those extraordinary protegees of yours."
" Extraordinary -how extraordinary ?"
he inquired stiffly.
" \Vell, I put•it to you -are they not ex-
traordinary ?",•
He was silent for a few seconds, and
the points of his moustache went up a little.
Perhaps so -now you mention it,'1 he
said. " Perhaps they are unlike the -the
usual girl of the period with whom we are
familiar. But I hope you were favorably
impressed with your visit. 'Were you ?"
" No, I wasn't. I will be frank with
you -I wasn't. 1 never expected to find
people living in that manner -and dressing
in that manner. It is not what I am used
to."
CHAi'TER• XI:
DISAPPOINTMENT.
How they should dress themselves for
Mrs. Aarons' Friday was a question as,full
of interest for our girls as if they had been
brought up in the lap of wealth and fashion.
Could they afford theriiselves new
frocks ?-say, black grenadines that
would do for the summer afterwards.
This suggestion was inquired into at several
shops and of several dressmakers, and then
relinquished, lmtnotwithoutastruggle. "We
art just recovering ourselVCS,"said Elizabeth,
with hernote•book before herand impend l in
her hand ; "and if we go On as we are doing
now a-r'41r:111 he x11111' In save C1'161101 10 1:1,ke
us to l:u, op„ ue\t • year without meddling
with our house -money. But if we break
people can tell them. When they want to
make themselves-smart,'they should -think,
first, what they -can afford and what will be
suitable to their position and the occasion,'
and then they should think what would
look pretty in a picture. And they should
put on that."
Late -in the evening, Paul Brion, who had
not iutended to go to this particular Friday,
lest his presence should betray to the sisters
what he was so anxious to conceal from
them, found that he could not resist the
temptation to see with Iris own eyes how
they were getting on ; and when he had
entered the room, which was unusually
crowded, and had prowled about for a few
minutes amongst the unpleasantly tall men
who obstructed his view in all directions, he
was surprised and enraged to see the three
girls sitting side by side in a corner, looking
neglected and lonely, and to see insolent
women in long-tailed satin gowns sweeping
past them as_ ..if .they had. not been there.
.One glance was enough to satisfy him that
there had been no fear of their not looking
"nice." Patty's bright and flushed but (just
now) severe little •face, rising so proudly
from - the soft lace about her throat and
bosom, seemed to him to stand out dear in a
surrounding mist, apart and distinct from
all the faces in the room -or in the world,
for that smatter. -Elizabeth's dignified
serenity in an uncomfortable position was
the perfection of good breeding, and made
a telling contrast to the effusive manners of
those about her ; and fair Eleanor, .sitting
so modestly at Elizabeth's side, with her
hands, in . a pair of white silk .mittens,
folded in her lap, was as charming o look
-at'as heart -of man could desire. t••Ot er
men seemed to be of his opinion, for he saw
several hovering around them and looking
at them with undisguised interest ;'-but the
ladies, .who, he thought, ought to lave felt
privileged totake' them up, appeared to
regard them coldly, or to •turn their backs
upon thein altogether, •literally as• well as
metaphorically. It was plain that Mrs.
Aarons had introduced them tp nobody,
probably wishing (as was indeed the case -
people of her class being morbidly sensitive
to the disgrace of unfashionable connections)
not to own to them more than she could
help.
He withdrew from their neighborhood be-
fore they saw him, and went to 'seek his
hostess, swelling with remonstrant wrath.,`
He found her on a sofa at the other end of
the .room, talking. volubly (she was always
voluble, but now she was breathless in her
Volubility) to a ladywho had never before,
honored her Fridays; and who, by doing so
to -night, had gratified an ambition that had
long been paramount amongst the many am-
bitions which, enclosed in a narrow circle as
they were; served to make the interest and
occupation of Mrs. Aaron's life. She looked
up at Paul as he approached her, and gave
him a quick nod and smile, as if to say, " I
see you, but you must be perfectly aware
that I am unable to attend to, you Net
now:" `Paul understood/her, and, not hav=
ing the honor of Mrs. Duff -Scott's acquaint-
aace himself, fell back a little behind the
sofa and waited for•his opportunity. As he
waited, he could not help overhearing the
conversation of the two ladies, and deriving
a little cynical amusement 'therefrom.
• " And, as soon as I heard of it, I begged
my husband to go and see if it was really
a genuine example of Derby -Chelsea ; and,
you see, it was," said Mrs. Aarons, with
subdued enthusiasm; alniost with tears of
ent'otion. °
• "It Was, indeed," assented Mrs. Duff-
Scott, earnestly. " There was the true
mark -the capital D, with the anchor in -tha
the middle of it. It is extremely rare, and bo
I had no hope of ever, possessing a speci- ' `
men." - pla
" I knew you would like to have it. I wit
said to Ben, ' Do go and snatch it, up at , Ki
once for Mrs.' Duff -Scott's collection."
And he was so pleased to find he was in sha
time. We were so afraid some one •might Irk
have been before us. But the fact is, do
people are so ignorant that they have no
idea of the value of things of. that sort,-- coo
fortunately." •in
e'" I don't call it fortunate at all," the Wh
other lady retorted, a little brusquely. ' " I I'a
don't like to see people ignorant -I am. ma
quite ready to share and share." Then she int
added; with a smile, " I am sure I can never
be 'sufficiently obliged to Mn Aarons for dro
taking so much trouble on , my account. I the
must get hits into a corner presently, and mu
'find out how much I am in his debt_ ma
though, of course; no. money can represent. can
the true worth of such a. treasure, and I "
shall always foerthat I have robbed him." it, 1
" Oh, pray, pray,don't talk of payment," mig
the hostess implored, with a gesture of her
heavily -ringed hands. " You will hurt ,tion
him dreadfully if you think of such a thing. viol
He feels himself richly paid, I assure you, girl
by having a chance to do yottl a little ser- ably
vice. And such a merc'tritle as it is !" gun
" No, indeed, it, is not a trifle, Mrs. held
Aarons---very fkr from tt. The thing is cern
much too valuable for me 'to. -to" airs: real
Duff -Scott hesitated, and her face was " Is
rather red -" to deprive you Of it in that ey'e's
way.. I don't feel that 1 can take.• it 114 a ftore
presen1, - a bit of real 1)erl'�y-('helsea that lntr
you might never find a sl►,•, rump of again yon
really I don't.•
" 011, please " and Mrs. Aaron's voice 1'0
was at once reproaphful and persuasive-
" please ! I know you ddn't wish to hurt
A little mere discussion ensued, which
Paul watched with an amused smile ; and
Mrs. Duff -Scott gave in. �--- .
" Well, if you insist -but you are really
too good. It makes me quite untconxfort-
able to take such a treasure from you.
However, perhaps, some day I may be able
to contribute to your collection." •
" Ah, my dear Herr Wullnerr," she said,
in a very distinct voice, "I was listening,
and I thought I could not be mistaken in
yoiir touch. Heller'a " Wanderstunde-n,"
-wasn't-it--?"-----And`they-plunged head---first-
into
ead -first-',
into mnsical talk such as musical people
(who never care in the least how much un-
musical people may be bored by it) love to
indulge in whenever an occasion, offer,
while Mrs. Aarons stood by, smiling
vaguely, and not understanding a word of
it. Paul Brion listened to them for a few
minutes, and a bright idea came into his
lead
CI TI R XII.,
TRIUMPH.
Mrs'. Duff -Scott lifted up a sheet of
crabbed manuscript as yellowed by time as
Patty's Brussels lace, and said : " This is
not quite the thing for a mixed audience,
is it?"
" Ali, no ! jou are right; it is the study
yesterday, and that I proposed to read -to
him to -night," said Herr Wullner, in that
precise English and with that delicate pro-
nunciation with which the cultivated
foreigner so often puts us to shame. " It
is, you perceive, an arrangement for one vio-
lin and a piano only -done by a very distin-
guished person for a lady who was for a
short time my pupil, when I was a young
man. You have heard it with the four -
stringed instriiments at your house ; that
was bad -bad ! Ach ! that second violin
squeaked like the squeaking Of a pig, and
it was always in the wrong place. But in
good hands it is sublime. This" -and he
sighed as he added more sheets to the one
she held and was steadily perusing -"this
is but a crippled thing, perhaps ; the
piano, which should have none of it, has it
all -and no one can properly translate that
piano part -not one in ten thousand. But
it is well done. Yes, it is very well done.
And I have long been wanting my friend to
try it with me."
" And what about the young lady for
whom it was written ?-which part ,did- she
take ?
" The piano -the piano. But then she
hada wonderful execution and sympathy-
t was truly wonderful for a lady, and she
so young. Wonxen_play nuieh .better- now,
as a rule, but I never hear one who is an
amateur play as she did. And so quick -so
quick 1 . It was an inspiration with her.
Yes, this was written on purpose for that
lady -I have had it ever since -it has never
been published. The manuscript is in her
own hand. She wrote out much of her
music in her own hand.. It was many,
many years ago, and 1 was a young man
then: We were fellow -pupils ••before I be-
came her master, and she was my pupil only
for a few weeks: Lt was a farce -a farce.
She did rat• play the violin, but in every-
thing else•she was better than J. Ah, she
was a great genius, that young lady. , She
was a great loss to the world of dart."
"Did she die, ,Herr Wullner ?
" She eloped,"•• he said softly, " she ran
away with a scapegrace. And the ship.she
sailed in was lost at sea."
"Dear me ! How very sad. Well, you
must make your friend try it over, and, if
you -manage' it all right, bring him with you
to my house on Monday evening and let me
hear it."
"That shall give me•great pleasure," said
the old man, .bowing low.
" You have your violin with you, I sup-
pose ? " she asked.
" It is in the hall, under my cloak. I do
not bring it into this room," he replied.
" Why not ?" she persisted. •' Go and
fetch it, Herr Wullner, and let Mrs. Aarons
hear you play it "-suddenly bethinking
herself of her hostess -and smiling upon
that lady-" if she has never had that treat
before." • •
Mrs. Aarons 'was eager to hear the violin,
and Herr Wuliner went himself, though
reluctantly, to fetch his treasure from the
old case that he had hidden away below.
When he had tuned up his strings a little,
and had tucked the instrument lovingly
under his chin, he looked'at Mrs. Duff -Scott
and said softly, " What ?"
" Oh," cried Mrs. Aarons, striking in,
" play that -you know -what you were
talking of just now -what Mrs. ,Duff Scott
wanted so much to hear. I want, to hear
it too."
" Impossible - impossible," he said
quickly, almost with a shudder. It has a
piano part, and there is•xiti 'one 'here to take
that."
Then Paul Brion broken in, conscious
t he was running heavy risks of all sorts,
t resolved to seize his chance.
` I think there is someone who could
y it," he said to Mrs. Aarons, speaking
h elaborate distinctness. " The Misses
ng -one of there, at anyrate-"
Nonsense;" interrupted Mrs. Aarons,
rp1r, but under her breath. "Not at all
ely ' . She was annoyed by the- -au-brges_
n, and'wished to treat it as if unheard (it
s . unreasonable, on the face of it, Of
rse) ; but Mrs. Duff -Scott caught at it
her direct way. " \Vho are they ?
ich are the Misses King?" she asked of
ul, putting up her eye -glass to see what
nner of man had taken upon himself to
erfere.
My dear lady," sighed I•Ierr Wullner,
pping his bow dejectedly,, " it is out of
question, absolutely. It is not normal
sic at its best, and I have it only in
nuscript. It is impossible that any lady
attempt it."
She will not attempt it if she cannot do
[err Wullner," said Paul. " But you
ht ask her,."
Irs. huff -Scott had followed the three -
cif his eyes, and her attention was
ently arrested by the figures of the three
s sitting together, who were so r•ernark-
nnlike the mulch ty .of .j\lrs. Aaron's
Sts. She took note of all their super -
1 peculiarities in a _moment, and the
viction that the lace and the pearls were
flashed across her like an inspiration.
it 1 he young lady with the bright
?",she inquired. " \\'liat a champing
! V s, lfer•r Willner, we will ask her.
educe me to her„Mrs. Aaron's, will
rc„ rem: :is she spoke and Sailed towards I
y, M I S. Aarons fallowing ; and Paul
1'. u,', .
-1
Brion held his breath while he waited to see
how his reckless' enterprise would turn out.
In a few minutes Patty came towards the
pia,,no, with her head` up and her face
blushed, looking a little defiant, but as self-
posseesed as the great lady who convoyed
her across the room. The events of the
evening had roused her spirit and strung up
her nerves like Herr Wullner's fiddle -
strings, and she, too, was in a daring and
audacious mood.
" This is it," said the old musician, look-
ing at her critically as he gave a sheet of
-manuscript into her hand. It was a won-
derful chance, of rimae, but Patty had
seexythe'fucsimiYe efthat-xnanuseript-i inai -
times before, and had played from it. It is
true she had never played with the violin
accompaniment -had never so muct�jt as seen
a violin until ahe Banta to 1\clelbou sia ; but.
her mother had contrived tp make her
understand how the more delicate and'
-sensitive instrument ought to be deferred
to in thesexecution of the piano part, and k
ing the missing air in her flexible trilling
voice; and just now she was in that peculiar
mood of exaltation that she felt inspired to
dare anything and assured that she should
succeed. " You will not be able to read
it ?" Herr Wullner suggested persuasively,
drawing hope from her momentary silence.
"Oh, yes," she said, looking up' bravely.
"I think so. You will ston me. please. if
herself at the piano with, a quiet air of
knowing what she was doing that con-
founded the two ladies who were watching
her and deeply interested Mrs. Duff -Scott.
Paul Brion's heart was beating high with
•anticipated triiumph. 13 rr Wullner's
heart, on the contrary, sk with a mild
despair.
"'Well, we will have few bars," he
sighed. . "And pray, my dear young lady,
don't bang the piwno-I mean don't play
over me. And try to keep time. But you .
will never do it -with the, best intentions,
my dear, you will never be able to read it
from such a manuscript as that."
Patty looked up at him with a sort of
radiant calmness, and said gently, "Go on.
You see you have an opening movement to
Bewildered, the old man dropped his bow
upon the strings, and set forth on his hope-
less task. And at exactly the right mom-
0nt the piano glided in, so 4lightly,- so
tenderly; and yet with such admirable
precision and delicate clearness, that it
justified, for once, its trespass upon ground
that belonged to more aerial instruments:
It was just what Paul Brion had counted
on -though .Paul Brion ad not the least
idea what a wildchane, d brought about
the -fulfilment -of-his- e ectations. -- T-atty ---
was able to display her chief accomplish-
ment to the very best advantage, and the
sisters were thereby promoted to honour.
The cold shade of neglect and obscurity was
to chill them no more from this happy
moment.
The guests were laughingand talking and
flirting; as they were wont to do under
cover of the music which generally prevailed
at these' Friday receptions, when an angry
"Hush 1" from the violinist, repeated by
Mrs. Duff -Scott, made a little circle of
silence round the performers. And in this
silence Patty carried through her responsible
undertaking with perfect .accuracy and the
finest taste -save for a shadowy, mistake or ' .
two, which, glancing over them as if they
were mere phantoms of mistakes, and recon- '
ming herself instantly, only served to show
more clearly the- finished quality of her
execution, and the ' thoroughness of her •
Musical experience. She was conscious her-
self of being iii her very best form.
" Ah 1" said •Herr Wullner, drawing a
long breath as he uttered the exclamation,
and softly laying down his violin, " I was
mistaken. My dear young lady, allow me
to beg your pardon,. and to thank you."
And he bowed before Patty until his nose
nearly touched his knees.
Mrs. Duff -Scott, who' was a woman of
impulses„ as most nice women are, was
enthusiastic. Not only had she listened to
Patty's performance with all her intelli-
gent ears, but she had at the same time in-
vestigated..and appraised the various details
of her personal appearance, and been par-
ticularly interested in that bit' of lace about
'her neck.
" My ,dear,". she said, putting out • her
hand as the girl -rose from the music -stool,
come here and sit by me and tell me where
you learned to'play like that."
Patty went over to her readily, won by
the kind voice and motherly' gesture. And,
to a very few minutes, Paul had the pleasure
of seeing the great lady sitting on a sofa
with ail three sisters .around her, talking
to them, arid they to her, as if they had
known one another for years. >
Leaving, them thus safe and cared for,
he bade good -night to his hostess, and went
horse to his work, in a -mood of high con-
tentment.
CHAPTEP, XIII.
PATTY IN UNDRESS.
When Paul Brion bade Mrs. Aarons good-
night, he perceived that she was a little
cold to him, and rather w dered at him-
self that he (lid not feel ine e(1 either to
resent or tb grieve over tlia unprecedented .
circumstance. .
•' . ('ib be Continued . . ...
The Barriers. `
The meinbers of the well-known Ranelagh
Harriers' Club of London, Eng., know what
is best when one writes like the following.
Mn. W. Ft Jefferies, member of the Club,
says : ' I find tit. Jacobs Oil the best rem-
edy I have ever used for sprains, stiffness
grid bruises. It quickly removes pains' and
swellings, and if rubbed into the muscles, it
will be found of great benefit to all athletes. •
I may also add that several friends of nine
have found the Oil a cure for- rheumatism
and neuralgia."
Starting Early In Lite.
Judge ; " 1Vhere is J, tinny Tivington ?"
inquired the Sunday sch of teacher, looking
up from the Bible he was reading.
" Ile went out between th'e Gets," re-
plied Sammy Brown.
To form an idea of the experiments that
.ake abroad ill the way of testing new de-
vices in warfare, the „tat ion at Leige, Bel-
itrnt, consumes nearly ;1,000,000 cartridges
and •10 tons of p'crwthr a year in testing .
i rearms. s -
The- zim•-tiumill ' process of preparing
wood to resist, decay i+c 'proving a, grin t sin. -
`(•88. dt hardens the tweed awl makes it
ench more rueful, especially when used for
ail
g
w
r
road tics,