HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1889-9-27, Page 7Sul,. 27, 1.b89..
SIR, TREVOR'S SECRETARY. glenoa
Otober 200
,f
414 IDYLL oe TORONTO,
Arthur Montgomery, having recovered
from an attack of fovor, and being permitted
to sit by the window end indulge in the
luxurryy of a cigarette, wee reflecting ;
"Hero we ere again," be said to himself,
as he blew a fragrant cloud out of the little
back window, and watched it feet away over
houe:tope and chimneys towardtho bitof pink
skyy wbkh ahowod that the sun was setting :
"Here we are again 1 dead broke, and pot
the sign of a cont, nor of any work. I have
sent notes to every city editor in town, and
they all have more than they want now.
I have written to every magazine and story
paper In America, and they can't give me
an opening for three months. In the mean-
time, the problem to bo solved by my rather
worn brain is how the deuce to live on wind
and my own eel/esteem, I don't prooisely
see the answer. Lot X equal the unknown
quantity. That's good algebra, as far as it
goes; but I don't see any more data to work
on. Now, what am I going to do about
it."
And ho blow out another cloud, watching
,ii'intentl-v, as if its gyrations would afford
gOnle elm to the answer of the question
:High was troubling him.
Q.Q,,rctl,ur Montgomory had reached the age
ee:6we:4-ei ,emu'WM ajvuroalintOndlitter
•
atom ase jorco of oircuinstanoea, He had
been boratho son of very wealthy parents.
His mother j ret1 died when he watt only a
child, and, bojag his father's only care, he
had been broiigh{, ep accustomed to every
euxury that monoyegield purchase. Ho had
lboeneducated at WW1 College in Montreal,
jiad taken a fellowship Melia age of twenty,
0nd had gone abroad to study two years at
the Universityof Berlin. $a was a f, rough
musician, playing both the piano aha the
violin; he drew and painted exquisitely;
and he spoke French and German very wAii,
With such accomplishments, according to
the commonly accepted ideas of life be
oughb not to have found it a difficult tang
tg
to get employment. Nevertheless, when he
returned home from Germany, just in time
to witness his fathers's ruin and almost im.
mediate death and to find himself cast out
into the world, penniless, at the age of
twenty-three; ho found it imposaible to get
any employment, save that which he sought
ss a leetresort, namely, reporting for a daily
paper.
For throe years he worked like a dog,
knocking about from one paper to another,
somotimee earning forty dollars a week and
sometimes ten, alwaya living from hand to
to mouth, and alwaya diaaatis4ed with the
world and himself. Occasionally he aroused
enough ambition in his soul to write
o magazine article or a story for some Amer-
ican or English publication, and his work 1
always paid him well. But he was at boat
a lonely and unhappy fellow, his only cam.
fort being his pipe end his 'caries, at which
ke sometimes ground away until they aseum. }
od proportion" that rivaled the works of ;
Smollet and Sterne.
Carelessness and a season of overwork had
broken down hie health, and if it had not
been for the kindness of kis landlady and
the friendship of Ma doctor, a young man,
ho would have been the inmate of a
hospital at the time when this
story opens. As it was, ho found him-
self without a dollar in the world, friendless
and weak. He had sought for work, but
had found none. Still, Arthur Montgomery
was not the man to sit down and weep over
Lia misfortunes. Something of that courage-
ous philosophy which his father had posses-
sed before him enabled him to sit at his
window, smoke a cigarette, and look his
difficultieo in the face. The more he looked
at them, the more ho disliked their appear-
ance. There are times in a man's life when
the obstacles in his way seem to grow larger
as he approaches them. There are times
when it seems as if all the faith in the world
would not enable a man to see the chains
that bind the lions in the path. Arthur had
arrived at one of these periods, and ho was
obliged to confine that the prospect was
anything but encouraging.
He gazed up into the sky and saw a single
star. In spite of his melancholy feelings, a
remembrance stole across his mind that
Iightened his thoughts, He arouse, spread
out his arms, and declaimed in solemn tones
at the star :
" Roll on, thou ball, roll on 1
Through seas of inky air,
Roll on
It's true I've got no ahirte to wear ;
It's true my butcher's bill is due ;
It's true my prospects all look blue ;
But don't let that unsettle you I
Never you mind 1
Roll on 1"
" It rola on I' he continued, laughing :
" Good ; the star don't worry, why the
deuce should I? Something must turn up."
Then, after a moment or .two of silence, ho
mid : -
" No ; that will not dot things don't
turn up. Guess I'll have to go on the
Schiller plan:
' Only courage with thecae puraueth,
When the prize is beckoning o'er the
field ;
Only strength the power of fate subdueth,
While the weakling has to yield,'
That's the proper rocket. hire. Boggs 1 Oh,
Mrs, Boo o 1"
"My gr I" exclaimed theit dl dy,
s exa atmo on s
appearing to antiwar to his call : "you're
fmprovmng -at least, your lunge are."
Indeed Choy are. Have you tbis evon-
ing'e Telegram?"
"Will you get it for me, please 1"
" That I will, hien your heart 1"
The paper being procured, Arthur sat
down to study the caimans of advertise•
month for Hien. At last he found one :
{rVANTYED—A YOvNC MAN TO AOT AS 1'itXVATt
secretary ; Hurst be a good stenographer and
understand French and Gorman. Only a
gentleman need apply. Addroso,J.T., Box,
2,222, Tele ram:Office.
"Exactly the thing I" exclaimed Arthur :
"MW Boggs) Mrs. the landlady called from
"What now 4 y
the floor below.
"Will you lend me a sheet of paper, and
an envelope, and it pen and ilk, and a cont
stamp 1"
"Heaven befriend us i Is there anything
else ?"
't•Not that I can.think of jusb now."
Dear Sir :
Call this evening at my noose, No,— Si,
George Street, ab 7:30 precisely.
Yours, etc.,
Juror '1'itr van.
Arthar Montgomery,
" B • Jove 1" exclaimed Arthur : " that
looka like liminess. Now, what the devil
can 1 wear to impress the old gentleman? I
guesa eel have to wear my dreaa.auit, as T
have nothing else fit to be then.
Accordingly, at precisely Iialf-past seven
Arthur rang the bell of an elogentmanolon,
in fit. Oecrge Street, and was admitted by*
servant in livery, who conducted him to the
library, In that room eat a fine-looking
man of about tfty.five, who turned his head
sharply as Arthur entered.
"Mr. Arthur Montgomery, I auppoao?" ho
said.
" Yes, air ; have I the honor of address-
ing Mr. Trevor ?"
That is my name ; sit down. Why do
you wear a dress -suit when you come to call
upon a gentleman on bueineas ?"
" I have nothing else to wear, sir."
" Humph 1 You are honest."
It ie needless to detail the conversation
between the two mon. Suffice to say that
Arthur wen engaged as private soerotary to
John Trevor, merchant and politician. Tho
term ,of the ougagetncnt were that Arthur
should lite Lt Mr, Trevor's house, at-
tend to all his 'political correspondence, ac-
company him et, 'the warehouse and attend
to his business lettoro and assist him with
what ever work le might have to have to
do in the ovenieg� ehlode, Mr. Trevor said,
would not be meth,
h.
" While I ompjpy .yg t;po r} abeyant, Mr.
Montgomory," said 'ilio dpgroliant: "I do
not wish to place you in the pygition of ono.
Therefore, i give you a room kA my house
and a place ao ai;, tabu. Yen ,will keep
yourself informed on the political p,q,P,- busi-
ness questions of the day, and bo ready theta
ae a sort of ready reference -book to nio,'v
" 1 shall do my beet," replied Arthur,
When can you coma ?"
"TA•morrow, if you wish it, air."
teeef ry well ; come here to -morrow after-
noon at half -pest four, and you cm then be
settled before dinner -tine."
As a natural consequence, the next after-
noon Arthur t ok bis departure from the
house of Mrs. Boggs, with many bleasinge
frau that good-hearted old lady, and many
promises soon to cancel his indebtedness to
her, and betook himself, with his few world-
ly possessions, to the St. George atreot man.
don. A charming little room was shown
him, and he felt quite elated ab his pro.
specie.
"Here is a change, indeed," he said
" blest if'I'm not lucky after all."
Ho had carefully made some inquiries of
the servant who took him to his room, in re.
gard to the customs of the house, andlenrn-
cd that ho was to dine with the family, and
that Mr. Trevor always wore full evening
dress at dinner.
"Mr. Archie, tea only son, air," said the
servant : "is travelin' in Europe, and you'll
be pleasing the old man, If you wear evenin'
dress."
"Thank' you," said Arthur, as he closed
the door.
f Ile then carefully arrayed himself in his
' " purple and fine linen,' and prepared to
I take his first dinner in the Trevor house.
1 In due time, the bell rang, and be descended
the stairs with some trepidation in his heart.
It seemed so long since he had oat down to
a table where refinement existed, that he
was not sure that he remembered how to
comport himself. He had .been knocking
about the world so loosely for the past three
gears; sometimes he had possessed money
enough to dine at the expensive restaurants,
and, with true Bohemian spirit, he never
kept a dollar 'any longer than he could help.
Hence, it was more frogeuntly his lot to dine
on corned -beef and beans; and, to do him
justice, it euited him just as well as the
other. But now he was going to dins in
state;with a genuine city"ewell." Somehow,
as he went done the stairs, the memory of
bygone days stole into his soul, and he felt
that he was in the atmosphere to which he
belonged.
"Yes," he muttered "I feel very much as
I imagine Satan would, if he were taken back
to heaven ; only, like him, I know that I
have been kinked out of the place once, and
am now admitted in o humiliating manner."
He entered the library, where Mr. Trevor
was standing with his back to the fire-
place.
"I was waiting for you, Mr. Montgomery,"
he said, kindly : "you might feel a little
bashful at entering a strange dining -room
alone."
"You are very kind, sir," said Arthur.
"It's only common decency, air," answer.
ad the old gentienian.
He entered the dining room, Arthur fol.
towing. Our young friend was by no meant
a bad -looking fellow, Ile had wavy flaxen
hair, that refused to be anything but dis-
orderly, a peaoh•lilie complexion, a pair of
big dark blue eyes, a very handsome mouth,
and milk -white teeth, over which rested a
silken, blonde mustache. In his evening
dressy lie was decidedly handsome, and he
was perfectly oasl and graceful in all hie
movements. Consequently, Mrs. Trevor and
her deughor, Florence, basting drawn them -
'belves up very stiffly in the expectation of
eing forced to meet an ill -looking and awk-
ward follow, manifestly out of place—a pro -
h
s votive proceeding which had !outraged
Coir feelin d d "til
gat an ma o em gram -
Isle anew at what they called "father's
echentricity" —were somewheb taken
aback when Mr; Trevor introduced this
handsomeiyoung stranger, lookipg so proper
in his evening dress and so thoroughly et
thee, as hie new private secretary.
Arthur ate his dinner in profound silence j
,e no one spa a m, or, t ap-
for k to hi indeed
peered to notice him, save for the occaatonal
quick glance with which Mian Trevor obeorv.
I od hint, he deemed it beet to nay nothing.
He ate a very gooddinner, andmade a very
thorough study of - the two ladies.
Mrs. Trevors was a fine-looking old lady,
with a certain malt In her eyebrows and a
peouliar turn of the corners of her mouth,
which gaveher a ratifier supercilious appear -
(MCC, and whioh made Arthur think that she
I
was the proudest woman he had ever seen.
There was the. same ntnount of ride in the
daughter's
rheightened, if
anything, hr eat bauty.
lIlorce Trovot wan the belle of he tea.
eon. She liad been the belle of the last sea.
' son ; and she hale fair to he the hello of the
1 next, Nothing like ber had been aeon In
I years, That was the unanimous decision of
" I'm glad to hoar It."
Ina few moments Arthur had hie writing-
materials, end sat clown to write a note to
"J. 'Tl"
"1 suppose this 10 pretty late in the day,
and some other fellow will get in aheacl'of
mo ; however, it'e worth a trial,"
And he eakly persuaded the kind old
landlady to go nub and mail the note. The
next afternoon he roenmved the following an.
•
the young masculine leaders of society, sVho
knew het only' to worship her. She was lust
twenty, and was full et the budding beauty
of young womanhood, Her hair wage, deep,
dolt brown, whioh,'mu the sunlight, had a
tiugo of gold in its high lights, while in its
shadows it was almost binok, Her forehead
wag ROW, broad and white as snow, Ier
-
eyes were "deeply, darkly, and wonderful.
ly," brown, rind go ten;ler, so soft, so oxptes-
*eve. thee tee Hien ever failed to admit theft
raw
THE BRUSSELS POST
magnificent beauty, while many remotnnoroa
it to their sorrow, Her now wee small and
straight. Her mouth was perfect, end her
complexion dazzlbog. As she eat at dinner
On the evening of our friend's arrival other
father's house, she was a perfect picture of n
proud, petrkisi: beauty.
"By Jove 1" thought Arthur, as he found
himself unconsciously gazi1 at her, "that's
the most beautiful gu•1 ]S over saw, and
whew I isn't she proud! She looks like Lady
Clare Yore de Vers.
' The daughter of a hundred earls,
You are not one to be desired,'
1 orh pa, though, the pride isn't so thick so
it Tooke, There never was a woman yet who
didn't haves a vulnerable spot, if only a
follow knows how to find it. However, that
in no Wantons of mine in this case."
Dinner being finished, Mr. Trevor request.
ed Arthur to go to the library with him, mei
write one or two letters which must be eenl
by the early mall in the morning.
"Mamma,"said Florence, after they were
gone: "I don't tike the new secretary ; he's
too handsome and too polished ; he doesn't
look like an inferior, and, I am afraid, be
will not know how to act like one, His
manners are rite as refined 00 those of any
man I know.'
"My dear," said her mother: " if he for-
gets the position at any time, he must be re-
tninded of it."
That point being settled, opportunities
were sought for reminding Arthur of his po-
eition. flub they never were found, Ho
Wait quiet and respectful; and, though show-
ing himself to be a perfect gentleman, never
presumed to put himself upon :a fool og of
equality with the members of his employee'.
family. Iu a very few days he became a fee
write with the clorka at Mr. Brator's ware
house. His easy, Bohemian manners, were
charming to them, and the perfect good.na.
tura with which ho agreed to qny of their
little plena about lunch won their hearts.
As for his employer, he was simply delighted
with lila secretary. Ise never told Arthur
so, but he showed it in his treatment of him.
He occasionally took Arthur out to lunch
with hint' at the Toronto club, and oven went
as far, once or twice, as to ask our friend's
midge as to the wording of some of his lot.
tera, Ifo was pleased with the geed wane
of the yeupg men, hie plummet manner, and
his eonefpgt remembrance of the respect due
hia employee,
Ab the T°evor mansion, Arthur a ent all
bis time either in the library With Mr. Tre.
vor or in his own room. He was engaged in
a big undertaking in the literary line. Ar-
thur had long felt that Ile ought to do some-
thing more serious than his magazine work
and his pogo -filling stories; and now, thanks
to the large number of evenings he had to
himself, he was writings Canadian novel.
At the table he maintained the same digni-
fied and respectful attitude towards the wife
and daughter of his employer.
But, although he maintained the same ap-
pearance, he did not preserve the same feel-
ings, Poor fellow I he, too, had yielded to
the inexpressible witchery of Florence
Trevor's eyes. He was deeply, hopelessly,
madly in love with her. He bitterly cursed
bis fate.
"What business," he reflected : "has a
fellow in my position with a heart? What
right have 1 to see the beauty of this woman,
whom I can never hope to address, save in
the words of an inferior, and who doubtless
looks upon me as little better than a
menial?'
So he carefully avoided seeing her any
more than was absolutely necessary. Of
coursehe had to meet her at the table, but
there lie never spoke unless, called upon to
do so. He contented himself with stealing
furtive glances at her, when he thought she
was not looking. One evening elle oaught
him ; their eyea met; eke bluebed ever so
little, and Arthur almost dropped hie fork
upon the floor. The next evening she look-
ed around again, and saw him gazing at her
with his peculiar wistful expression, and it
occurred to her how lonely his life must be.
She pitied hint just a little, proud as she
was, and for a moment that pity shone in
her eyes. And then she smiled, only a
faint little bit of a ensile ; but it set Arthur's
heart bounding so furiously that be could
not write a line that night, and he lay
awake, tossing restlessly in his bed, until a
late hour.
Day by day his love grew ; and day by
day how utterly mad was bis passion. But
he could not master it; it swayed his very
being ; it had its root, in the very founda.
tions of his soul, and could not have
been destroyed without the destruction of
the soul. Once ha thought that he would
give up his position, go back to the drudg-
ery of daily newspaper work, and try
to forget her. But ho was not strong
enough for that; he could only wait there,
and let the light of her eyes burn into his
heart, making scare there that could never
be effaced. Then for the fireb time he bit-
terly railed against fortune, If his father
had lived, or left ham the wealth he once
possessed, he could have pressed his suit
proudly and without fear of scorn. But
now—he wail only Mr. Trevor's private
.e rotary.
"Est eh f deli tuta silentio
Marcos."
Ho quoted those words of Horace's often,
and wondered if his faithful silence would
ever be rewarded. He saw that she often
looked at him with an enquiring expres-
sion in her eyes; but ho thought it wast
because she wondered how he had come to
be under the necosoity ofeaooepting a sub.
ti
His employer daily became more friendly
to hire. The old gentleman not only found
his monetary useful, but companionable.
"Montgomery," he said, one day: "why
don't you come down to the drawing -room
in Elio evening sometimes 1"
"I should not have presumed to do 00
without an invitation, ear- You have been
vary kind to ma, but your wife might
aorvient post on.
"My wife will receive you there, Mont.
gomery ; she has soon that you are a gentle-
man.'
"Thank you, sir. It is long since I was
in a drawing•room.
"Toll mo somebhing of your life, my
boy," the old gentlema s cane, kindly. Some-
tinicshe was very gentle, at othere remark.
ably ggruf.
Olt, there's nothing to tall, air," Arthur
replied, laughingly : ' 1 have seen better
days, but that le the history of many mon."
Mr. Trevor did not press the question;
for, despite Arthur's laughter, he 'raw that
the subject woe painful to hien. But that
evening he sent a servant up to Arthur's
teem to eek him to coma down to the draw-
ing•rooim
Only Mr, and Mee. Trevor were fn the room
When he entered ; Florence was in the ad-
�joining;r000ption=room, entertaining a gentle.
mete Arthur sat down, end was aeon we-
ed in conversation with' his employer,
Mrs. Trevor eat near byrotondin to.
Ivlr , l'
pp gl
Eatable. . Ivlr,Trovorliad,t.
bntln reality s ni g
some remark abed Berlin, and Arthur, to,.
getting his silence in regard to hie past life,
}bad launched pito p dithuseion of German,
' hie end golitmct,
recently Fiorenco and the gentlemen, "No;1'can't any that I do, Why do you
one of lion nurnei•oae eultore, ontared the ask?"
room. "Pep" baa teatime that ho thinks you were
"Mamma," said Florence : " Mr. Law. —that le, that—that—pardon eny bluntness
veno hoe brought me a lot of naw muaio; I —that you have seen hotter days."
AM going to try some of it here. Will mt "Very true, Mies Trevor; but I have
annoy you and papa?" seen vary much worse ones,"
"No, me ohiid."When?"
Mr, Trevor arose and, with a quiet dignity " When I wee doing the dog's work of a
wltiolu showed the esteem in whioh he held reporter on a daily paper. Out at nights,
hie seorotary, Introduced Arthur to Mr. in all aorta of weather, tramping the streets
Lawrence. ' topolice-Mations, when other men were is
The gentleman acknowledged the intra. bed, writing long articles, at a lightning
duction very stinty, and thou, bendiug over gait, in the close, confined atmoapliere of a
the piano, immediately forgot Arthur's city dopartniant•room; all those things were
co, unpleueunt. Then, when I broke down, and
"Oh, papaw 3" exclaimed Florence, after lay sick with a lever, with no friend iu the
a while : "this is too hard ; I can't play it. world, save my landlady and physioman, my
I want to do so, too, for 1 think it is good,. fate was not more enviable. When I reoov-
1 wish l could, play it. Why can't you play, eyed, I had not a dollar in the world; and
Mr, Lawrence 7" it'teemed as if every avenue of employment
"Bon''y, Miss Trevor, I never utudiod was closed to .me. When I found your
music." father's advertisement, and secured my
Arthur saw an opportunity to pay back position hero, I had every reason to think
Mr. Lawrence for hie contemptuous manner, myself very fortimeto."
Bowing very respee..ully to Florence, he "Indeed your life has been a lonely one.
said : What were you before you became a news.
"Miss Trevor, perhaps I ran be of service paper reporter 7"
to you ; will you permie male�' The only son of a kind father. My
"Yee," she replied very coldly, rising mother died so long ago that it sometimes
from the piano: "if you have nothing else to teem" to me as ifs never had a mother. But
do just at this moment. I bog, Mise Trevor, that you will not refer to
Arthur bit his lip, and his hands trembled those days again."
Just a little ; but he sat down to the pinna " I ask your pardon ; it Is very unkind
The music was the Hungarian march from of me to sorifice your feelings to my—my
"la Damnation de Faust." He had not idIe curiosity. But your life is so interest.
touched a piano during the three weeks Ile Ing, flay somocnmg more Mt :c.
had been in the Trevor mansion, but be had j Arthur dashed into one of those brilliant
been in splendid practice before that. Iiawaltzes of Chopin'" which, in spite of their
played the march as it can. bo played only ; I gram and rapidity of movement, always
"y a thoroughly goad pianist, and lie was o °tare something melancholy in them, so like
master of the instrument. When he finish- This own life at the present moment.
ad, he arose from the piano and bowed again "Are you contented here?" she naked,
fRry formally to Miss Trevor. when lie had finished, looking at him with 1
obs was looking at biro with the light of oomp{iassdonate eyes.
genumno pleasure in her eyes. She was pas- 1 " Very much, he said, earnestly ; " too
sionately fond of music. much es."
"Oh, thank you f" she said : "I did not "Teo much l' she said, For eyes dropping
know that you could play like that, Mr. before his moaning glance : " I dont quite
ItIontgomery, That was beautiful. Bub underatnntl."
now I shall ask you to play eonio more." ; "1 am too contented here because I am—
"I am afraid,"said Mr. Trevor, smiling : because my health is good now, and I should
"that you have got iyourself in for plenty of ,be hack at my old bustneso."
work, Montganary. "But why go back to it? You are con -
"It is very pleasant to do such work," 'tented hero; w•hy not stay ?"
he answered ; "and for Miss Trevor," he , " Because I dare not."
ventured to add. 1 Ho would have given hie soul to recall
She immediately became cool again, and .those words; but it was too late, She stood
gave hint a surprised and offended glance. !looking at 'fiat with amazement pain and
Ile regretted his matinees, and reseated ,anger in her eyes. Atl the pride of her
himself at the piano. Then u sudden Instr. ,blood had sprang to life at his words. For
alien cams over him ; ho had olfsnded her .a minute there was silence between them ;
b3' his speech; he would touch het heart and )and then as she saw the sadness in his face,
win her forgiveness by his playing. ,He ber oyes gradually dropped, the anger fading
struck a few chorda softly, choosing that shoat them, and the pink suffusion of a blush
inexpressibly tender and melancholy key— 'tole into her cheeks.
, D flat minor. Then he ran through a few j " Mr. Montgomery," she said, her hands
modulations; and glided into Chopin's beauti- "trembling a little: "I fear I have detained
ful funeral march. As he sat there the you too long. Pray pardon me ; I must bid
memory of the days when he had eat before you adieu—till dinner."
the old familiar instrument in his father' ,,trquer bowed a•r"yh•se a"d lett the room.
house came over him—the days when he ,At, dinner he saw her again, bet : r did not
1
might have met this woman as his equal, ,leek at him. How he repeated his madness I
, and have told her of the love which was She was angry at him ; he could have torn
growing in his heart --and ho played with ills tongue out for offending her. Ho retired
a depth offeeling that astonished even him- to hie room after dinner, and sat down to
self. 'smoke and reflect, In an hour, however, a
When he finished they were all sitting in servant canto and handed hirci a nota from
perfect silence. Even Mr. Lawrence had Mr. Trevor, requesting him to go down into
curious expression of respect mingled with the parlor and play the violin for then.
1 the annoyance in his face, while Mrs. Trevor 1 He took the instrument from its ease,
looked surprised, and Florence had a suapic- :whore it had lain neglected since he entered'
ious moisture in her eyes. the Trevor mansion and descended to the
"You must come down -stairs and play ;parlor.
for us often," she said : "we rarely Bear " Arthur," said Mr. Trevor, es he entered:
such music." ," you have told us that you play the violin ;
"Thank you," he answered, with a sigh: we want to hoar you,"
"I love to play;• the outdo is interwoven "I shall be most happy, sir, if Miss Tee -
with the sweetest memories of my life. But vor will do me the honor to accompany me."
Iprefer my violin; it is capable of more ex- "Certainly she wel," answered Mr. Tre-
pression.' 'vor : "Florrie will do anything to please
"You play the violin?" asked Mr, Trevor. her father."
"Yes, sir." 1 Without a word Florence arose and went
" We should all like to hear you play some to the piano. There had sprung up a strange
night," and unnatural constraint between her and
1 'I shell be happy to do anything to please 'Arthur. Silo opened the music he had
, you, sir." planed upon the music -stand and began to
A little later Arthur wenb,up to his small playe
i room, and sat down to work at his novel. "A little more slowly, if you please," said
"1'1y music reached her heart," he Arbiter.
thought: "at any rate. I have the satisfaa- She merely bowed her head and retarded
tion of knowing that I have touched what the tainpo. Then Arthur began to play.
other men have failed to find. Oh, for the For an amateur lie was a remarkable player.
days of my father's wealth I III could only The selection was te Chopin nocturne, ar-
tell her—if I only dared to show her; but ranged for the violin by Vieuxtemps, and
she will never, never know what a wealth was a bit of music that Arthur loved. On
of love there is for her in my heart. 'that night its Badness stole over his mind
'And the tender grace of a day that is dead like an echo of hie thoughts. He forgot
Can never comp back to mel" whore he was, who were around him • be
He bowed himself to his labor, and wrote playact as his feelings swayed himand his
on into the evening night until hie brain reel- music was filled with the voice of teitra. He
ed, his eyes burned, the lettere danced be- 'did nob remember himself or his surround -
fore his eyes, and his nerveless hand refused Inge until the cessations of the notes of the
to hold the pen: Then he went to his bed; piano awoke him to a knowledge of his sue.
but only to dream of those queenly oyes and roundinge ; then he saw that Florence had
that proud head, crowned with the corona of ;bent her head forward over the keys, and
gold -brown hair. wen shaking with a storm of sobs.
Tinto passed on, and Arthur's novel was ' He made an movement es if to speak to
nearing completion. He had said to himself her, but she arose and left the room.
a hundred times, that when it was finished, 1 " I fear something has annoyed Mise Tre-
he would resign hie position at air. Trevor's, vor," said Arthur.
go back into the busy world and try to arueh " Why, I never sew Florrie behave so
out the passion which had grown to be apart beforef" said Mrs. Trevor : "your ammo
of his life. But the days sped on ; the last hes affected her nervoa:"
page was written; the book Wail put into a And the old lady arose and followed her
publisher' honda; the contract was made daughter. Arthur was silent for a moment
for its publication; and stili Retarded ; for after she had gong. Then he spoke to hie
the chain of roses was stronger than the iron employer,
bolts of resolution. Mr, Trevor," he said : " I want to thank
One evening he returned from bueiaeie you for all your kindness.to me time I have
about half -past four, and Led barely retched been .in your house ; believe me, sir; I feel
his roam, when a servant came and told him it deeply. But I must leave you."
that Meese Trevor wished to see him in the "Leave iho t Nonsense 1 Why, my dear
parlor. Hie heart beat fest as be wont down boy, I'can't do Without you at the ware.
house."
'' 1 am glad I have berm of service to you,
sir ; but I mush go."
" Oh, pshaw 3 why ,ohould you ? Ah, I
see how it is : you have a little pride of,
your own, and you feel your positten hero
pin the house, Well, air, you may give up
your 'ervied',in the house end your roonm;
but you must remain in my employ, anis
continue your work at the warehmroe.
Ssrdously, Montgomory, T need you there."
"'{'ell, sir, let it be so. But 1 most leave
your house,"
"Yon will, of course; do es you pleats;
but you aro welcome to stay here. hiy own
boy is away, and you do much to lighten
our °vanillas. I thought, too, that we hall
made tltin¢s comfortable for you here ; but
no matter: '
Arthar started forward as if to speak, and
tell the kindly old gentlemen that he hard
mistaken the reason of his desire to depart ;
bat, en emend thmights, he decided to al-
low the false impression to roman. It would
save the necessity of explanation whioh he
could mit snake.
Arthur Went Clown to breakfast early to
next morning, mid without again seeing
Florence et her mother, took his dopertttee
from the house, 011(1 watt hack to his old
roam fie Mrs. hoggs'a. Ido wont to the I
wereltouse every tiny and attended to lila'
usual duties biota, lint his nights wore
lonely, Two or thte•o tunes he went to the
In saw Florence there,
n chic u t e
tl tins a e
fel (1
0
She chid not goo hire, but he gazed at her the 1
the, evening. taut ea e• very little of the
ho ataire. She was eittm of til
t
when he entered the parlor.
You Neighed to see ine, Mies Trevor?" bo
asked.,
"I hope I have not taken you away from
anything, Mr. 1liontgomery7"
No, I was not busy."
"Then will yon kindly amain me with
g e piano
these passages in the ' Sentitamide over.
turer'
"I am only too happy to have an opportu-
nity of serving you,
"Thank you, she said, a little coldly. It
annoyed her that this man could not speak
like a servant; that, with all his respectful-
nese of manner, his words were snob as mighe
have bean used by any of the "society" men
who vismted hon Then she thought how
foolish and ungenerous alto was to be annoy.
ed at a man who never forgot his position.
"I wish,"she mid, more pleasantly: "that
you would show me how to finger thoea pas-
sages; I am afraid they aro too hard for aro."
`I think not," lie answered: "they are
simpler than they look."
Re bent over her and illustrated the finger-
ing, and then watched, in route admiration,
her ling, fair fingers, es they glided over the
keys. In a very fete momenta, interested in
the music, they woo chatting as pleasantly
wsa couple of old frmende; and Florence mold
not molls 000nfeasing to herself that this man
wag far more etitortainitig, clover end iiihel-
ldgent than arty of the mon elle know. His
matinees, too wore eo eolished and elo ant
thea who meld nut, if r life depended on it
,
treat hint as an inferior,
Ii'tlont emervfifin" sheeiasieodrather lnuely,
it
(To ni; rr0rtxt•t:o.)
coTt
4it
cs)