The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-02-24
Mis1eIIanROns Selections.
OUR OPPOSITE NE1GHsoR.

The spring was coming in, when
the house opposite, which had been
vacant all the winter, found tenant.
The house was not exactly opposite,
however, foE it stood in side street.
and fronted, therefore, at right an
giles to my lodging house. But the
Second floor back" which / occu-
pied, overlooked its garden, and that
is the main point in my story. l say
'garden" advisedly; for, unlike most
London houses, the house opposite
had large piece of ground behind
it, part of which was shut off bv a
trellis-work, and was full of flower
beds; and my first knowledge that
the house was occupied, at last, was
the sight ofa young lady, a very Wis
ion of beauty, who appeared one
morning in charming, yet simple,
costume, rake in hand, to attend to
these beds.
had always been passionately
fond of flowers. 1 watched her, ac-
cordingly, with a deep interest, as
day by day, she directed neighbor-
! ing florist where to set out new
plants. Afterward, she herself at
tended to the garden, watering the
flowers night and morning, hoeing
the earth when necessary, and care
fully swapping off the dead wood.
She would have been beautiful in
any dress, but in this pretty garden
costume she looked divine. Grace
full aud tall, womanly in all her move
ments, 1 had never seen her equal.
At the end of week I thought Of
nothing but my opposite neighbor, At
the end of fortnight was hope
lessly in love.
Sometimes, the notes of piano
were heard from within the oppo-
site house; and then, a voice rang
out, SO elastic, so sympathetic, so
thoroughly cultivated, that 1 was
ravished. Now the songs were gay,
now they were sad, but always the
voice was superb, the execution per
feet. Several times an elderly gen
tleman came out into the garden;
her father, no doubt.
l had often passed the house, but
no name was on the door, so / did
not know as yet who my opposite
Ineighbor was. l did not like to
make inquiries. But at last, Mrs.
Day, my landlady, said one day Incl
dentally, that the name of the people
who had taken the opposite house
was Milford, and that the young Ia
dy was the wife of the elderly gen.
tleman.
You could have knocked me down
with feather when / heard this in
telligence. But l rallied after
while, and asked boldly, if Mrs. Day
was certain.
"There is such a disparity In their
ages" said, 'it seems impossible.
She answered very positively, as
landladies do "that she had it from
UD6 USSG dubuOIlGJ.
My dream was broken. Once or
twice afterward, l saw my opposite
neighbor at her gardening, but ]
always left my window when she
came out and in fortnight went to
Scotland, more to cure myself of this
hopeless fancy than because 1 had
anything to do in the north. When
/ came back in autumn, the opposite
house was closed and my most OF
'neighbor gone.
That very afternoon, walking
down Regent street, 1 met my old
college friend. Tom Birdsell.
"Why, bless me-" he said, 1--WE
haven't met for years. I'm just GO
ing to Verrey's to dine. Join me,
and well well talk of old times un-
less you're married and must go
home to dinner. Not married, eh?''
he added gaily. Lucky fellow !!
I'm not exactly married, but I'm en-
gagged, and l want to make the my
liberty. So come along"
We vent accordingly.
"Alice is charming girl, - he said,
getting confidential as the dinner
progressed, "Tm going there this
evening, and, by the way, why won't
you come too, and give me your op-
inion of her? ? Lots of money, l can
tell you. It's rather a romantic
story, my engagement to her, l mean.
Her father was an old friend of my
fathers, just as you and l are, but
they have not met for years. In fact
AIice's papa had lived at Liverpool,
and only came to London last spring
when he hired home for six months
till he could look around, and buy
one for himself The two old fel-
lows ran against each other in the
street, were frightfully glad, insisted
on Alice and l meeting, and finally
planned match between us. Ny
charmer was at first little distant,
but she is coming round now; and
although the wedding day isn't fixed
the marriage IS TO come of, the folks
say, sometime next spring"
'And do you love her Z"
"Oh, enough for all practical pur-
poses. She's ladylike and cultivat-
ed, and pretty, and all that, and has
lots of money. 1t would be a pity
to disappoint the old people, Ell p
"But you haVn't told me her
name"
"Alice Milford. But, bless me
old fellow, what's the matter p
Nothing, only a sudden cramp."
81 forgot to show you her picture"
ne said. "Here it is-a very good
one, too, though I must say it fiat
ters her slightly
knew before l took the photo
graph in my hand that it was my OPP
posite neighbours. And l had
thought her married-oh, how
blind ? l turned aside, as ifto throw
the light directly on the picture; no
one must see me while l looked "
on her. How / had loved her / ney-
or knew till now.
1t was she looking upon me with