The Republican journal., 1873-11-13
My Neighbor.

Your right hand and 4 fool nj YOUR left
My left hand ncighbor, in the ease am
recalling. WAS moi a fool. but 4 French
man; and my ri@ht-wcll, my right hand
neighbor was something moro perplcXin@,
more interesting than y genius for il was
a woman.
am an engineer by profession and had
been sent to l.. TO siperintcnd the LAYING
OF new line of rail Ii was my first din
ncr in Mrs Apthwaite's boardmg-house,
and ! looked with Il strangers curiosity
down the long table at the double row OF
faces, no ono Of which | had seen before
that day One seat only. Just at my right
was vacant. but the knife and fork laid
about the napkin indicated that its owner
was expected to take possession.
Miss Knowles is late again to-day" re-
marked a young man opposite. Those
| tircsomc little animals keep he' ont of MI
| conscience.
My mental wonder as to whether the
| lady could be connected with Il menaoerie
was answered by Mr.. Debay, the French
man at my left.
My faith = he exclaimed. Il astonish
myself that a lady such as cctte belle
Mademoisellc Nosiles is not before this
restricted to one scholar-life long, bien
entendu,n he added, diyerting his soup
spoon from IFS legitimate nse to kiss il
With flourish.
why don't YOU Try her with the pro
posal, Dcblay2 She seems to smile more
on YOU, said, with just pcrceptible
sncer, a man next to the first speaker
"Oh, mon Dieu.' cried Deblay, "Shc
smiles, yes; but a smile as bright and
cold as sunshine OH an iceberg. All it is
4 bad counsel You make vour friends NJ
Ncb~terc -
That's because he likes 10 see 'em in
the same fix As himself, eh, Webster ?"
slyly said the young man who had spoken
about ''little animals
The remark evidently contained Il mean
ING mwelcome to Mr. Webster His black
eyebrows came closer together, and his
heavy mustache gave an impatient Jerk
rs he said. hastily. Much obliged, I'm
sure. but I'm not over anxious for the
smiles from nobody knows Who
''Gentemcn, gentlemen, | call you to
order" said q stout man further down,
who had pushed aside his soup-plate
and was busy mixing Il dish of salad
= OF the dead and the absent YOU know
the old provcrb.
Just then the door opened. and n
NPllittll tllltltt l tlN II my tuilOSlA WIS
reused by the preceding conversation. and
| followed her with my eyes As she walked
nearly the length of the long table to the
vacant seat; but owing TO the light |
could rot distinguish hardly anything
more than that her movements and the
outlines of her figure were unusually
graceful As She reached my side | rose
and drew back her chair ion which attcn-
4 ia, l,o+ II
smile-as ! could now pcrccye-of which
the Young Frenchman had spoken and
his similc seemed to me no less tanciiul
than at first,
Ii is my theory that q first rate engineer
must have something of the artist in him.
Now. | may say, without undue vanity,
that | was Il lrst-rate engineer, and sup
pose ii was this artistic something which
was so strongly impressed by the sort of
harmony in the voice, gesture and the
whole presence of the woman beside me.
My curiosity had changed at once to in
terest; cast about in my mind how to
make her more aware Of my existence
than she had as yet the air Of being.
There does not appear to be any mas
ter Of ceremonies here" | began, $50 we
must introduce ourselyes,-sincew we are
nei@hbors. Permit me to present myselfas
George Danvcrs. an engineer, and very
much at your service professionally or
otherwise. | blundered on, not very well
knowing what | was saying, for she had
turned her eyes full on me. and they made
me lose my head little And YOU
Miss Knowles, a drawing
She answered, not exactly shortly, but
briefly. But ! would not take the hint !
took up the glass Of water before me.
This is rather cold element for
e-otl'ering, Miss Knowles" | said.
''but at least it is Il pure one Suppose
we drink to neighborhood and friendship
| had succeeded She did look at me
again, her eyes resting on my face with
an indescribable expression.
you are bold man, Mr. Danvcr5,
she said finally, Ito offer that pledge to
an utter stranger Why. | might be
anything a thief, OF u murderer for what
you know =
80, pray allow me more skill IN physi-
ognomy, said !, thinking the while how
oddly her words chimcd in with those of
Webster a minute ago.
You believe in physiognomy? SO do
L. She said quickly; then, as if repentng
OF even that slight impulsiyeness, she re-
sumcd in the old tone, 'Still, suppose
after all | We're TO turn out 4 desperate
charactcr-what would you say then -
II should say. with one Of our New
York Judges, that there must have been
.attenuatin@ circumstances. | replied
laughing.
She smiled, and reached out her hand
to her glass: Very well, 10 neghbor
hood and friendship then, since YOU choose
to run the risk =
This little dialogue had been carried on
under cover Of rather 4 noisy discussion
opposite, but here some one spoke to Miss
Knowles, and | was obliged to content
myself with observing her. | did not find
it a tiresome occupation. She was q very
handsome woman-for, though unmarried
and evidently young, no one would have
thought of calling Miss Knowles a girl
and there was much more than beauty in
her face, there was Il meaning in every
line, ameaning which suggested that hers
had been no ordinary OF easy life. But
though set face, it was not a hard one,
and attracted in spite of ITSELF
"AIiss Knowles, think it is too unkind! !"
said the person who had interrupted us,
one Of the prettiest little school girls |
ever saw, leaning forward from our side
of the table. You haven't spoken word
to me vet. | do believe you've forgotten
that we're engagedn'
by Jove! Miss Knowles is to be en-
vied!' 1t was Webster who said this, and
the marked way in which he said it made
the speech rude one. Deblay perhaps
though SO, for he said instantly.
"Oh, mon Dieu! yes. Mees Noailles
and Mees Morrell are to be envied and
blamed alike, both the two! 1t is cruel
of your sex to monopolize itself against us
miserables, you hear, Mademoiselle Nor
rell pT
If one had fancied Miss Knowles face
hard. he would have changed his mind in