, 1874-01-04
MY NElCHBOR.

ind genius at your right hand and fool at |
your left. Ny left-hand neighbor, in the case l |
%m .ecallins, not fool, but Frenchman |
and my right-wcll, my right-hand neighbor |
WIS something more perplexing, more interest,"
ing than genius. for it was-a woman.
am an engineer By profession, aud had been |
sent to L., to superintend the laying OF new !
line Of rail. It was my fret dinner in Mra. Ap-
thvaite'a clearinghouse, and looked with
strangers curiosity down the long table at the
double row OF faces. one Of which had seen
before tbat day. One seat only, just at my right,
was vacant, but The knife aid fork laid about
the napkin Indicated that its owner Was expect
ed to take possession.
s'Miss Kuosles is late again, to-day" re-
marked 4 young man opposite. "Ihose tire
some little animals keep her out Of ell con-
ecierce."
Nv mental wonder AZ to whether tho lady
could be connected with the menaGerle was IN
swered by Mr.. Deblay. tho Frenchman at my
left.
my faith +" he exclaimed 81 I astonish myself
that lady srch as cettc belle Mademolselie
koailes is not before this restricted to one
scholA1,-lile-long, bien entendu!" he added,
di7e-tiug his soup-Epoon from ats legitimate USE
to kiss it with flourish.
Deblay2 She seems to smile mere on you," said,
with Just percepuole snee-, a man next to tho
first speaker.
'.oh, mon Dicu!" cried Deb1sy. "she smiles,
yes; but smilo IS bright and cold sunshine
and an icobe-g. Ali, it is bad counsel you caake
your friends, n Vobstero!' ....:
"Tuats because he lilies to see 'em in the
same tix as himself, eh Webstor?' sly1y said tie
young man who had spoken about little anl-
mnls."
Tho rcuark evidently contained = neanlng
uuyelcome to Mr. Webster. His black eyebrows
came closer together, and his heavy mustache
caye an impatient jerk, gs be said, hastily,
.1luch obliged I'm sure, Tut I'm not over anx-
icus for smiles from nobody knows who
"Gcrtlsmeu, gentlemen, cali you to oruer,
Eaid stout man farther down, who had pushed
aside his soup-plate. and was busy mixing dish
Of sal1d- s'0i tho dead aad tho absent you
know the old proverb."
Just then the door opened, and q woman en-
tered l own my curiosity was reused bg the
prccediu. conversation, aud followed her with
nv cyos ns she walked nearly tue length OF tho
long table to the vacant seat: but, OWING 10 tue
light, could distinguish hardly anything more
thar, her movements aud the outlines OF nor
figure we're unusually graceful. As she reached
nj side I 1oEe ana drew bacE her char, Tor
which little aticutlon she thankeu nc "ltA tnas
same cold e,nle-as could now porceive--of
which the young French1nan had spoken, anu
h;s s;u,iln seemed to me less fanciful than ut
urst. .....,
It is my Theory that irst-Eate engineer must
have something Of the artist in hln1- Now,
uhv say without unduo vanity, that l WAS
tirs.-rn:e engineer, and / suppose it was this
artistic something which vas 80 strongly I'M
pressed by the sort Of harmony IN the voice, sc5-
tu1e anu whole presence Of the ~omaa beside
me. lily curiosity had changed at once into IL
tcrcst: I cast about i'll nv mud how to mako
her more annro Of my existence than she had as
ret the air Of icing.
..Thcre docs not appear to be any master of
tho ceremonies here" began, so 40 must ~
troduce oursclycs,-slnco We arc to I've neigh
bors Permit to present myself as tfeorgo
Deuyers, an engineer aud very ioucn NJ your
service professionally otherwise ! blum
dared on not very we'll knowing what WAS say
iug for tne had tn. ned her eyes full on n1c, and
they made mo lose my head little. - And
Miss Knowles drawins-teacher," she an
sverad not exactly shortly, bue briefly. D1t
would not take the hint. wanted 10 mako her
look at me- again. took up the glass OF wafer
illus i rather cold element for pledge offer
tDr Miss Knowles" said. '' bat at least It Is q
pure one. suppose we drink to neighooshood
and friendship"
had succeeded. She did look at mo again,
he. eyes resting on my fucc with an lndescrloa-
BILE e1uresslou.
.:You are build man. Dr. Denvers," she ssid
6ialy, "to offer that vledge to an utter stranger.
dcrer. for what you know" ..
t.Oh pray allow 1ne more skill in phyBlogno-
n.y." said ], thinking the while how odily her
words chimel IN with those OF Webster minute
sEo.
You believe in phyziognomv? So do l." she
Raid quickly then, as II repcn:in5 OF even that
slight impulsiveneBs. she resumed IN the Old tone,
'Stall, suppose after all / were to turn out q
desperate ciia1acier-w,llat would you say then9 ?"
II should say, with one Of our New York
Judges that there must have been alternating
cir-unstauces,' replied, laughing.
Size smiled aud leached out her hand to her
glass: "Very we'll, to ueighborhood and friend
ship then, suce you choose to run tho risk
Ihiy little dialogue lad been carried on thus
fur under cover OF . rather noisy discussion op-
positc; but here sonae one spoke to Miss
Knowles, and WAS Obliged to content myself
with observing her. did hot find it a tiresome
occupation. She was q very handsome woman,-
for, though unmarried and evidently young, no
puo would have thought Of calling Miss knowles
girl-and there was much more than beauty
;r her face; there was meaning in every ilne
meaning which suggested that hers Ind been
no ordinary or easy life. But. though , set face.
it was not hard Que, and attracted in spite OF
ITSELF:
.he poreon who had interrupted us, ono OF the
prettiest little schoolgirls l ever saw, leaning
forward from our side Of the table. You
haven't spoken word to me yet. do believe
you've forgotten that we're engaged! ~
*Dy Jove! Miss Knowles is TO be envied!"
TWAS Webster who said this, and tue markcd
WY il which he said it made the speech . rude
Dne. Debay perhaps thought go, for he said
Instantly:
stOb. mon Dieu! yes, Mees Noailes and Mces
Mor1eli are to be env'cd aId blamed ahke' both
the two! It il cruel ot your sex to 1nonopoze
itself against us miserableH, you hear, Made
noieelle Morre:"
If one had fancicd Miss Knowles face hard,
he would have changed Lis n1pd IN watching the
emilio with which gho answered tho laughing
Foupn pirl q emile out OF vhlch the ico had melt