Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-01-20
Selett Storp.
MY NEIGIIBOR.

Some wise mani forgot who-has
called boarding house little world.
made up, like the great world, Of odds
sud ends. where yon may find genius
at your right hand and fool at your
lett Nv left hand neighbor, in the case
| am recalling, was not fool, but a
Frenchman; and my right-well, my
right hand nei:hbor was something more
psrplexing more interesting than a
genius, for il was-a woman.
am an engineer by profession. and
had been sent 10 l., TO superintehd
the laying OF new line Of rail. 1t was
nv first dinner in Mrs. APthwaitc's :
boarding house, and looked with a
strangers curiosity down the long table
at the doub row of faces, nc ono OF
which had seen before that day. One
seat only, just at my right, was vacant.
bu, the knife and iork laid about the nap
lin indicated that It's owner was expected
to take possession.
Miss Knowles is late again to-day,
remarked young man opposite. Those
tiresome little animals keep her out OF
all conscience
Nv mental wonder rs 10 whether the
lady could be connected with menagerie
was answered by Nj. DebIay,,he French.
man ~ my left.
NV laith.' he exclaimed, Il aStouish
myself that a lady such as cette belle
Mad,moiselie Noaiiles is uot before this
restricted TO one scholar-lile long, bien
eu,eudu 80 he added, diyer;ing hi, soup
spoon from its legitimate use to Kiss 1t
with = flourish.
why don't YOU try her with the pro
po,a.. DeJlay2 She seems to smile more
on YOU sand with just percepuO!e
sueer. a man mex, to The first speaker.
"Oh. mon Dieu." cried DebIay. "she
smiles yes; bu, smile As bright and
cold A. sunshine on an iceberg. All, it is
bad counsel you make your friends, NJ.
Vcbsterew
That's because he likes 10 see 'em in
The same fix as himself, eh, Webster
slyIy said the young man who had spoken
about little animals"
The remark evidently contained a
meaning unweIcome to Mr.. Webster.
His black eyebrows cams closer together,
and his heavy mus,ache gave sn i'm
patient Jerk, as be said hastily, much
obliged. I'm sure. but I'm not over
anxious for smiles from nobody knows
who"
"Geutlcmen. gentlemen. l call you &c
order" said stout man farther down,
who had pushed aside his soup plate and
was busy mixing dish of salad. "'Ot
the dead and the absent'-you know the
old proverb."
Just then the door opened, and n wo
man entered. own my curiosity wa
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 tc
the light. could distinguish hardly any
thing more than that her movements anc
the outlines Of her figure were unusually
graceful. As she reached my side | rose
and drew back her chair, for which little
attention she thanked me with the same
cold smile-as could now perceive-o
which the young Frenchman had spoken
and his simile seemed TO me one les!
tSnciful than at first.
lis my theory that iirst-rate engineer
must have something of the artist in him
/ Nov | NAV say, without undue vanity
/ that WAS first-rate engineer, and sup
pose il was this artistic something which
was 80 strongly impressed by the sort o
harmony in the voice. gesture aud th'
whole presence OF the woman beside me
My curiosity mad changed at once int(
interest; cast about in my mind how Il
make her more aware of my existenc,
than she had As yet the air OF being.
There does not appear to be an.
master Of the ceremonies here began
$50 we must introduce ourselves, sine
ge are to be neighbors. Permit me t
present myself as George Denyers, al
engineer. and very much at your servic
professionally or otherwise" blundere'
on, not very we'll knowing what | wa
saving. for she had turned her eyes Iul
on ME, and they made me lose my hea'
little. "And you'"