Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-10-09
The idea seemed to amuse him i'm

a benevolence in me to take wife, sait
he with twinkle in his eye. Now,
protest I'm not conceited enough to thinl
that. On the contrary, ii woman
should consent to give herself to me,
should consider the benevolenoe entirely
on her side. Can't say crave such 9
charity just al present, though he added
in comic haste, stretching his long arm:
as if to waive the bequest. The fact Is,
Hal. I've never seen the girl / want
Being hard upon forty, it stands to
reason | never shall see her: fear she
died young. May l trouble you to play
Beethovenis Funeral March in respect to
her memory
Aud SO the subject dropped.
Timothy was no womsn-hator, you un-
derstand. Indeed, he admired the whole
sex, but in a collective way, as you might
admire the Galaxy without preierring
any individual star Young ladies were
to him pebulous and mysterious creations,
| to be reverenced from distance; he
never lsyished upon one OF them 1.-THE
OF the attentions ho lavished upon me.
had terrible headaches in those DAYS, and
shall hner forget how patiently he
would sit making passes over my head
ill the pain Yielded to his touch, rs ii
was sure TO DO sooner or later. He had
more magnetism than any other man
knew. Detesting,a dress-co2t and white
kids as he detested the Vaccinations OF
the Evil Oue, he seldom went into Sc
ciety, but he was all ready for lectures
aud concerts, marching off to the hall
with me on his arm es proudly as If had
been the most bewitching damsel. EJ-
cepting on Saturday, when was usually
engaged at the choir rehesrsal, we were
rarely separated of an evening.
We had gone on in this David-and-
Jonathan style perhaps year, when Miss
Sparrow came to St. Luke's as soprano
singer. remember her first appearance
in our dim old gallery that last Sunday
in Lent-how she seemed 10 brighten and
glorify the place like a ray from heaven.
And then her voice 1t set you thinking
of angels. Moreover, she had the CON-
plexion peculiar to that family, and the
blue eyes and golden hair. For the life
of me, couldn't help twisting my neck
10 look at her, at the imminent risk of
spelling my accompaniment.
Tha, noon Timothy electrified me by
appearing in the organ-loit while it still
echoed with the benediction. though
heretofore be had invariably waited for
me after service in the vestibule. l hap
pened just then TO be congrstulsting the
new soprano on being il such capital
voice that morning. and as the tenor
stepped across 10 shake hands with Tim
othy, went on talking with her ill she
left. When | turned the singers were
gone, and there stood my poor David,
frowning at a music-rest so savagely that
fancied he must be suffering from q
bad headache, and expressed my SYM
p thy.
'Headache2 haven't headache, he
growled, stalking down stairs in advance.
thought he needn't have felt so en-
ragged if he hadn't, aud walked on in
dumb dignity. Presently he observed
testify that when he honored me with u
call in my citadel, it might be polite in
me to intro luce him TO my friends.
said thought no knew the members
of the choir-all, at least, but the new
soprano.
We'll, sh s somebody, suppose
i beg your pardon. Timothy l cried
amszed. 1t didn't occur 10 me you'd
care TO become acquainted with her. |
didn't present you because tanced you'd
consider the Introduction bore
You're sure of that, Hap be asked
with sort of fierce eagerness. You
haven't any personal motive Tor not wish
ing to extend Miss Sparrow's circle Of
gentlemen friend, p
l burst out laughing al the absurdity
of the idea. II was but week. remem-
Der, since my introduction to the young
ladY.
Timothy drew long breath, and
straightwaY spent it in questions con
cerniDg her:
Who was her Father,
Who was. her mother:
Had she sister;
Had she brother?
| told him all | knew. Her father
lived on State street; her mother lived
in heaven; sisters she had none. but OF
little brothers something less than q
score, who .dogged her steps as per
sistently as the bass follows the air. To
escort her home from rehea sal was to
lead the van of an infant squadron, a
running accompaniment which the night
before had disturbed my mental harmony.
For, though l did not feel it necessary
to enlarge on this point TO Timothy, /
had conceived prodigious fancy myself
for the sweet little soprano. and should
have been glad to learn more of her, and
less OF her lraternal blessings. | alter
ward discovered why she surrounded her.
salf with these as with q parmant IL