The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-08-11

Well, she's somebody, | suppose"
81 beg your pardon, Timothy" cried
amazed. at didn't occur to me you'd
care to become acquainted with her. 1
didn't present you because | fancied
you'd consider the introduction bore"
You're sure of that, Hail." he asked
with sort of fierce eagerness. You
haven't any personal motive for not wish
ing to extend Miss Sparrow's circle of
gentlemen friends?"
| burst out laughing at the absurdity
of the idea. 1t was but week, remem-
Der, since my own introduction to the
young lady.
Timothy drew long breath, and
straightway spent it in questions con-
corning 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 score, who
logged her steps as persistently as the
bass follows the air. To escort her home
from rehearsal was to lend the van of an
infant squadron, running accompani.
ment which the night before had dis
turbed my mental harmony.
For, though | 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 fraternal blessings. | after
ward discovered why she surrounded
herself with these as with a garment 1t
was from pure compassion for her father,
He was nervous invalid, and the
proximity of those boys distracted him.
OF course it did; | could enter into the
old gentleman's feelings perfectly. 1t
distracted me too. Don't smile, my dear
fellow. The prancing young ubiquities
were well enough in their way, I'll
admit. | only objected to having them
in mine.
All that week my beloved Timothy
seemed strangely pre-occupied and
cratic, Gaping the climax Saturday
evening by fidgeting into my room in his
next days clothes to announce in a
shamefaced fashion that, by the way, he
believed he'd look in with me that night
at rehearsal if agreeable.
It was not agreeable; it was decidedly
otherwise, for it upset deep-laid scheme
of mine. As Fate would have it, by
means of sundry extra rehearsals for
Easter, | had made great progress in my
acquaintance with Miss Sparrow during
the last few days, and but for Timothy /
should have called upon her that even
ing with a gift of a new ballad: and so,
maybe, have had the pleasure of escort
ing her to St. Luke's, to the routing of
the brotherkins.
Well, / could only toss the roll OF
music under the sofa as gently as mascu-
line depravity would permit, and con-
duct my music-greedy friend to the choir
meeting, ostensibly to listen to the chants,
though | knew, and he knew, that be
had always heretofore objected to hear
ing them practiced.
Of course presented him in due form
to Miss Sparrow when she arrived. He
bowed like worshipping devotee, and
as she moved to her place by the con
tralto sat down with an exalted express
sion upon his hat, to the audible amuse.
ment of the youthful Sparrows perched
on the gallery steps. | glanced at him
again during the first soprano solo, and
saw him in the same position, his eyes
fixed on the singer. Rehearsal over, he
coolly walked up to her to proffer his
escort. / verify believe she was toe
startled to decline it. She accepted his
arm with a look of blank amazement
and the two set off together through the
April slosh, followed by the inevitable
juvenile guard. Judging from the be-
spattered condition of Timothy's over.
coat that night, the younglings danced
about him like frisky satyrs all the way
but he wore the face of one who has
walked with angels far above this mud
ball.
This indifference to his broadcloth
struck me at the time as peculiar, for he
has such constitutional horror of dirt
that he really keeps up his muscle by the
use of the clothes-brush; still, though /
| afterward saw him spread his Sunday
beans with mustard, and his Monday
bacon with oil, it was not till late on the
latter evening that | came to a Just ap-
| probation of his abnormal state. With
out rapping he bol,ed into my room in
great agitation.
For the love of mercy, Hal, tell me
what to do" he cried, upsetting the
piano stool without perceiving it.
You're younger than I, and understand
the nature of women better"
81 did, did /? Well, | agreed with
him on hearing his story
He had just returned from Miss Spar
rows. The young lady hadn't invited
him to call; she didn't receive calls now,