The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-08-02
THE NEW SOPRANO.

THE NEW SOPRANO.
TRY that chair by the fire, Steve, and
comfort your soles on the mantel while
unearth pair of slippers for you. I've
small mound OF them in the closet,
built up of the individual gifts of CRATE
full pupils
"A cruel waste! You should be cen.
tipede, Hal, instead of that fOrlOrn biped,
bachelor. BY the way, speaking Of sim
gle-blessedness, how it must harrow you,
my boy, to witness diurnally the bliss of
the bride and bridegroom who sit opposite
you here at table! Favor them with
Lambs Complaint Against Married PEG.
pie, will you? and send me the bill"
Bride. and bridegroom? Well, that Is
rich! Have cigar, deluded youth. while
enlighten you concerning this melliflu-
GUS couple. Did you mark the gentleman
particularly? You can't take him in at a
glance: there's too much of him. Good.
win his name is-Tlmothy Goodwin
"Good Timothy" his friends dub him
and the title applies.
He sat next me at table when first
came to Mrs. Tewksbury's, five years ago,
and from the outset he showed fatherly
interest in mean interest which this
quaking STRIPPING of an organist appre-
ciated, can assure you. Being one of
the pillars of st. Luke's-the church
play at, YOU remember-and an esteemed
musical critic withal, his hearty approval
of me us performer was an immense ad.
vantage to me.
You'd hardly suppose such quiet,
impcrturbable earthling as he looks to be
would rhapsOdiZe over music, would you !
1t was surprise to me to find how Deep
ly it moved him. He soon fell into the
habit of dropping into my room after tea
when he heard me at the piano; and many
time I've caught the great, strong fellow
mOpping his eyes surreptitiously over
affecting passages.
LAS came to know HIM intimately.
and to feel what staunch, tender-h hearted,
domestic sort Of individual he was, / be.
gan to wonder he had never married. One
day asked him in a joking way how u
rich man like himself could reconcile it
with his conscience to remain bachelor
in America, where there was such pre-
ponderance of unmarried ladies to be sup.
ported? He made a wry face, and said
he had assumed the maintenance of two
spinster STEP cousins; wasn't that his part
Or if you think it isn't, Hal, IN tell
you what I'll do he added, laughing.
You marry yourself, and I'll support
your wife. Won't that be fair
"' Hardly fair for the lady, 1 remark.
ed, adding that should pity the luckless
unknown who should thus fail to secure
him as her Benedict.
The idea seemed to amuse him i'm.
mensely.
"' You kindly iEsinuate that it would
be benevOlence in me TO take a wife, ,
said he, with twinkle in his eye. Now,
l protest I'm not cOnceited enough to
think that. On the contrary, if q woman
should consent to give herself to me,
should consider the benevolence entirely
on her side. Can't say I crave such a
charity just at present, though he added
in comic haste, stretching his long arms
as if to waive the bequest. The fact is,
Hal, I've never seen the girl want. Be-
ing hard upon forty, it stands to reason /
never shall see her: l fear she died
young. May I trouble you to play Bee
thoven's Funeral March in respect to her
memOry:'
"And so the subject dropped.
Timothy Was no wOman-hater, you
understand. Indeed, he admired the
whole sex. but in a collective way, as you
might admire the Galaxy without prefer
ring any individual star. Young ladies
were to him nebulous and mysterious
creations, to be reverenced from q dis
lance; he never lavished upon one of
them 1.-THE of the attentions he lavished
upon me. / had terrible headaches in
those days, and shall never forget how
patiently he would sit making passes over
my head till the pain yielded to his touch,
as it was sure to do, sooner or later. He
had more magnetism than any other man
/ knew. Detesting dress.coat and white
kids as he detested the Vaccinations of
the Evil One, he seldom went into society,
but he was always ready for lectures and
concerts, marching off to the hall with me
on his arm as proudly as If had been the
most bewitching damsel. Excepting on
Saturday, when was usually engaged
at the choir rehearsals, we were rarely
separated of an evening.
I'VE had gone on in this David and.
Jonathan style perhaps year, when Mis-
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 to brighten and
glorify tho place like ray from Heaven.
And then her voice! 1t set you thinking
of angels. Moreover, she had the COM
blue eyes and golden hair. For the life Of
me, couldn't help twisting my neck to
look at her. at the Imminent risk of spoil
ing my accompaniment.
That noon, Timothy electrified me by
appearing in the organ.loft while it still
echoed with the benedictiOn, though here.
tOfOre he had invariably waited for me
after service in the vestibule. Ihappened
just then to be congraaulating the new 90.
prano on being in such capital voice thai
morning, and as the tenor stepped acrosa
to shake hands with Timothy, went o.
talking with her till she left. when
turned, the singers were gone, and there
stood my poor David, frcwning at music
rest SO savagely that faneied he must b(
suffering from = bad headache, and ex
pressed my sympathy.
"' Headache! haven't . headache,
he growled, stalking down-stain In ID
vance.
~ thought he needn't have felt 20 a.
ragged II he hadn't, and walked on IN
dumb dignity. Presently he observed
testify that when he honored ma with I
call in my citadel, it might b polite IN
me to introduce him 10 my friends.
said thought he knew the mem.
bers Of the choir-all, q least, but The
soprano.
well, she's somebody, ! suppose
y" beg your pardon, Timoehy,'
cried amazed. It didn't occur to me
you'd care to become acquainted with
her. didn't present you because fan.
cied you'd consider the introduction Z
BORE
You're sure Of thsk Hall he asked,
WIN . sort Of fierce eagerness. You
haven't any personal motive f4r not wish.
ing 70 extend Miss SparrowT circle Of
gentlemen friendsr
{" burst out laughing at the ahsusdiU
OF the idea. 1t was but Q week, remem.
Der. since by own introductaoA 8 IN
young lady. .s,'s.'