The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-08-02
"Timothy drew . long breath, and
stratghtway spent 1t in questions concern


"Timothy drew . long breath, and
stratghtway spent 1t in questions concern
who was her fathsef
Who was her motheri
Had she eisteei
| Had che brotheri
~ told him all knew. Her father
lived ON State street; her mother lived In
Heaven; sisters she had none; but of lit
tie brothers something less than score,
who logged her steps as persistenly as the
bass follows the air. To escort her home
from rehearsal was to lead the van of an
infant squadron, q running acc0mpani.
ment which the night before had disturbed
my mental harmony.
| For, though l did not feel it neces-
sary to enlarge on this point to Timothy,
had conceived a prodigious fancy my
self for the sweet little soprano, and
should have been glad to learn more
of her and less of her fraternal blessings.
afterward discovered why she surround.
ed herself with these as with garment.
1t was from pure compassion for her ia
Their. 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. It
distracted me, too. Don't smile, my dear
fellow. The prancing young ubiquities
were well enough in their way, Ill ad.
init; l only objected to having them in
mine.
"All that week my beloved Timothy
seemed strangely pre0ccupied and cratic,
Gaping the climax Saturday evening by
fidgeting into my room in his next DAVIS
clothes to announce in q shamefaced fash.
ion tilat, by the way, he believed he'd
look in with me that night at rehearsal ii
agreeable.
ut was not agreeable; it was decided.
ly otherwise, for 1t upset q deep-laid
scheme of mine. As Fate would have it,
BY means of sundry extra rehearsals for
Easter had made great progress in NV
acquaintance with Miss Sparrow during
the last few days, and but for Timothy I
should have called upon her that evening
with the gift Of new ballad, and so, may
be, have had the pleasure of escorting her
to st. Luke's, to the routing of the broth
erkins.
"Well, I could only toss the roll of
music under the sofa as gently as mascu-
line depravity would permit, and conduct
my music-greedy friend to the choir
meeting. ostensibly to listen to the chants,
though l knew, and he knew, that he had
always heretofore objected to hearing
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 contralto
sat down with an exalted expression upon
his hat. to the audible Amusement of the
youthful Sparrows perched ON the gallery
steps. l 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
ner to proffer his escort. verify believe
she was too startled to decline it. She &C.
cepted his arm with q look of blank
amazement, and the two set off to.
gether through the April slosh, fol-
lowed by the inevitable juvenile
guard. Judging from the despatched
condition of Timothy's overcoat that
night, the younglings danced aoout 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 Ut the clothes brush; still, though l
afterward saw him spread his Sunday
beans with mustard and his Monday ba.
con with oil, it was not till late on the
latter evening that l came to a just appre-
citation of his abnormal state. Without
knocking he bolted into my room in great
agitation.
"'For the love of mercy, Hal. tell me
what 20 DO! he cried, upsetting the piano.
stool witt perceiving it. You're young
er than !, and understand the nature of
women better
II did, did II Well, I agreed with
him :. q, On t hearing Ing: his story.
him to call; she didn't receive calls now.
in fact, on account of her fathers rapid.
ly increasing illness, though Timothy
was not aware of this. / dare saw she
thought he had come at my request with
the new anthem I had promised to send,
and she ran down to the parlor at once,
not even stopping to put down the vial of
medicine she happened to have in her
hand.
" Good-evening, Mr.. Goodwin said
she--nothing more nor less; and then she
stood quietly awaiting his message, very
pale and interesting, I've no doubt, from
grief and watching.
" | know Timothy's great warm heart
swelled with compassion for the afflicted
young thing, but even to express his SYM
patty he would not touch SO much as the
hem of her garment till she gave him
the right, much less would he take her
hand.
I'm afraid you're hardly prepared
for what I'm about to say, Miss Spar
row. he began, pacing the room, and
probably hurting the words at her like
pebbles from sling. I'm aware it isn't
customary for q man to declare himself
on SO short an acquaintance, but I'm q
plain, straightforward fellow, desperately
in earnest
Fancy the little sopranos wonder
ment! seem now to see her baby blue
eyes opening each moment wider and
wider.
"'Till now I have never met any WON.
an whom 1 wished to marry Timothy
went on, and l am forty years old. When
at middle age love comes for the first time
to man of my temperament, il is no
milK.and-water sentiment, Miss Sparrow.
l feel that I could give my life to make
you happy. Will you be my wife!'
- You don't mean to say you charged
upon the poor girl in that merciless way?
l broke in. cutting short his narrative.
AO WOACu 0SkTACvCO 0uU OOICly
puzzled. What had he done amiss
Hadn't he acted the part of . gentleman
in av0wing his feelings? Wasn't it more
honorable 70 tell her his intentions frankly
than 1t would have been to try to steal her
affections unswares?
go But how did Miss Sparrow take it?''
"''rhat's what troubles me- said my
wretched friend. She didn't take It
kindly: she seemed offended, and would
have run away If had not put my hand
on the door-knob and begged her to hear
me through. assured her would mot
press her for an immediate answer, but
she only burst out crying. declaring l mad
no right n say such things to her: she
would tell her father. A. II I should OBJ
Jet to his being toldl Indeed, l should
have spoken to him myself on the subject
this morning had mot DR.. Pillsbury said
he was TOO iii to see strangers. tried to
make this plain to Miss Sparrow. I i'm
plored her 10 tell mo how had vexed
her. but she broke away from mo and