The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-08-21
A Florence Chimney.
LIT SMOKES,

LIT SMOkhb.
Mr.. Paul Chambers yawned slightly,
glanced at his watch, and sailed forth
from his hotel with his usual aspect of
listless indifference.
The city was Florence, the month
March, blusterous and stormy, and the
hotel one Of those dingy edihces in mar
row street of the commercial order to be
found in all towns, and chiefly frequent
cd by travellers with light purse. The
purse of Mr.. Paul Chambers was an
exceedingly light one, despite the gen.
tility of his appearance, while that list
less bearing, heightened by the melan-
choly of his large dark eyes, invariably
inspired interest. Women glanced PEN
sively at his head covering in search OF
the weed which" should designate his
being q widower, and we're possibly dis
appointed not to discover that mourning
badge on his hat. MIR. Chambers was
not a widower. He wore the garb of
poverty easily, and yet was bitterly
disappointed man of the type that, hav-
ing lost the one prize coveted in this
world, suffers all others to escape his
grasp.
His watch indicated the hour Of two
as he emerged from the hotel.
"What is the use of making calls 2"
he so6loquized, discontentedly, and
balanced a card between his fingers.
He had been in Florence q fortnight,
sufficiently a student by nature to enjoy
the soJourn, rambling about church
and gallery at his own pleasure, and the
card had rested in his pocket book un-
disturbed. Now it troubled his con-
science to the extent of occasioning a
doubt as to whether he should present
it at all. An old lady at Palermo had
insisted on bestowing the card upon him
-one of the throng of motherly creatures
he was won't to meet in travel-with the
Injunction: "When you reach Florence,
do not fail to call, and will write about
you. The young ladies are charming
girls" He had weakly assented and de-
parted. What did he care about charm
ing girls9 He was not society man
detested balls and parties. Perhaps
this family would bore him with an in
vitation to dinner.
"Mrs. Henderson Tompkins, he read
on the card.
Should he seek the address indicated,
after all? How could he ever look the
good old lady in the face again if he did
not1 A gust of wind swept around the
corner, bringing n cloud of dust in his
eyes-one of those treacherous gusts
which lurk on the Arno, often beneath
the bluest of skiGs-and away sailed Mr..
Chambers's hat. The hat was whirled
against the door of an expectant cab
drawn up in the square. The owner re-
covered it, entered the vehicle, and gave
the address of Mrs. Tompkins without
further procrastination.
Arrived at his destination, Mr.. Cham
bers dismissed the cab, and surveyed
the house he was about to enter with a
faint sense of curiosity. The house was
handsome and spacious; tie vestibule
was adorned with statues, and permitted
a glimpse of garden behind through
stained glass windows; opposite were
squares and a new boulevard. The por-
ter in livery popped out of a dark nook,
received the card, read it, somewhat
vaguely, upside down, all foreign names
being alike to him, and delivered several
sentences of voluble italian, from which
the visitor extracted "second piano,
and began to climb the stairs. The
second story proved to be untenanted
silent, and closed. Clearly he had mis-.
taken the porter's directions as to the
apartment occupied by the Tompkini
family. He retraced his steps to the
first floor. There was no name on this
door, but it stood open.
The tap of hammers and grating Oi
saws were to be heard on the right, anC
added to the general uproar was the
tumultuous tone of piano, touched b!
a firm hand.
"The musical Miss Tompkins, found
ed on the Stuttgart method, ;" shudder
ed Paul Chambers. 81 know that sh
practices six hours a day, thereby driv
ing her afflicted family mad"
The piano ceased abruptly. The voic
reached Mr.. Chambers unwilling ear
and held him spellbound. 1t was clea
vibrating, not to say piercing, in quality
and spoke the English language.
The VOICE. 81 hope you will &c
enough in living in apartments abroad
my dear, without a refrigerator or s
Innhh as q oas.hXtnra 10 YOur name. an