The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-07-11

Is AFRAID oil alafmlnp me- iHHCy VIC V"'o 10
I very bad one"
ais Il Of long standing :" "No. only
few months"
al understand you have no other relative
in tho world but Miss Gay f' F" Not one"
" Suppose the doctors report is unfavor-
able. what will you do 7" AGO back TO the
with aunt"
"And what will you do then ~ " Wait"
As she said this word she cast her eyes
down, and he could see her eyelds were
heavy with tears. How he wished and
prayed she might come TO London when all
was over lie could not bear the notion OF
her going away now. He had made up his
mind that as soon as her aunt died she
should come to London and live with Mrs.
Brooks. ave could take care of the poor
child" he said, in his heart. Aloud he said,
F" Could you not manage to stay in London''
I" All, no. The doctors say London will not
do. We must get away to the sea. Torquay
or Bournemouth, am not sure which,"
"Mrs. Brooks has been given me most
enthusiastic account of your playing. Are
you very fond of musicf ~ Eyes, very.
care for nothing in the world so much"
"And who are your favorite composers ~
" Mendelsshon and Schubert"
"Do Won play much p "Not nearly 80
much as used"
"Why have you given up playing so
much Y'' "Ah," she sighed, and shook her
head, al daresay because am getting old
and lazy"
"May hope You will play little to-
nightY'' 81 will play with great pleasure,
only not too long"
She played for half an hour, and Colthurst
listened enchanted. He knew nothing of
music himself, but he loved 1t dearly. He
had never before heard anything SO weird,
so soft. so tender, so spirituelle. 1T was
like the signing of forlorn winds in mystic
groves lie could not play the simplest air,
but he could interpret the most intricate, or,
at all events, all airs had meanings for him,
right or wrong, he did not pause, he did not
care to inquire.
and said:
"That is enough for tonight, child"
Colthurst rose to 60, and, in taking leave,
said;
"You have given me only an appetite for
your music. May I, Miss Cay" turning ia
the elderly lady, come another night ~
" Certainly. We shall be very glad to see
YOU IL you will not mind our being rude
and turning you ont early. We live 10y
rule, you know, and we must take no liber
ties.''
He went out for stroll round the square
it being then only 10o'clock. As he walked
round and round the square he could think
of nothing but the lovely stranger. Every
movement of hers had been grace, every wore
melody. Light seemed to gather round hel
as she sat. One after the other he recapitu
lated all she had said or done, with the in
tention of finding If anything had been on
of harmony, If there had been any SAVIOR
Il, had HpStc al.
the list, with the reflection, Ono, 1t was a
perfect as the most fastidious could dream Of
all had been interpenetrated with the es
sence of grace and spirituality"
Then, from rehearsing the things which
had taken place, he rehearsed them merel,
for the delight Of keeping her image befor'
his eyes, her voice about his ears.
| Four delicious evenings passed away il
| the same manner, and then came bad news
they were leaving tomorrow for Torquay
| She told him, with smile, the doctors hat
said no time should be lost. They were t
20, and at once, the east wind now blowing
being most injurious. He was great.
grieved they were gting so soon. Whe'
were they likely to be back again in Lon
doni
ave do not know. Wecannot say. Per
haps never"
tYou must not say that. Surely you will
come back again."
"Tlat will depend in great measure no,
we get on at Torquay."
"But you-you will surely come back
see us once again l am sure Mrs. Brook
would do anything she could for you. Sh
is the most kind hearted woman in til
| world.''
| For an instant the habitual faint smile lei
the face of the girl, and her eyes half file
with tears. Her lips trembled, and she said
in low unsteady voice, 90 am sure sll
would be kind to me. Every one is so kin
| to me. am sorry | have to go away.
Z" But you will come back, won't you ~ h
pleaded.
She looked up suddenly, with the bright
est smile he had ever seen OH her face, say
ing, perhaps may. I'll try. Now gooc
bye"
Life went back to its old course at Maj
vile square. Some other tpeople came an
occupied the rooms where she had beer
Day by day Edwin Colthurst watched ii
summer ripen and the green deepen in IL
foliage of the square. Day by day
dreamed of her return, and of delicious evei
ings spent within the charm of her vOic
the magic of her presence. AS he drove
and out of town, he conjured with her imal
filled up with pictures of her. He won
have given anything he possessed to wri
to her, to get single line from her; but a
though the period of their acquaintance ha
been long enough for him to fall in love,
had not been long enough to warrant him
asking to he allowed to write. The spmm
waned and autumn was at hand. still !
word came from the guests of June. III
rich green of the foliage was here and the
touched by the first foreboding finger
decay. Morning found hoar-frost on Il
ground, and evening brought n chilly dey
Old people avoided the inclosure after SUI
down, and the delicate chose the sunny sic
! of the square. The buxom housemaid hi
married the bakers man, and stood no long
at the head OF the area-steps with ar
akimbo. The birds were getting ready +
winter, and saving up their songs to keep u
cold ont.
1t was in the November of last year, VIII,
, the first fine sitting Of snow fell out of u
sullen sky, that letter came to Mrs. Brook
1t had a black border, was not in the sar
handwriting as the former one, and ran
follows:
, "DEAR Mrs. Brooks: As You will gath
, from the edge of this sheet, the worst h
come. | hoped against hope for days al
r months. II is heavy trial, but Gods v
be done. hope to be with you on THU
day next, when ] can tell you all. You
sincerely, HELEN GAY"
"Mrs. Brooks looked at the mOrtua
y card, and put the card and the letter ba
into the black bordered envelope, saying
herself; "They were both Helen's. Pa
: thing, we must DE good 10 her. Pt
thing
When Colthurst came home she told Il
the news. lie read the letter slowly, tn
v said: we must do all We can do for her
> Yes, poor soul"
lie took up the mortuary card, read
!, stared at it, stared at Mrs. Brooks, dropr
y u it, staggered to his feet, and cried "Go
;, God it is the girl who is dead 70
"No. no!'
y "Yes. Aged eighteen. -Tnsley's Ma
' zine.
Ne Wanted Ia be Joseph.
While quiet family We're seated arou