Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-09-15
aunt, than to cons and i've with vs.


aunt, than to come and i've with yoI
lere. 1s%< - elt'.4'TG1Tg ,,..i 81 THpE*
81 should like that VIZ, could tax.
care Of her here, Mr.. Colthurst. Hay.
you heard her play p Queer, out Of til.
way, dreamy; things that make you fee
at first as if you wanted to 20 to slee1
and then as if you wouldn't close you
eyes on any account -, ~..
II should like above all things te hea1
"I'n ask if L may bring you up to
morrow evening. The aunt is nice
sensible lady, and isn't bit too hard OF
the child. F."
AL that night one phrase of Mrs
Brooks haunted him 1--WE could take
care of her." We--we-we? Take care
of her? Take care of that sweet young
girl? Ay, though all the world sought
to do her harm it should not succeed
while he could raise an arm to strike 6
blow for her.
Tomorrow evening he might meet her
He might hear her voice coming to him
He might watch her as she sat and
talked. Her hand might touch his,
Her dress might brush against him. He
might sit and listen to her playing in the
twilight. He might pick up q flower, OF
ribbon, CT a love she had worn:
Il, when her aunt died, she only came
! to that house, what care they would take
| Of this gentle-faced girl! She would be
| like Mrs. Brooks daughter with
her, dine and sup at the same table, and
| sit with Mrs. Brooks in the afternoons
and evenings. That would be delightful.
When he got back to Manville square
! next evening he did not linger out of
doors, but walked with quick step up
to the house, and went in. It was close
to eight o'clock when he met Mrs.
Brooks. She had good news for him.
He was to 60 up that evening and be in
troduced; but Miss Gay had said he must
remember they were in the doctors
hands, and he must not take it i'll if they
retired early.
Mrs. Brooks devoted herself alto
gether to the aunt, and the young people
were left almost altogether to them
selves: They talked of great number
of things. He found her intelligent:
shy, candid and anxious to surprise.
"You have never been in London be-
fore o. he asked.
"No, never. I am greatly delighted
with it,
'Would you like to live here always 2"
81 should like it very much. But
aunt could not manage to live here. In
fact, we are going back very soon."
"How soon %
Gin few days. I do not know how
many: When we are done with the doc
tors.'
II am very sorry for the cause of your
visit to London. I wish it had nothing
to do with doctors"
She smiled and said gently, "Ah, so
do l."
"What do they say?"
"Aunt does not tell me all. She is
afraid of alarming me. I fancy this case
is very bad one.
els it Of long standing?''
Ono; only few months"
II understand you have no other rela-
tive IN the world but Miss Gay?"
"Not one."
"suppose the doctors report is I'M
favorable, what will you do %
$50 back to the country with aunt"
"And what will you do then?''
"Wait."
AS she said this word she cast her eyes
down, and he could see her eyelids were
heavy with tears. How he wished and
prayed she might come to London when
all was over. He could not bear the no.
ton OF her going away now. He made
up his mind that as soon as her aunt
died she should come to London and live
with Mrs. Brooks. ".We could take care
of the poor child,'' he said in his heart.
Aloud he said, "Could you not manage
to stay in London?''
'Ah, no. The doctors say London
will not do. We must get away to the
sea. Torquay or Bournemouth, I an
not sure which,
"Mrs. Brooks has been giving me
most enthusiastic account of your play
ing. Are you very fond of music?"
eyes, very: I care for nothing in the
world so much"
"And who are your favorite compos-
ers?"
"Mendelssohn and Schubert"
"Do you play much ?"
"Not nearly so much as I used" -,
"Why have you given up playing so
much ?"
"Ah," she sighed and shook her head,
II dare say because am getting old and
lazy" ~
"May I hope you will play little to-
night?"
II will play with great pleasure, only
not too long"
She played for half an hour, and Colt
hurst listened enchanted. He knew
nothing of music himself, but he loved
it dearly. He had never before heard
anything so weird, so soft, so tender, so
spirituelle. It was like the signing of
forlorn winds in mystic groves. He
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. 80 :. - -.
At the end of half an hour the aunt
came and said: "That is enough Tor to-
night, child" E% 4
Colthurst rose to go, and in taking
leave, said: "You have given me only
an sappetite for your music MayI Miss:
Gay. turning 10 Stne el11eT laQyis come
another night ?''&ss 3 s ~ az s 's'Fa ,
"Certainly. Weshall be very glad to
see you if you will not mind: our being
rude, and turning you out early.s We
live by rule, you know, and We must take
no iberties.''
He went out for q stroll round the
square, it being then only 10 O'Clock:
AS he walked round and round the square
he9could think of nothing but the lovely
stranger. Every movement others had
been grace, every word melody. Light
seemed to esther round her as she. sat.
One after the other he recapitulated all
she had said or done, with the intention
of finding if anything had been~out of
harmony, if there had been any SAVIOR Of
bad taste. Time after time he had fin
ished the list With the reflection, e. No,
it Was is perfect az the most fastidious
could dream of-all had been mterpene-
trated with the essence of grace and
spirituality. :5;yz yS.,i5.E* .~.,as
Then, after rehearsing the things
which had taken place, he rehearsed them