The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-11-12
A HAPPY ACCIDENT.

large and brilliant audience" They were purely
classical concerts, aud those who had higher goals 10
seek than fashion mere recreation went Ia listen 10
the divine strains OF tho orchestra night after night,
not always In gorgeous attire Int with Intense salts
faction N their faces. You will seldom find In any
audience many intellectual countcnances as were To
he seen here Oh these happy occasions.
Miss Amy Everett who had lust returned from
Europe attended the concerts regularly with hernapa
somewhat dtuwsy, elderly gentleman. with u severe
profile hut generally mild expression VI councnancc.
Miss Amy was pure blonde with deep blue which
lovely through the mist OF her long curling
laSheS grave and pcusiyc hut rrottily cutvou ana
rosy mouth, - long grave chm . serious aud somo-
what stately brow white as milk, and caresSed bya
ripple of very golden hair But the nose turned play
fully upward, seeming 10 laugh 1T the thoughtful
and 0dhr merry scorh at the serious ana naughty
brow. Sti tho effect In general was exceedingly
piquant aud fascinating aud though at nrst glance
YOU might say rather peculiar looking girl, you
were sure to look again anu say what very pretty
girl.
One evening, though 1t was not until toward the
middle ot the season, something happened to detatn
her thoughts FOR short yeXatl0us moments from tho
'cnchantnrnt of sweet Sounds she was, AZ usual,
dressed after a somewhat aesthetic fashion. Thesyc
suited herr the dull, failed hueS accorded well with
the pink flush on her cheek aud tho pale gold OF her
hair. To- night she wore poke bonnet OF the fashion,
able green, gown of the same tint made withseverc
planneSs; silver necklace encitclcd her throat, and
over hor hands drawn well-ntting kid gloves Of
duh yellow, whose long wrists wrinkled delightfully."-
after the latest modes. ON her way ehali She had
called at the house of FRIEND who presented her with
yellow rosebud and this she carried lightly between
her thumb and Ioreiinger. The orchestra was per
In II which sounded like forests cracking In the wind
like the wild crashing of teinpestuous seas She
listened, holding the Hover In one hand, her head
slightly oil sidu with sort of tO sweet woe do
cling expression and an air OF GREATNESS absorb
tion.
A Young man, who sat at the end of the row Of the
seats In 'front.' turned suddenly, aud, regarding her
FOR moment, his first glance, which one of sur
prise, changed into that Of undiSGuised amusement
lie had taken IN the yellow flower, the limp attitude,
the dreamy and melancholy expression Of cOun,c
nance, but he turned away before the girl had time
to straghten herself into an attitude of proud
defiance and TO fash him glance 81 her blue eyes,
which would have at luast surprised, II 1t had not
melted stone.
''She Is trying To look intcnsc,' he thought.
"Plty 50 pretty girl should give herself up to such
absurleS. Dress, attitude, and all verglng on the
aesthetic. Aud what a dc.away expression, though
the music Is as inspiring as the north wind
But he was mistaken. SHE was not trying to look
Intense. In fact, she waSaS entirely unconscious OF
for y young woman to be. She knew nothing Of the
reign of the aesthetics. she had just graduated from
the gay world were excluded She wore the dun,
dark tints because they were recommended by her
dressmaker, aud fbecause she liked them; she car
ried the flower in her hand because she enjoyed It's
perfume. She held her head on one sido because II
was natural for her to do Perhaps 1t was Swayed
In that direct ion by the superior weight Of some par
ticuar bump In tho Illustrations of tho phrrno-
logical journals. Then tho music, VI 1t was inspir
ing to the brisk looking young man who criticised
her, filled her with indoilnahlc melancholy and
seemed pathetic even In It's most stirring passages.
She vaguely remembered having noticed him be-
fore, ana her head being clatnmcH WIN classical
studies she had likencd his profile, which was fine
and ce,i-cut, to that "f the statue of Apollo. Tie
usually read newspaper it he Glanced To he In his
seat before the performance of tho evening COM
uencrt, aud un one or two occasions was deeply Ell
gagged IN writing on sheet Of paper which rested
upon the cover OF u pocket portfolio iul now Tor
The first time Elip saw his full face, which, VI she
had been In mood tn lie critical. would have been
Disappointing for II altogether too broad 10 10
pOetiCal. Though II was not altogether commonplace
there was something imposing about the brow, not
perhaps account of its shape, but Its cNprcsslon
which, To the most casual observer, was suggestive
of deep thought and perfect CaNdor, and tho eyes,
which were very dark AMI deep, might have I'm
pressed almost any ycung woman ~ being eloquent,
esrrcally when their gaze wds directed toward her
self.
l,ut Miss Everett saw the fash of amusement III
them when In the briecst Of Chances they met her
own, and believing that the amusement must he In
some way connected with herself, though she was
entirely unconscious OF anything ridiculous In her
appearance, she fairly qulyered with Indignation,
and her enjoyment Of The music was spoiled for that
evening. Size had forgotten that she had dlscerned
In the profile Of this impeiinent young man caSsl-
cal beauty, aud thought, with scorn that he must
lie n very common person indeed.
But after this little episode, lie not nhlrelnently
turned 10 steal a glance at her. And these chances
she either tried to Ignore, assuming such an air oil
dignity, that her consciousness was evident, or re-
turned with such an excess OF naughty indlherence
that the yong man'g face was oNrrsslveof deep sur
PRISE aud hc seemed impellcd to take another glance
Immediately to lie sure that his eyes had not de-
cevcd him sometimes flash of amusement np'
pearcd IN his gance AGAIN, hut generally II was
quiet aud respectful enough, and oven ~ Hguite
by accident, for he had been seized with a
fancy to SIT aSdewise in his seat, So that her face
came within the range Of his Dyes quite naturally.
And after time she found herself following her e&
ample In the matter of stolen clnnces and was vexed
with herself that her eyes would he such wanderers
and her thoughts would no longer remain within The
spell Of tho music. She detcSled this lmperilnont
neighbOr, she continually saying To herself, but
by strange Inconsistency she began TO think of
him great deal during the Intervals which elapsed
between tho concerts; inlnlGed in various conlec'
lures concerning his position In life his occupation,
his family connections. And, what was more sur
prsing, Btill made her toilette on those particular
evenings, with view to his approval. SllO Won
dered which coors he most admired as she arranged
fresh pink roses at her cOrsagc, and what style
of beauty he preferred ms she regarded herself In the
mirror at tho completion of one OF those toetles Ia
which she had hitherto given little or no thought.
II was festival night the anniversary Of the birth
appropriately decorated with flowers The bronze
head of the ominent departed WAS eDcircled by a
laurel wreath. brilliant crowd had assembled,
and the warm perfumed atmosphere was filled with
sentiment, languOr, and ready-inade romance. 10th
Amy and the - gentleman In front, " as she called
him In her thoughts, were IN their places earlier
than usual Amy, In II picturesque white bonnet,
adorned With dropping planes, ana for m opera
cloak quaint aud gorgeous mantle which had been
sent 10 her from India by AN artist cousl II was
hardly HE .ihlhg Tor SO Young gltl, pnl perlecly
magnificent, ~ WAS whispered by feminine lips In
the nelghbOrhOOd, hut II was evident that he ap-
proved. His eyes brghteued as they glanced over II
and took In each splendid detail. Then the glance
strayed To her head with sort OF pleased eagerness
Hut meeting her eyes, he turned away quickly, aud
producing piece of note paper from his pocket alb
sorbed himself In writing thereon until the conductor
waved his baton.
Amy,s thoughts new In All sorts of Wild directions
during the stately symphony, and when tho sweet
voiced singer stepped forward In her festival robes
and sang Onn Of the Immortal songs Of tho master
whose birthday was being celebrated sue started
violently. II was as II she had been asleep aud was
lust becoming conscious OF her surroundings, But
he did direct one glance toward her for the
remainder 0f the evening, hut kept his eyes hNed un-
wayerlngy upon the musicians while they played,
aud during the Intervals between the music stlll
occupied himself with the mysterious writing which,
by the expression Of Ills iaoc she Judged TO be
Important.
When tho concert was over, aud the crowd was
preparing to leave the hall quito by accident Amy
dropped her Inuf over the the back Of the seat by
which sle was standing aud II rolled TO the feet Of
the Young gentleman, who, win gloves aud various
other things In one hand aud hat Ia the other, was
about leaving the hall.
She oOlored deeply aud stood looking after II, the
Image Of yeNatlnn while her father, quite Obvious
OF the mIsmp was playing the gallant to some ladies'
of his acquaintance.
The young gentleman did not at list perceive
that she had dropped anything, but turning suddenly
and noticing the direction OF her gaze aud her dis
tuTbed COuntenanCe, with quick ~ beg your
pardon' stopped and restored the mur To her. Hut
the proceeding seemed 10 he attended with some
difficulty on his part, as his hands Were already
Overwhelmed, aud In his haste he had not thought
to dsbuTden them IL order to perform tho act more
gracefully lie alnlled slightly, and with some en-
hlrrassnent as ho acknowledged her how Of thanks
while She for some indefnaOle reason, colOrod still
deeply until tue red red rose - was not to be
compared 20 her lively cOuntcuauCo IN depth Of bOOm
Hut almost luyOuntarly she returned his smllc and
for the space OF half moment or so, which seemed
an hour, the two stood gazing Into each others Dyes
with the air of long separated friends whoare yegng
on recognition THEN drawing herself up with
sudden dignity Amy turned away, and looking
what amused, he followed her example ana hastily
left the hall
ON her way home she discovered bit OF folded
paper tucked away In little crease In the ning OF
her muir which upon Investigation proved TO bo d
a note written In somewhat TASTY and scrawy hand.
She made haste to read u by the Subuued aud uurO-
mantle beams Of the carriage lamp. lt WAS highly
dramatic ardent declaration of pOuIueuelul
mysterlOusy, " Unknown beloved one - aud signed
"George, ~ with u simple familiarity which wa
calculated to Induce surprise. whatever other emOOn
might be sleeping In the bosom. Her father with hi
! usual and exceedingly convenient droMslneas wa
Obllylous to all thngsi leanlng back on tho cushions