St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-01-27

fourth floor, and Will feel obliged If
she will favor me with a little peace
and quietness long enough to do some
necessary writing"
There was no reply, and the music
ceased abruptly. But that evening,
when | was beginning to solace myself
with little violin practice in the twi-
light, tap, tap, tap came the janitOr's
wife at my door.
Fourth floors compliments to the
third floor, and will feel obliged if he
will favor her with little peace and
quietness, long enough to write a
letter"
How | hated that womanl So we
lived for a month, exchanging constant
missiles of warfare. | could cheerfully
have given up that miserable French
fiat and gone back to boarding, only
unluckily | had engaged it for the
year. The fourth floor elocutionized,
and had friends to select private read
ings, whose voices were deeper than
Hamlet's, and more sonOrous than that
of Charlotte Cushman. She was chari-
table, and had classes of heavy booted
girls twice week, to sing hymns and
learn to sew. A single lady, indeed
If she had been quadruple lady she
could not have made more noise, nor
enjoyed the making of it more.
At the close of the month, however,
an incident happened which turned the
current of my whole life. | went on
picnic. | don't often go on anything
of that kind but this was an especial
ly select affair gotten up by my friend,
Harold Webster. | went, and there |
met Barbara Willis, and fell straight
way in love with her. She wasn't ex-
actly young, but neither am |, and to
my taste full blown rose is sweeter
than Il bud, wherever you find it grow
ing. She was dark-eyed, with full
cherry lips, satin-brown hair, and
complexion as fresh as roses and ivory.
We talked our ideas coincided exact
ly. 1t seemed as if our souls were two
looking glasses, to mirror each others.
"Miss Willis" cried |, ''why is it
that we have never met before? feel
as if we were old, old friends"
As spoke | gently pressed her hand
and she smiled back unutterable
things. | went to my friend Webster,
who was making up quadrilles on the
upper deck. We were accompanied by
an excellent brass band.
80, Harold" exclaimed |, 81 can
never thank you enough for introduce
ing me to that angel ~
"DO you mean Barbara Willis ?n said
he. ''Well, do think she is rather a
fine girl"
We grew confidential as we sat to-
gether on the promenade deck and
watched the moonlight ripple over the
surface of the tides.
"a bachelors life is but half life,
Miss Willis" said |.
81 can readily imagine that" she
said softly.
81 live in Il fiat" confessed |.
ADO you,' said Barbara (the sweet
old English name was just like herr.
''Why, how strange! So do | ~
''Isn't it dreadful ?" said |.
''Horrid ~ said she, closing her lips
as though she meant it.
"And there's a female dragon Occu-
pies the floor above me. and torments
me out of my life"
"Well, if this isn't remarkable CO.
incidence - replied Barbara. "There's
detestable old crab of a bachelor I'M
der me, who takes all the pleasure out
of my existence! !"
''Should two lives be thus blighted ~
said |.
"I-I don't think So" replied Barba-
ia, looking intently at the bouquet of
pansies she held in her hand.
1t was past midnight when the boat
landed. Harold Webster came up.
81 promised to see you home, Miss
Willis" said he, rubbing his hands
briskly.
"You need not trouble yourself,
Webster" said |. | shall be most
happy"
| called hack and helped the di-
vine Barbara in, feeling more and more
as if were walking in cloudland.
"Where shall | drive to ?" said the
man.
"No. 90 Ravenal street." said she.
Fourth floor"
"What ~ cried I-"not the Fernan-
dine flats ~
Exactly" said she.
"Why, that's where | live"
care you the third floor p she cried
out, breathless.
care you the fourth ?" | counter
questioned.
"But you're not a crab at all ~
Nor are you dragon. On the con-
trary-"
But what matters it what was said.
Things were altered from the very be-
ginning. | took my violin upstairs
next day, and helped my divine Bar
bara out with a sonata of BeethOven's.
| suggested a new education theory foT
the hObnailed classes. | listened en-
chanted to her recitation of TennysOn'
Brook and at the end of the quarter
we are to be married-Barbara and l.
II Helen F. Graves.