The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-05-17
SELECTED SKETCH.
A ROMANTIC EPISODE.

ed herein occurred some FIVE years ago, and
nothing has in any way during this period
taken place to render the arm inappropri-
ate, it might, perhaps, be as well to substi-
tute the present tense, and say, am an old
maid, or, at least, am SO called by my pry
ing, gossiping neighbors, though really why
a finely-preserved woman of fifty should be
adiudged that opprobrious epithet cannot
conceive.
However, at the time my story opens I
lacked five years of my two-score-and-ten,
and was living alone in the snug little house
left me by my father, just on the outskirts
of London. The house, few valuable ar
ticles of plate and some five thousand pounds
constituted all my worldly goods. ! kept
them all under my own personal surveil-
lancet OF banks had my own opinion,
and knew o far safer place for my little
hoard than intrusting It to strange and per-
haps dishonest men.
was sitting one afternoon in my pretty
little drawiDg-room, revolving in my mind
the improvement little paint and paper
might be, and at the same time unwilling to
expend the necessary sum, when my neat
little maid-seryant announced the fact that
gentleman had called to see me-
took hasty glance in the glass, to con.
vince myself that my hair was in order and
my cap-ribbons at the proper angle, when
his shadow darkened the threshold
glanced up; l fear b shed. His dark
eyes were fixed SO penetratingly upon me
that mine fell beneath their glance. l had
caught but passing glimpse of the hand
some face and tall, manly form, but dared
not look again.
"You will pardon me, madam" he be-
gan.
"Not madam" interrupted; "NTiss
Loring.n
Miss Loring,n he repeated after me. "I
ventured on the madam, because I thought
it could not be possible Miss Loring could
have been permitted to retain the prefix she
so evidently prefers"
Presumptuous you perhaps think in a
stranger, and SO doubtless, written ON the
cold sheet, it appears, but spoken in low,
unsteady modulated voice, it did not pre-
sent Itself TO me IN that light
I instantly tried to remember all the he-
roes / had read of in the romances / pro-
cured from the library, and to determine
which one of them he most resembled.
In strictest confidence feel it necessary
to confess one great void which heretofore
had always existed in my life-a romantic
adventure.
Singular as it may seem, had never had
one. My heart began to palpitate as 1
thought that possibly the need would not be
satisfied.
II almost hesitate to make known to you
the cause of my visit, lest you should regard
1t in the light of an impertinent intrusion
he continued "but in passing by your
house, I noticed the upper room in your
bodybuilding, which is peculiarly adapted
for studio. am an artist, aud in search
of just such an apartment, for which l am
willing to pay a most liberal price. l shall
occupy it only during few hours each day
If Miss Loring will not accede to my re-
quest, will she not at least pardon it ?"
He bowed low and deferentially before
me. My brain was in whirl What could
his proposition mea Had he seen me and
made this pretext T. know me2 could
not tell. dared not trust myself as yet to
give decided answer
II will think the matter over,u / said,
and fear there was slight tremulousness
in my tone. If you will call tomorrow,
will let you know my decision"
81 will leave you my card then," he re-
piled, drawing his card-case from his pocket,
and placing delicately engraved piece of
pasteboard upon the table. 81 am quite
willing to pay pound week, and if you
can accede to my request, l shall consider
myself indeed your debtor"
rose and courtesied as he bowed himself
out A pound wee 1t was munifcent
need no longer study ways and means as
to paint and paper. should be able to do
all that had planned, and more. Why,
then, should hesitate Why had not said
yes at once? Perhaps lie never would re-
turn.
My heart SINK, ut the thought, to a depth
no mere pecuniary loss could have entailed
upon it.
Had this stranger, then made an impress
sion upon that susceptible portion of my
anatomy? He looked younger than my real
age-but what of that? Doubtless looked
far younger than my years.
At the last taking of the census, / had
given my age at twenty-eight and, further,
than q slight elevation of his eyebrows, the
census-taker showed not the slightest sur
prise thought afterward the movement
was nervous affection, and was sorry that
had not proposed specific cure.
/ took up the card from the table. 1t bore
the name of Algernon Vernon. Algernon
might have known he would possess Isuch
a name!
In vain to try and iivet my wandering
thoughts upon the latest yellow-covered TO-
nance. Nothing its pages contained equal
ed this new and absorbing element in my life.
All my doubts concerning my resolve had
fed.
On the morrow / should accede to Mr..
vernon's request. Not even the neighbors
could find food for gossip, inasmuch as he
occupied the room only during few day
light hours.
But why had ne selected rlnner H.
houses on either side of me were Of the same
construction. Evidently he had motive
other than appeared on the surface for wish
ing to gain an entree into my humble abode.
Next day found me in state of nervous
agitation, lest he should disappoint me; but
there was no occasion for it.
Promptly on the hour of the day proceed
ing he arrived, and made known to him
my acqulescence in his request; but this
time he drew chair before the fire at my
request, and we had quite social, and very
pleasant, chat
He would not remove all his artist belong
ings at present, he said. He was engaged
on one work which particularly occupied
him, and which he hoped to finish in time
for the Royal Academy; after that he might
have request to make of me. Had ever
haay told hv arficfa that nv, ,,ro6Ia xyoa n