, 1883-03-01

Glrk-Ci ed stang, g,rcaMc quietly III, hold
ing her haud,crchieIs as flag OF truce.
Martha red icnal. and her father was
so tart aud crrsty that she WAS fright
euei but the young man would not so
Til he had heard Herr Worstanalrum'S
uJugio-whcroupo the old professor,
who WIS flushed and angry, played it
.wrbly out OF time, made false notes,
md at last got his poor old hands so en-
tangled that ne gave terrible bang and
came away vowing that the piano was
entirely out OF tune.
There was quite silence, and then
the stranger rose to go; but the surly
old man fancieI that nc was frightened
ut Herr WorstaHadlum, and would not
hear Of his stirring till he played like
wise.
With deep sigh, the young man
seated himself at the instrument. Tho
professor wr.ukled his face, took
off his spectacl4s and cooked his
ear critically, while Martha turned
her back to liie her tears-till, hearing
a great sniff behind her, she saw that
her father was weeping, and making the
most-ternb.a grimaces to hide it.
When he hal finished, the old pro-
fessor got up, and shut the piano with
out word and Martha, flushed and
trembling, went with the stranger to
the door-ior she knew from her fathers
look that he was saying to himself that
he would never play again.
On the doorstep she thought to look
at the handkerchief but it WAS finer
than any she had ever owned, and beau
tifulIy embroidered.
"Tako it." she said, handing it back.
"This is not NINE"
81 know it." answered the young
man; "but [ kept yours purposely.
Gold would not buy it Of me-" And,
with n grave bow, he went away.
"What was that young jackanapes say
ing to you?" asked her father, when she
came back.
Martha, who did not know how to de-
ceive, told him every word.
"Oh, ho !" growled the old man, "Tll
have him there. If he has stolen away
my pupils, he shan't have my daughter.
The next time he comes, you're not to
let him lido you hear. Martha?"
"Ycs, SIR" answered Martha. And,
letting fall pila OF plates, broke half of
them, tore her only gown in trying to
save them, burned her fingers when she
lighted her fathers pipe. got well
scolded and wont crying to bed.
After that, every rnoming was laid on
the door-stcps a brace of birds, basket
os fnlit, or some fine fish, always for the
professor, who bcGn to fancy that some
OF his oll friends had at last remem-
bcred hni, aud chncAltl nightly over
them to Mlrihn, who blushcd red as
rose, but never sail Il word.
One mornirr, however, the old man
who was ny cluiOils rs woman-took it
in lis head 10 iinl Oat whether it rained
fish, birds and inri', Or whether he had
still n friend il BlNud,r; and, posting
himself behind the curtains, watched
the dOor-stcps MS y cat would mouse,
till, to his hnrror, no deserted the dark
ey Il young professor i'll the very act Of
dypositing supsrh hnnch Of venison.
"Iou scoumleI ! yon villain you
coward /" shriolcl tho old man in o
fury, throwing open the window; "you
wretch you pois1ucr you pettitogger
you huckster yUl mummy you--'
Here, as he could think OF nothing
else, he threw his wooden leg at him.
The young men picked it up, and po-
litely handed it to Martha, who came
running to- the window, rs by this time
did also half of the D,undernarians-
who, being only halt awake, and hardly
dressed at all, decided that the young
| professor had becu trying to poison the
old one: that he wa, discovered in the
act OF trying to elope with Martha; that
the house was on fire: that the old pro-
fessor was crazy; that he was drunk, and
a variety of equally consistent and sensi.
bic opinions. But ihe truth Of the mat
tor leaking out tts II always will, little
ones, no matter how deep they bury it),
the Blun,lernarians exclaimed, with one
voice, that the old professor was au IDIOT
and an ass. and, as idiots and asses have
no right to live, unanimously resolved
to starve him out, by depriying Martha
OF tho little work by which she had been
ohIa ko s,:DDOrt har ntbay and bapsalf