The daily gazette., 1883-11-21
An Opportunity.

,aerpd out over the forest OF chimney pots
PpUd irregular roofs which that retired corner
Of London offered as prospect. She nodded
% tbe little lame boy across the court drop
'',i a handful Of bikcuit-crumbs for Vixon,
fYss Tottenham's parrot, one floor below,
,,I was imperiling her life to steal a spray
", SCARLET Virginia creeper dangling from q
,oiphbor's balcony, when a strange pair of
e,rs shining through that same creeper
.,rtled her into propriety.
The balcony had hitherto had for It's sole
OCCUPANT white-haired professor In vel
s. yet skull-cap, who had shown no desire for
even a nodding acquaintance with Dora.
Who could this newcomer BET His eyes
were beautiful-eo dark and expressive
and the hand that held back the vine was
Jrllcately shaped and white.
Dora took another peep, through the cur
tain this time. He had advanced u little
and leaned against the balcony railing, and
while appearing unconscious of her pre-
sence, watched quietly for the return OF the
prctty apparition seen at the window.
His dark Southern look was so different
from the rosy faces and blue eyes that Dora
was accustomed to; and the girl, looking at
him, could only think OF pictured Domeo
whose face had once haunted her dreams
for many night.
Dora, dear, close the window; these
draughts are most dangerous at this season
of the year." came In drowsy accents from
the head Of the Leonard family nodding
over the copy of the Times.
"Papa, you never speak of Profe ssor
Mudle now ] hope you have not cut the
old gentleman's acquRintanceP
"Mudlei He is no longer our neighbor;
he left No. 60 q week ago"
"Indeedl Has any one taken hts roomsW
With .he keenest interest Dora waited for
her fathers reply.
"Somo foreign-looking chap has taken
the lodgings; saw him this morning at
o'clock smoking on the balcony In the
most outlandish OF dressing-gowns, and
singing in q fairly good tenor. must
admit, some incomprehensble rigmarole.
! must see that the windows are more care
fully barred at night; there is no telling
what those swarthy vagabonds may do"
"Oh, Papa"
Dora was prepared to follow this excla-
nation with lecture on the iniquity of ma
lguing ones neighbors; but seeing that her
father had dozed off into Inconsistencies,
she was forced to reserve her remarks till
another occasion.
Living in a remote part of London with
her father and a maiden aunt, both Of the
i strictcst ideas in the bringing up of young
people, DorA's existence had little novelty
or rexcitement. The return of her brother
light as a season Of merrymaking; but the
remainder Of the year passed mouotonously
enough Without knowing why, the girls
interest for the dark-eyed foreigner IN the
adjoining house had been keenly awakened,
and she longed for an opportunity to tell
him of her sympathy for his loneliness in the
great city. But 1t could only be through a
happy chance that they could know each
other, for she dared not make any decided
tnxu H. tptr dal,.a
knew that her father would mot exert him
sel in the young mans behalf.
Years before a much beloved cousin of
Dora S father, who had filled the place of a
younger sister In his heart, had been be-
guled into q marriage with an Italian noble
man, which had resulted dsastrously aud
severed all communication with her friends.
Since then Mr.. Leonard had regarded with
suspicion and dislike every foreigner that
came under his notice, and Dora knew that
Che could expect from him no pity or inter-
est for Romeo, as she privately called her
unknown hero.
While at college Dora's brother Bob had
become the happy recipient of pair of
monkeys, the gilt of friend In india. An
old college chum agreed a first to take care
& Of the animals, but as time wore on he grew
heartily sick Of his bargain and wrote to
Bob that he must take the responsibility OF
Bob Informed his family that they might
expect any day the arrival Of the monkeys;
but the old gentleman, Mr.. Leonard, replied
promptly that on no account would he allow
the uncouth brutes about his place, destroy
ing the furniture and ornaments which 1t
had been the work of years to collect, Le-
sides Tightening the servants out of their
wits. The thing was preposterous If
Robert would keep savage aDimals, he
must provide home for them elsewhere.
The dear hoy has his heart set on these
monkeys, and will be sorely disappointed, !"
said aunt Matilda feelingly.
1t was a weakness on the part of the old
lady 10 spoil and indulge Bob In the same
degree that she lectured and corrected Dora,
and she would willingly have spent her last
penny to make her beloved nephew happy.
Dora strayed one afternoon into the office,
but instead of having her usual post-prandial
chat with her father, she was asked to guard
the premises during his temporary absence
for an hour. The place was quite deserted,
and she might take book and make herself
comfortable, without fear of interruption.
till her fathers return.
The room where Dora was to keep her
vigil was, for a lawyers office, very attract
i've There were numerous books, an easy
chair or two, some fourshlng plants, and
across one side OF the room cabinet OF
cuuusities OF considerable Value, Wnlcn IL
had been the delight of Mr.. Leonard's heart
to collect and arrange. The gem Of the col
lection was a cracked porcelain of the time
Of Louis XI. of France, declared by coDnois.
scurs to be of very great value. Mr.. Leon
ard had been offered almost fabulous sumo
for the plate, but, proud OF his possession,
he had refused to part with it, and 1t lay in
its velvet case on the top Of the cabinet, an
ornament TO the room and the admiration
Of all visitors. Dora had not been 10 min
utes alone before aunt Matilda, her eyes big
with excitement,put her head In at the door,
"Dora, there is q man with the monkeys
declaring he will not be kept waiting a
momert longer. Ihave promised to drive
in the park with Mrs. Graham, and there ID
no one to look after Bob's pets but you. l
would not send them away; so | told the
man to bring them up here. They have
chains about their necks, and"
But, aunt Matilda, papa will be furious
at seeing the monkeys-in his office espec,
allyi He declared that Bob should not send
them to the house at all"
I'VE must not disappoint tho poor boy
Dora Kate will return from the milliner't
in half an hour, and and will leave WORD
that she is to take the animals to her room
then: so your father need know nothing
about it. They certainly will do no harm
alone in so short time"
Further discussion was ended by maj