Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-12-13
AN OPPORTUNITY.

Dora Leonard leaned her pretty ell
bows on the windowsi of her faith
er's Office and peered out over the for
est of chimney tops and irregular
roofs which that retired corner in
London offered as prospect She
nodded to the little lame boy across
the court dropped "A handful of bis
cuit-crumbs for Vixen, Miss Totem
hams parrot, one floor below, and
was nnperilng her life to steal spray
of scarlet Nirginian creeper dangling
from a neighbor's balcony, when a
strange pair of eyes shining through
that same creeper startled her into
propriety.
The balcony had hitherto had for
its sole occupant q whte-hared pro
fessor in a velvet skull cap, who had
shown no desire for even nod
ding acquaintance with Dora Who
could this newcomer be2 His eyes
were beautiful--so dark and expires
slve-and the hand that held back
the vine was 50 delicately shaped and
white.
Dora took another peep, through
the curtain this time He had advan-
ced little and leaned against the bal
cony railing, and while appearing
unconscious Of her presence, watched
quietly for the return of the pretty
apparition seen in the window.
His dark Southern look was so diff
ferent from the rosy face and blue
eyes that Dora was accustomed to;
and the girl, looking at him, could
only think of a pictured Romeo
whose face had haunted her dreams
for many u 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 Pro
fessor Nude now. hope you have
not cut the old gentlemans acquaint-
anceW
"Mude2 He is no longer our neigh
Dor; he left No. 60 a week ago
Indeed! Has any one else taken
his roomslN
With the keeuest interest Dora wait
ed for her fathers reply.
h1pAlib AVl flE II AAitNiAAE AlthD HAS
taken the lodgings; / saw him this
morning at o'clock, smoking on the
balcony in the most outlandlsh of
dressinggowus, and singing in fairly
good tenor. | must admit some incom
prehenslble rigmarole. | must sec that
the windows are more carefully bar
red at night; there is no telling what
these swarthy yagabouds may do
ooh, papal'
Dora was prepared to follow this ex
clamauon with lecture ON the iniQui-
ty of mallgning ones neighbors; but
seeing that her father had dozcd of
into Inconsistencies, she was forced
to reserve her remarks till another oc-
caSiou,
Living in a remote part of London
with her father and maiden aunt
both Of the strictest ideas in the bring
ing up of young people, Doras exis-
t0nce had little novelty oreXcitemeut
The return of her brother Bob from
college was always hailed with de
light rs season of merry-making.
but the remainder of the year passed
monotonously enough Without
knowing why, the girls interest for
the dark eyed foreigner in the adiOm
ing house had been keenly awakened.
and she longed for an opportunity to
tell him of her sympathy for his lone
illness i'm the great city. But it could
only be through a happy chance that
they could know each other. for she
dared not make any decided advances
toward a perfect stranger, aud she
knew that her father would not exert
himself in the young mans behalf
Years before much-beloyed cousin
of Doras father, who had filled the
place of a younger sister in his heart
had been beguiled into "a marriage
with an Italian nobleman. which had
resulted diSasuouSly and severed all
communication with her friends
Since then Mr., Leonard had regarded
with suspicion and dislike every for
elgner that came under his notice and
Dora knew well that She could expect
from HIM no pity or interest for TO
meo, as she privately called her uu-
known hero.
While at college Dora brother Bob
had become the happy recipient of a
pair of monkeys, the gift of friend
in India. An old college chum agreed
at first to take care of the animals.
but ms time wore ON he grew sick of
his bargain and wrote to Bob that he
must take the responsibility of his
mlschievcus pets ON his own hands.
Bob informed his family hat they
might expect amy day the arrival II
the monkeys; but the ola gentleman.
Mr. Leonard, replied promptly that
on no account would he allow the un-
couth brutes about the place, destroy
ing the furniture and ornaments
which it had been the work of wears
to collect, besides frightening the SER
wants out Of their wits The thing was
preposterous If Robert would keep
savage animals. he must provide a
home for them elsewhere.
The dear boy has his heart set ON
these monkeys, and will be sorelv
disappointed, said Aunt Matilda, feel
ingly.
II was weakness on the part of the