The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-01-23
AN OPPORTUNITY.

Dora Leonard leaned her pretty elbows
on the window-sill of her fathers Office
and peered out over the forest of chin.
ney pots and irregular roofs which that
retired corner of London offered as pros
pect She nodded to the little lame boy
III the fourth story across the court,
dropped handful of biscuit crumbs for
ViXon, Mrs. Tottenham's parrot, on the
roof below, and was imperiling her life
to steal spray of scarlet Virginian
creeper dangling from neighbours bal
rony, when n strange pair of eyes shining
through the same creeper startled her
into propriety.
The balcony had hitherto had for its
sole occupant white-haired professor in
n velvet skull-cap, who had shown no
desire for even a nodding acquaintance
with Dora. Who could this new
conner bel His eyes were beautiful-so
dark and expressive-and the hand that
held back the vine was delicately shaped
and white.
Dora took another peep, through the
curtain this time. He had advanced n
little and leaned against the balcony rail
ing, and, while appearing unconscious of
her presence, watched quietly for the re-
turn of the pretty 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 a
pictured Romeo whose face had once
haunted her dreams for many night.
"Dora, dear, close the window; these
draughts are most dangerous at this sea-
son Of the year, came in drowsy accents
from the head of the Leonard family, nod
ding over the copy of the Times.
''Papa, you never speak of Professor
Nude now. hope you have not cut
the old gentleman's acquaintance"
"Mudiel He is no longer our neigh
Dor, he left No go week ago"
"Indeed Has any one else taken his
rooms3n
With the keenest interest Dora waited
for her fathers reply.
''Some foreign-looking chap has taken
the lodgings; l saw him this morning at
O'clock, smoking on the balcony in the
most outlandish of dressing gowns, and
singing in fairly good tenor. must
admit, some incomprehensible rigmarole.
must see that the windows are more
carefully barred at night; there is no tell
ing what these swarthy vagabonds may
doln
''Oh, papan
Dora was prepared to follow this eX-
clamation with lecture on the iniquity
of maligning ones neighbors; but see
ing that her father had dozed off into
Inconsistencies, she was forced to re-
H.. -
Living in remote part of London
with her father and maiden aunt, both
of the stIicAst ideas in the bringing up
of youngPeople, DOra's existence had
little novelty or excitement. The return
OF her brother Bob from college was al
ways hailed with delight ms season oi
merry making; but the remainder of the
year passed monotonously enough. With
out knowing why, the girls interest fol
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 it could only be through
happy chance that they could know
each other, for she dared not make any
decided advances toward perfect
stranger, and she knew that her father
would not exert himself in the young
mans favor
Years before much-beloved cousin o.
Dora's father, who had filled the place o.
younger sister in his heart, had beer
beguiled into marriage with an Italian
nobleman, which had resulted disas
trously and severed all connections will
her friends. Since then Mr.. Leonard
had regarded with suspicion and dislik
every foreigner that came under his no
tice, and Dora knew well that she coulC
expect from him no pity or interest 70
Romeo, as she privately called her un
known hero.
While at college Dora's brother Bob haC
become the happy recipient of pair 0
monkeys, the gift of a friend in India
An old college chum agreed at first t,
take care of the animals, but as tim
wore on he grew heartily sick of hi
bargain and wrote to Bob that he mus
take the responsibility of his mischiey
Gus pets on his own hands.
nnRob informed his family that the
ght expect any day the arrival of tn
monkeys, but the old gentleman, Nh
Leonard, replied promptly that on n
account wonld he allow the uncout
brutes about the place, destroying tn
furniture and ornaments which 1t ha
been the work of years to collect, besid
frightening the servants out of their wit.
he thing was preposterOusl If Robel
apld keep savage animals, he must pre-
VIVA home for them elsewhere.
+" The dear boy has his heart set Q
a. al