Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-12-04

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1t seemed too good to be true, es:
pecially as, from his playing, should
have taken him to be German or an
Italian. He played again in the evening
some nocturnes from Chopin, and mag
nifcent cantata OF Beethoven's. l liked
his repertoire; he did not amuse himself
with the music of the day, but showed
his classical taste by his fondness for
the great "Music Masters" could have
listened forever, it was such pleasure to
hear him play. | was very anxious TO
meet him. and as could not call myself,
l decided to send in my card by jean
Marie, adding to it this little note:
II should be very glad if my new
neighbor, who understand is also an
American, and whose music has afforded
me the greatest delight, will forgive the
informality of my not calling, and do
me the pleasure of spending the after
noon with me"
/ waited impatiently for Jean-Marie's
return, thinking that of course the strang-
er would send me MS card; perhaps even
note saying he would come or excus-
ing himself if he could not.
Jean-Marie did not return for nearly
an hour; then he handed me this note:
Mr. Richard Morrison-Sir; return the inclos-
ed card and note, which, though l am your
neig Dor, and the only newly arrived American
in he house, trust you could not have meant
me- Truly yours,
ALICE CLIFTON
| could not understand. Alice Clifton?
Why, what had 1 to do with Alice Clifton.
l knew no Alice Clifton. L read the lit
tie note over, and after it my own; then,
and only then, it came to me. Block
mead that l was! The stranger was a
young lady, and here was asking her to
excuse the informality Of my not calling,
and begging her to spend the afternoon
with me!
Oh. it was too much. Where was my
wit that should have taken it for grant
ed that my fellow boarders were to be
exclusively masculine? What did that
idiotic Jean-Marie mean by not making
me understand in some way that the
stranger was lady? The young lady
herself-no, she certainly was not to
blame-but what could she think Of me?
Such charming note as she had writ
ten, too! | looked it all over. and noticed
this tine the pretty, slsnting chirogra-
ply, and the delicately monogrammed
paper. How essentially that of lady
was its wording. Here was no rantiDg
at supposed insult, none of the
"Howdare- you's" of ordinary offend
ed womanhood, but every word was ex-
pressive of calm dignity and sweet con-
sciousness of the reverence due woman.
Nothing l knew but the most abject
apology could excuse my rudeness, I'M
intentional though it was.
am ashamed to say how long it took
me to compose the letter, which was to
be the explanation of luckless error.
Never was | so convinced before Of the
paucity of words in the English Ian
guage No theses for college eXamina-
tions had ever given me SO much trouble.
At last after long and arduous labor,
during which my elaborate illusions be-
came worse and worse, l decided to send
the longest one, and trust to the kindness
of the unknown Miss Clifton. l had
written and torn sheet after sheet of my
best London Linen" however, before l
came to this wise conclusion, bu. did
not regret the sacrifice, rather, but felt
indeed as though l could never do
enough to atone.
/ rang for the Office boy, who took the
note to my neighbor, aud then resigned
myself to very troubled slumbers, in
which strange young ladies and stupid
Swiss inns were mingled in the most
chaotic confusion.
Next morning, the little boy entering
gravely, bowed tremendously, with a
bouquet in his hand, and speaking slow
ly, enlnciating each syllable by itself,
said:
"Wiv complement of Mees Cheeftun.'
He had been carefully drilled, and the
pine flowers covered with dew. Could
anything have been kinder than grant
ing my pardon in this way? 1t meant as
much as the most eloquent note, and
besides it was such delicate attention, /
thought.
made Jean-Marie change the water
in the vase every day, and the flowers
were sweet and fresh nearly week; tn en-
l put them carefully away in my letter
case. / thought perceived peculiar
look in jean Marie's eye one day, when
he was busting my case, and the flowers
futtered to the ground, but could not
imagine what he meant by that strange
muscular elevation of the eyebrow;
always keep few flowers as souvenirs
of the places visited when am abroad
and, as l could not gather any this time,
had put these away. But these Swiss
people never understand.
The days did not seem SO long now,
Such thing as habit. l was becoming
so accustomed to my way of living, it
did not seem half so hard as at first
Then the young lady played every morn.
ing and evening, and l was always SO
fond of music that it was great pleas
ure to listen to her.
l knew her daily programme by heart
too. She played every morning after
break fast, then went out for long walk
after dinner, and then played or read all
evening. / used to almost hold my
breath when she went along the hall, to
hear the swishing rustic of her dress and
her football on the stairs, and when she
came back the hall was filed with sweet
odors, as if she had brought back the
| forest with her.
l had no idea / was so interested in
her, till one day ! heard her coming up
the stairs into the little parlor, and was
horror stricken to hear beside her light
foot-step the heavier tread of boots.
She was in excellent spirits, too. /
could not hear what she said; but she
was chatting all the time in light, joy
Gus voice, and twice l heard her laugh.
She had never laughed before.
Who could the intruder be? She could
not certainly be engaged, but never was
l in such a rage and passion as when |
thought that the man was perhaps her
husband.
In the evening Jean-Marie brought
me a card, Mr.. G. T. Clifton. Her
brother, l thought to myself, lightning
like, and oh, so thankfully! But again /
was mistaken, for on telling JEAN Marie
to bring the caller in, found it was her
father. He was Professor of Geology in