The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-11-14

for its own sake, were silent from
astonishment.
AS for Mr.. Grost himself, the mu
sic seemed to transform him. Ht
shook his hair, and his grave fac,
frightened up.
"Jack, sitting at his feet kept his
eyes steadily fixed upon him, as il
he understood it all and for Miss
Verrinder the pretty color grew
brighter in her cheeks, and her eyes
shone. She was passionately fond
of music.
"Odd man! Don't you think so
very" whispered Mrs. Colquhoun
the greatest gossip in the house
to me. "Not gentleman, decided
ly; actor, 1 should think profess
sional, certainly. Dreadful flirt
that girl is to be sure, Do you ad-
mire her? No surely not"
[ held up my hand to silence her.
l did not like Mrs. Colquhoun. /
knew her misunderstanding tongue
of old, and had caught flash from
Alice Verinder's soft eyes.
Mr.. Grost was going to sing for
us. As he play the first bars of
The Message, Jack gave kind of
strangled howl.
"He is wonderfully fond of sing
ing" his master explained with
pride.
Clearly, l thought, he was thor
ough old bachelor, and this dog
was wife and child to him.
Well, l have heard many fine
voices, but never one, l think, like
Mr.. Grost's. AS the passionate
beautiful words of The Message rang
out, l felt my very heart stirred
within me.
A great hush fell upon the room
as he finished. One could well be-
lieve such voice would "pass
through the golden gate" l saw
strange moved expression on Mr..
Hardynge's face, the quiet old bach
elor have mentioned before and
as for Miss Verinder, l did not like
to look at her; l knew there were
tears in the bright young eyes.
And after The Message, he gave
us For Ever and For Ever, and The |
Distant Shore. He would have
sung all night, l think, if the loud |
clang of the tea-bell had not SCUM :
ed out, bringing us all back to the
world around us.
He dropped his hands from the
keys quite startled.
"Oh it's only the tea-bell. Are
we expected to eat again But 1
have inflicted myself upon you"
81 could listen forever" said the
girl, with that soft, lovely light still
on her face.
l am foolish old woman, 1
know but | caught myself hoping
he was not too blind to see it.
"Miss Verinder, will you not let
me get you some tea ?" broke in the
Cambridge man, Mr.. Hoare, as l
found out his name was. He had
been watching the changes in the
girls face all through the singing.
Well, he was old enough to be
her father, and he was almost blind
and was grave and odd-looking be-
side, while she was the sweetest,
freshest bit of maiden-hood. Young
even for her twenty years. And yet
those two, Mr.. Grost and
Alice Verrinder, were drawn to each
other that very first night, l think.
Perhaps it was Jack, perhaps it was
.he music, or that the child's sweet
Somanly heart was moved to pity
or the lonely afflicted man. She was
20 watchful of him at meal times,
would try in her pretty way to in
crest him, to drive the shadows
rom his face; would pay him such
iweet Difference. He was always
luiet, always silent and reserved.
t did not seem to me he took much
lotice of what would have raised a
'oung man into the seventh heaven
IT happiness. l came on them one
morning out amongst the flowers '
le walking up and down slowly
nd carefully, as an almost blind :
nan does, she springing out in her q
oyous way, fresh as the morning !
tself, in dark-blue gown all ruffled
nth embroidery, wide hat shad- '
ng her sweet face, the sunlight on 5
he mass of crisp hair beneath.
hey said good-morning to each y
ther, and then she spoke to the e
og. Il
Between her two admirers, Miss b
'eringer ought to have acquired n
luch useful information during =,
nat sweet summer holiday. Young h
loare took possession of her at once h
heard her blithe laugh as she an o
yered some remark of his. They g