The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-11-18
A BOARDING HOUSE ROMANCE


seen. She was so tall so slim, so round.
with such fair, frank brow, such shining
brown eyes, almost startlingly dark, with
her bright hair and fair complexion; such a
sweet mouth, such dimples. my heart
seemd to 90 out to her at once. And she
was so charmed with everything, so full of
bright chatter,
Her mother was great contrast; she was
little, plaintive, aggrieved-looking person
one OF those people who, think, take a
kind of pleasure in being unhappy.
And there was an odd-ooking mana
very od6-looking man somehow-tall and
largely made with rugged. fair face, very
wide open blue eyes, and fine head, held
very high. Somehow he was not like the
usual run of our visitors, and, strangest of
all, he brought in dog with him-a hand
some pug, if any pug can be called hand
sOme-who preceded his master up the room,
his wrinkled nose shifting the air and his
crooked eyes looking in every corner.
l looked at my pretty girl. Her face was
all dimpled and flushed.
"The dear old doggie. Do let me hold
him for q little while; | am 30 fond OF
dogs
Her mother moved uneasily and protested
feebly-
Alice dear
The stranger turned and looked at her
Thank YOU so much, he said. "Do you
really like dogs? Most ladies are afraid of
Jack"
''Some day, some day, some day, we shall
meet, Miss Nerinder sang. remember Just
how she looked: 1 could nOt wonder at the
passionate admiration in the young mems
eyes. Old woman as | was, found her a
pleasant sight.
"A sweet voice and sweet face" said
some one beside me. 1t was our neighbor
at dinner He had come softly across the
room, holding his dogs leash. He stood
moment by me, and then he sat down be-
hind the piano. took his dog on his lap, and
threw back his great head. listening with
evident enjoyment to the music. / thought
again what q strengthening man he was.
Miss Nerinder finished her song and turned
round with all the pretty light on Der face.
He crossed over then and thanked her,
while the young men looked rather super
ciliouSly at him.
Il felt sure you had singing face" he
said. "Are you well off for music here?"
mot very" she told him, and then she
asked if he played.
Yes" he said; 1T is almost the only So
lace | have" He paused moment and then
went on in such low, hopeless kind OF voice,
II am almost blind"
''Ohl ] am so sorry"
Poor man, l thought it ought to be a
. kind OF compensation to the sweet ten
derneSs of the bright young face, to hear
the soft pity of her voice. He said some
thing-I did not catch what it was-and then
sat down to the piano.
Play. / should think he did play. Never
had there been such music brought out of
our piano. A great hush fell upon the
room. Even those who did not care for mu-
sic for its own sake were silent from aston
ishment.
As for Mr.. Gorst himself. the music
seemed 10 transform him. He shook back
his hair, and his grave plain face frightened
up.
Jack sitting at his feet kept his eyes
steadily Ixed upon him. as ii he under TODD
ii ali; and as for Miss NerInder, 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 Cos
sip in the house-to me. "Not a gentleman,
decidedly; actor, j should think: profess
sional, certainly. Dreadful hirt that girl is,
to be sure. DO you admire her? No, surely
not"
held up my hand to silence her. l did
not like Mrs. Colquhoun. / knew her mis-
ALTERNATING tongue of old, and had
caught a flash from Alice Nerinder's soft
eyes.
Mr.. Gorst was going to sing for us. As he
played the first bars of The Message, Jack
gave kind of strangled howl.
He is wonderfully fond of singing" his
master explained with pride.
Clearly, / thought, he was a thorough old
bachelor and his dog was wife and child to
| him.
Well. | have heard many fine voices, but
never one, / think. like Mr.. Gorst's. As the
ma of
rang out, | felt my very heart stirred within
me.
A great hush fell upon the room as he
| finished. One could well believe such a
| voice would pass through the golden gate. y
| | Jaw strange moved expression on Mr..
l HardyDges face, the quiet old bachelor
have mentioned before; and as for Miss Yer.
1 Under did not like 10 look al her; knew
| that there were tears in her bright youne
| eyes.
And after "The Message, - he gave us "FOl
4 Ever and For Ever" and 1.-The Distant
| Shore" He would have sung all night, ]
| think, II the loud clang OF the tea-bell had
not sounded out. bringing us all back to the
| world around
He dropped his hands from the keys quite
startled.
''Oh. it's only the tea-beu Are we ex
| pected TO eat again? Bit / have inflicted
| myself upon you
/ tOuiu cdiQ lHt rlTl, VIII
that soft lovely light still on her face.
/ am foolish old woman. know but
caught myself hoping he was not too blinC
| TO see IL.
Miss Verinder, will you not let me ge
| you some tea" broke in the Cambridge man
Mr.. Hoare, as l found out his name was. HI
| bad been watching the changes in the girli
face all through the singing.
| Well. be was old enough to be her father
| and he was almost blind, and was grave anC
| odd-looking besides. while she was the sweet
est. freshest bitOf womanhood. Young ever
| for her twenty years. And yet somehow
| those TWO. Mr.. GOrst and Alice Verinder
were drawn to each other other from tina
very first night, | think. Perhaps it wa
| Jack. perhaps il was the music or that child
sweet womanly heart was moved TO pity th'
| lonely afflicted man. She was so watchfu
| OF him at meal times, would try in her pref
ty way to interest him, to drive the shadow
from his face; would pay him such swee
Difference. He was always quiet Away
silent and reserved. 1t did not seem to m