River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-10-07


me to play something to set things
I going. | obey and notice with salts.
4 faction that my efforts are attended
with complete success: for the CONVEX
| satiOn. at best busy buzz. rises soon
/ 10 full power, and an occasional pause
I in a fortissimo passage breaks off
strong threads of talk with resound-
/ ing twang. TO the dismay of the sur.
I prised takers. / resume my place on
I the large sofa, and relapse into sOli-
\ tude. People approach close, but none
/ speak to me. / thrill with expectancy
/ at the sweep of light skirts, but they
1 pass to aud fro, and make no stay.
( My services are called into requisilior
| for several accomplishments. and ID
seems to NE that the evening is slip
\ ping away at a great pace, and, so far
/ as my interests are concerned, in vain.
/ At last, at the conclusion of thun-
1 derous performance upon the aggrieyed
| piano. | am conscious of some one sit
ting down beside rue. and the voice l
have been expecting TO hear sounds at
/ last
How do you do. Mr.. CoplestoneP"
and the hand which instilctively raise
is taken in firm and emphatic grasp.
Il began to think you were not COM
/ ing. Miss Beaufoy, and that the fruits
of Our practising would be wasted. "
we are late" she said. MY faith
I er wished Us to wait for him, but he
was 50 late have come without him,
! after all. "
This was rather disappointing to me,
as was anxious to have the scheme
| she had preached set upon a firmer
/ footing.
lis Miss Fortescue here?'' L asked.
MARY" she said, there is Mr..
Coplestone, whom you net the other
day.
found. or imagined that Miss Fort
escue had been standing close by. She
I spoke IN her sweet subdued voice, and
\ begged that she would find a place
beside me.
Have You thought any more of the
/ plan of taking music-lossons?' l
| asked.
Il should like it very much.' sho
/ begar rather heSitatingly, rs if unac-
customed to be consulted in matters
concerning herself.
/ .'Oh, we have not forgotten" broke
I in her cousin in 4 tone from which all
1 the charm seemed to have departed.
/ Then. having apparently asserted Miss
/ Fortescue out OF the conversation, she
proceeded in different tone:
/ II have spoken to my father about it,
and he sees no objection at all. He
means to talk to YOU about it tonight.
At this juucturc she was called upon
Y 10 sing. and when the song was over
/ she was engaged in conversation by
some strangers, and | resumed my
place on the sofa.
Are YOU here still. Miss Fortescue?"
1 asked.
/ She was began to think that where
/ she WAS once placed she was i'm the habit
of remaining had air ady formed q
distinct and pleasant picture of her.
I As she made no effort to begin a con-
versation. | was constrained to fall
/ back upon the proposed music-lcssous.
I She stood thawed, and we conversed
with some freedom. She seemed eX-
/ tremely simple. and even childish in
! some respects. but could not form any
clear idea of her age.
Il suppose you 60 out good deal?'
/ | haz3rded.
"No, not much; don't care much
\ about it. My cousin used to 90 out
I good deal more. and then sometimes
I went with her, but now she doesn't
/ care about it."
DO you live at your uncle'sP" 1
asked.
Yes" she answered, and seemed to
/ be going to say more. but checked her
self She was evidently constrained,
/ and from what | heard of the imperial
I Beaufoy's manner to her, | imagined
\ that her life was not exactly a very
/ happy one.
You are fond of music?" l asked.
''Oh yesr' she said with an approach
I to feTvor.
''Then you will find regularly study
| ing il a great interest"
I'm sure | shall. 1 almost fear it
/ won't come true she said naively. and
| then laughed an embarrassed little
1 laugh.
Here comes my cousin" she said in
much less friendly tone than she had
used during most of our little chat.
''Is Ar. Beaufoy there?"
Yes: he is coming here too.n
mir. Coplestone. said the voice of
| Mss BeaufOy. "here Is my father"
/ rose, and bowed to darkness in his
/ presumable direction.
'Mr. Coplestone." said very hard.
/ dry voice, crisp and precise, my
daughter has spoken to me about your
musical abilities. / should like to have
1 d little conversation with YOU.
A movement was being made for re-
| freshments, so Mr.. Beaufoy suggested
/ that we should remain where we were.
/ We remained accordingly.
IF you come," he said incisively,
''these are my requirements. You will
| give lessons to my niece, and help my
| daughter in her music. You will be
able to give me considerable assistance
I in scientific pursuits in which | am in
/ terested. You will live as one of the
I family. We are very quiet family; 1
/ do not approve of much going out, and
/ l have a very strong objection to tattle
and gossip. / will pay you for your
/ services 8l00 year. You will see
me before we 90. and then you can
! give me your answer"
/ With this he turned, and walked
away with a firm and creaking tread
/ down the room.
| stood in n maze for minute.
/ Whatever conditions had been offered,
/ believe l should have accepted them,
so delightful was the idea of once more
/ becoming a factor in the world. But |
l had not thought for a moment Of the
/ possibility of being paid for my ser
1 vices. fl00 a year seemed a magnid-
/ cent prospect. Out of that / could
make some small return to st. Barti-
meus s. True, Mr.. Beauf0v struck me,
as far | could judge. as being one of
/ the hardest of men; but in my exulta-
ton, was prepared to face hosts of
| hard men | clapped my hands to-
/ gether in the now silent room, and
| exclaimed:
splendid. splendidr'
/ was thinking 0: my prospects.
| "YOu will come, then?r said soft
1 voice close to me.
1t was Mary Fortescue. felt some
I what ashamed.
Il !. L