Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-06-04
THOMPSON'S HOUSE.
BIZ -ALGERNON.

BIZ ALGERNON.
One very hot summer, Thompson,
my old school friend, offered to lend
me his house for month. Circum-
stances-more plainly, my means
would not allow me to go abroad, l dis
like the seaside, and never go there for
pleasure, so gladly, accepted his offer,
and, leaving my hot and dusty rooms
and Office TO my landlady's mercy, I
went down to the quiet old cathedral
town FOR a month of country air.
Thompson's house stands in the
Close, at some little distance from the
dwellings inhabited by Canons and
Dean, in those sedate precincts.
It is very old, and was evidently built
as one large house, but for many years
it has been divided. Thompson lets the
other half. His own part has the larger
half Of a beautiful, old fashioned garden
at the back, and on the first day after
my arrival, l did nothing, I fear, but
wander up and down the shady lawn,
and give myself up to the pleasure Of
having absolutely nothing which must
be done in that day.
But the next morning after breakfast,
I started on n long expedition in search
of interesting church architecture, in
which l knew the neighborhood was
rich, and about which am an enthusi-
ast-natur>,l, perhaps, as am an archi-
tect. But mine is not only professional
interest; in any case I must have felt
the charm of the old records of the
past contained in Early English,
Decorated, and Perpendicular arches
and pillars, for those to whom these
words are more than names.
On my return that evening found
Thompson good housekoepcr--he is
not married-~rathera anxious at my late
hours, and excited at the arrival of new
tenant next door. They had been ex-
pected apparently for some days. and
Mrs. Morse was most anxious that they
should prove rs quiet and ino1fensive as
the last tenant, a deaf and paralytic old
lady, who never annoyed master nor
me in the least, and she was there be-
fore l came-fourtccn years last May,
that is.
All this and much more of her fears
and anxietics lest the new neighbors
should give noisy parties and keep late
hours, "as they did next door where l
lived last, which was why l left, sir,
for their noise was dreadful" Mrs.
Morse told me, as she held in her hand
the toast which she had brought in for
my tea. and which, in her abstraction,
she forgot to set down.
Not until she had at last shut the
door after her good natured gossip,
and / had found the toast decidedly
cold, did | remember that had heard
piano the nj ght before, as / sat and
smoked, apparently played next door.
l accounted for it by imagining that
some one must have arrived there
sooner than Mrs. Morse knew.
She told me next morning that the
new neighbors were only young lady
and her aunt, and on hearing this !
most successfully Gained her fears Of
the night before.
During the next week I spent most
of my days sketching an early church
near, which l had discovered with
great pleasures; and in the evenings
smoked many pipe while listening te
the piano next door. Generally, an
unreasonably irritated when an
obliged to listen to other peoples pianos
against my will; there is something very
trying in being obliged to submit, with
out remonstrance, to hear whatever
they may be moved to play, or-worst
still-practice.
But this was different It was,
thought, woman's touch, and sh'
played well-chiehy old airs and son
atlas of Corelli. I am very fond of thu
old musicians, and there was IN thi
playing of them something very gentl,
and soothing. ~ :S..5a
One evening, at the end Of that week
found, on coming in, note. which
opened and read in great surprlse;
Miss Ethel Wayne would be yer.
greatly obliged if Mr.. Wyndham woul'
not allow his piano to be used at so lat
an hour. Miss Mayne asks this for tn
sake of her aunt, an invalid, who i
greatly disturbed by it. y 4. y
/ read this note over and over again
each time with more amazement. How
conlu i explain without seeming iuu
d. and brusque. that not only had ! neve
played during my stay here, but tina
the house did not even contain = piano
Thompson is not in the least musical
The more I thought of it the strange
it appeared. One thing was certain
the piano which disturbed them mus
be the same as that to which ] shal
listened on so many evenings. At las
i decided to call the next morning, an
explain better than . note could that.
was not to blame. / did 50, about !
o'clock next day. and was shown into
drawing room wearing the uncomfort
q able look common to neWly-arrange
rooms. before they had time to receiv
any marks 81 the owners character
istics. u ,f s3-ss
u ! few moments the door opened