The Washington critic., 1886-06-05
WASHINGTON CRITIC
WASHINGTON, JUNE 5, 1886.
TH0MpSON'S HOUSE.

One very hot summer, Thompson,
my old school.fricnd, offered to lend
me his house for month. Circum-
stanccs-more plainly--my means
would not allow me to go abroad, |
dislike the seaside. and never go there
for pleasure, so I gladly accepted his
offer, and, leaving my hot and dusty
rooms and Office to my landlady's
mercy, went down to the quiet old
cathedral town for month of country
air.
Thompson house stands in the
Close, at some little distance from the
dwellings inhabited by Canons and
Dean, in those sedate precincts.
1t 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 beautiful, old
fashioned garden at the back, and on
the first day after my arrival / did
nothing, / fear, but wander up and
down the shady lawn, aud give myself
up to the pleasure of having absolutely
nothing which must be done in that
day.
But the next morning, after break.
fast, started on long expedition In
search of Interesting church archi-
lecture, in which / knew the neighbor-
hood was rich, and about which am
an nlhusiast--natural, perhaps, as
am an architect. But mine is not only
professional Interest," in any case |
must have felt the charm of the old
"records Of the past contained in
Early English, Decorated and Perpen-
dicular arches and pillars, for those to
whom these words are more than
names.
On my return that evening found
Thompson's good housekeeper-he is
not married--rather anxious at my late
hours, and excited at the arrival Of
new tenants next door. They had been
expected apparently for some days,
and Mrs. Morse was most anxious that
they should prove as quiet and inoffen-
sive as the last tenant, deaf and par
alytic old lady, "who never annoyed
master nor me in the least, and she was
there before Icame--fourtecn years ago
last May, that Is"
All this and much more of her fears
and anxieies lest the new neighbors
should give noisy parties and keep late
hours, 'as they did next where | lived
last, which was why | left sir. for
their noise was dreadful" Mrs. Morse
told me, as she held in her hand th
toast she had brought in for my tea
and which, in her abstraction, she for
got 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 l remember that had heard
piano the night before, rs | sat and
smoked, apparently played next door
I accounted for it by imagining that
some one must have arrived there
sooner than Mrs. Morse knew.
She told me the next morning that
the new neighbors were only young
lady and her aunt, and on hearing this
most successfully calmed her fears OF
the night before.
During the next week spent most OF
my days in sketching an early English
church near, which l had discovered
with great pleasure, and in the evening
smoked many pipe while listening to
the piano next door. Generally, am
unreasonably irritated when l am
obliged to listen to other people
pianos against my will; there is some.
thing very trying in being obliged tc
submit, without remonstrance, to hear
whatever they may be moved to play
or-worse still--practice.
But this was different. 1t was, l
thought, a woman's touch, and she
played well-chiefly old airs and So
natas of Corelli. / am very fond OF
the old musicians, and there was ir
this playing of them something very
gentle and soothing.
One evening, at the end of that week
/ found, on coming in, note, which
opened and read in great surprise:
"NIiss Ethel Mayne would be very
greatly obliged If Mr.. Wyndham would
not allow his piano to be used at sc
late an hour. Miss Mayne asks thi:
for the sake of her aunt, an invalid
who is greatly disturbed by it,"
/ read this note over and over again,
each time with more amazement How
could l explain, without seeming rude
or brusquc, that not only had l never
played during my stay here, but that
the house did not even contain piano
Thompson is not in the least musical
The more l thought of it the stranger
IL uppcuTcu' Onc tuiuS WIS CcItuiu-
the piano which disturbed them mus
be the same as that to which listened
on SO many evenings. At last decided
to call next morning, and explain bet
ter than note could that l was not tC
blame. / did SO, and was shown into
drawing room wearing the uncom
Portable look common to newly ar
ranged rooms, before they have had
time to receive any marks of the own
er's characteristics.
In few moments the door opened
n TALL girl, with dark hair and swee
face, came in. She bowed rs | rose
and said:
"Mr. Wyndham, I believe? l imagine
you have called in answer to my note
! am sure you will accede to my re
quest. My aunt is only now recover
ing from long illness, and the piano
keeps her awake at night"
II would, of course, instantly dis
continue it," said l, 'if it were in my
power; but came to explain that
have played nothing since my coming
here; indeed, my friend has no piano
in fact, Miss Mayne, have thought
was listening to your playing ever.
night, for have heard what must b,
the same piano.
Miss Mayne looked incredulous n
first, then utterly amazed.
81 do not understand" she said
"Can II be that we are near enough t,
hear this from any other houseY' Sh,
rose and went to the window. "No, /
is impossible" as the window. from
which we could see some distance
showed the nearest house to he sepnr
ated from us by the garden and stree
which ran at the bottom of it, besid,
the whole length of another garden anC
rambling old orchard.
ut is impossible" said, feeling a