The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-09
THE MINUET.

near the window. mildly flirting over a
came Of patience. and crocheting, and
OCCASIONALLY looking over Richards shout
der at our house plans. which promised TO
be unwieldy enough for a state capitol by
the time they were fully elaborated.
"A cheerful group" said the doctor
coming In with a rush of chilly air, and,
stopping before the CRATE Inc lighted his
cigar with look Of great contentment.
1T makes me perfectly seasick to see
the sky so dark and those great trees
waving in the wind, said Cora. MIR.
IIeywood would you mind changing places
with me and letting me sit with my back
10 the window
But cannot see you 50 well.
But can see you SO much better
pleaso do--thank you very much. Mrs.
Ames. doesn't It give you n creepy feel to
hear the wind signing In the chimney
like thatt'
why. no; It only makes me feel how
coy VIC are here, said / L will tell
YOU what | do mind, though, Cora the
croalting Of those boards in the floor up
stairs"
1--WE will not have any creaky boards
when VIC ttA 0ki l.fn bOAoN OHAANg III
Iaurcd Richard. drcamily)
Yes. ! know. Just like ghosts foot
steps. SO much for the delights Of a
house in the country, said Cora.
Oh, como now, interposed Jack;
ghosts have no footsteps They glide
around, don't you know. in a perfectly
impossible oerio manner, and never were
known to make noise. You may have
seen ghost, but you never heard one. %
L have said the doctor. Unexpectedly.
Really? Oh, do tell us when" ex-
claimed Cora, looking up with wide open,
.,artled eyes.
Shall l? Do you want to hear the
story.' asked the doctor lie spoke TO as
all. but he looked at Matte. She smiled
Matte never wasted any words. but he
seemed quite satisfied and leaning
arainst corner Of the mantol he began
1t was when / was III Germany. five
years ago. had got through with my
hospital work in New York, and | went
abroad early in April, intending to stay
i'm Germany about six months. was al
most q stranger in 3, but for few
letters had 10 scientific men in the city,
and since know so little German deter
mined to live with German family for
time and cram the language. liked this
plan extremely, so far as tho German
itself was concerned but was not espe
tally charmed with the German fashion
oi sleeping between two feather beds
which my landlady instructed me were TO
be shaken up into the middle on cold
nights. and on warm nights to each side
I'D as 10 leave me nothing but the ticking
for covering | also had difficulty IN
procuring u generous supply OF towels,
and was still debating in my own mind
whether 10 stay or 60 leave when one Of
ms German acquaintance, very jolly
fellow by the name OF Albert, came To
me one day after lecture We had both
attended
My friend lie said for made him
talk English with me- what say you to
taking bachelor quarters with nae for a
month";
When. Albertif 1 a.ked. And then
he told me his plan Some friends OF his
named Hoffman, were going unexpectedly
20 one OF the baths. servant and all. and
being quiet people, no' much given To
iourneying, they were little anxious
about their house. and had asked Albertl
ID lie would hot occupy It, as II II were
lis own until their TctaTn. So lie pro
posed that we should room together and
dine where we liked do not know Why
he should have chosen Ile OF all his friends
10 room with him. but liked him, and !
caught eagerly at his proposal We settled
ourselves there the following week. II
was very old house and rather small
one. wedged IN between two more preten
tiOus Establishments Oh II quiet, pleasant
side street 1t was pre.tily and quantity
furnished, had modern upright piano
IL the parlor, and an antique porcelain
stove All the little knickknRcks had
been packed away. Aloerti said. for lie
had told his friends that he would not be
respon ible for anything breakable, 50 the
rooms had comfortable airy look which
man njoys We got our meals at
restaurant or cooked them ourselves. at
tended our lectures or concerts, studied
aud walked together. anu nothing unusual
happened until Albert came i'll one Friday
night saying
My friend, have t. 90 home to-mor-
row | hear my sister il sick. Shall you
mind being left alone night or twoy
Il assured him l should not mind it.
and helped him of the following day
1t was the next night, Sunday night,
that came home at q clock from long,
solitary stroll and sat down in my window
upstairs to smoke pipe 1t was beau
iiiul, moonlight evening, and the air was
very still Suddenly heard the tones OF
a piano and put my head out of the
window to listen but the sound did not
seem TO come from the street, but from
below me listened intently, but it had
ceased Presently 1t began again in the
same way, just note or two and then
over again 1t was Enthusiastically from
down stairs Next heard low chord,
followed Immediately by very sweet and
charming melody quite unfamiliar TO me:
1t seemed TO mo to be in minuet time. and
was played with the strictest precision
and delicacy but in an old fashioned style.
and with scarcely any use of the pedal.
Il had locked the house when | came
in. No one could have come IN since:
What, then, was playing down stairsY |
determined tn go down and see The
house was 50 f,tll Of moonlight that | did
not need candle to see my way. | de-
seconded the staircase, still hearing the
sweet. full tones of tho German piano,
and noiselessly throwing open tho parlor
door stood for q moment upon the thresh'
old