The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1888-05-08
NMlSS PirOtlD

ssMlss Protp, il .,
Miss Plrot started visably, then
walked over quickly to her place, with
ever before needed a summons to}dutyp
No one appeared TO notice Her m embar.
rassment. for all eyes were hoWliixed
on the open book, and Miss Crumm' IS
strong fingers were pressing the keys.
"Of course shall be glad when dear
old Brandes is WE'LL, enough /, to come
backsagain,Sb [ shall awfully hate to
lose What's-his s-namepn Miss Crumm
was observing, leaning on Miss Plrot's
arm, as they came down the choir
steps one lovely Sunday morning, hav-
Ing sung themselves into heaven 70. q
while on Haydn's exquisite strains.
sWayzel+--WetzelP how do you pro-
nOunce itP His first name is Gustave
ISN'T 1t prettyp and such voicel
Dear me, / grudge to let him gol Don It
your"
s.Yes.n $, t
ssDo you know, think he has rather
struggle to get along. Musicians
usually have;s but, then, being a single
man, he ought to be able, to manaye.n
Are you. sure he isaW single: MANI"
Miss Pirot5asked, in an airy tOpe.
s'k'Oh, yes. HaAt least,T of course, IAdid
not ask him point blank, but 1 said to
him, jokingly, that If he intended to
advance in music, it was lucky he had
no wife to bold him back; and he said /,
Yes, it WAS lucky.' oh, The must be
single; but then. he is very young. He
is only 24.' /. a. Y Sg.
Marie sighed, But said nothing. size
was %, with heart that had Just
learned to throb like the heart Of IS.
.s The scale of fortune, we are told, Is
often turned by & feather, and this pro-
position was very forcihly demonstrated
for Marie Pirot, one windy autumn
evening. not long afterwards, as the
little 'choir-group came into the street
together. She was walking with Lucy
Crumm, as usual, and behind them,
arm. in-arm, came the bass and tenor
miss Roberts, the alto, had said good
night and gone off in tile opposite
direction with her little brother); Miss
Piroo was listening with her ears to the
voice beside her, and with her soul to
the voice behind her, when suddenly
away on the wings OF the wind went
her long brown feather, wrenched from
Its 'fastenings on her iaunty hat; away
away, careering and whirllng out Of
~ like a living creature that had
fon. :. ali at once the freedom of its
wings. Marie uttered little half
laughing Cry, and started op the chase,
but the tenor darted by her like a.
flash, and soon distanced her, as the
feather distanced him. Marie did not
slacken her pace, however, and as a
result, when the feather was. at, last
captured, they found themselves face
to face, laughing breathless, under a
street-lamp, and more than block
ahead of Mr. Aiken and Miss Crumm.
What more natural than that they
should walk Oh together. slowly, or.
that Mr.. Wetzel, seeing her out of
breath from his late exercise, should
offer, her his armp. There seemed no
valid reason why they should dissolve
this pleasant companionship when the
other two caught up with them; and
from this time, instead Of putting the
ladies' in the street car at Twenty
third street, Mr.. Aiken walked with
Miss Crumm to her home in Twenty
fifth street, and Mr.. WetZel walked
all the way across town with Marie
Pirot.
1t was wretched night; the rain
fell in torrents, a chilly wind was blow
ing, the streets were wet and dismal,
and Marie Pirot was walking under an
umbrella with GGstave Wetzel and
cllnging fondly to his arm. The rain
was binding her somewhat, but her
tears were binding her still more
furtive, bitter tears, such as women
nftpn ~ a
The crowded street cars passed them
every minute or two, but Maize had
refused to ride. I his was the last time
they would ever walk togetl1er-the
last OF many, many times. She could
not afford to shorten these few sad
moments Of parting and farewell. He
had come to the choir that evening
only to tell them that he had been sud-
denly called back to Germany and must
sail in the morning; but he had staid
and sang over with Marie some Of the
old duets, and now they were walking
home together, slowly, through all the
storm, by the way they had learned to
know so we'll. y.w ,t..s>
( at first few words were spoken be-
tween them. Marie felt only the un-
reasoning love, the delight of contact,
the bliss of this dual solitude, encircled
by rain and storm and darkness. To
her it mattered little what they said or
where they went, SO that they were to-
gether; and tomorrow was pushed as
far from her horizon as if it were
twenty years away. But all the truth
came back on her like a shock when
Gustave's voice said:
II must thank you. Miss Pirot. for
the kindness you have given to me
always-to Inc, a stranger; shall often
think Of your lovely voice when l am
far away.'
owe have indeed had pleasant
times,' she answered. bravely and
clearly, after moments panse. "But
why need you go if you have BEEN
hannX. =hern? A IL u0n--unn haua not