Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-02-22

stairs
Breakfast will be ready in about
seven minutes" said Aunt Jane, after
they had exchanged greetings. "arid
while you're waiting maybe you'd like
to step downto the barn and see how
your pony stood the journey. Johnny
saw the storm coming up, so he took an
early start and he got back with her all
safe and sound just as the first drops
were coming down. Cute little beast.
isn't she? Just step into nv rubbers
and take this umberel, and the walk
from the kitchen door takes you right to
the barn. The dog s there, too; he takes
TO Johnny, already, as it he belonged to
him."
1T was ever so kind Of Johnny-of
Mr.. Lamberton," said Miss Fleming
obediently stepping into the rubbers. :
cob, Johnny is Arrays kind" said
Aunt Jane with proud smile.
Miss Fleming found Johnny brushing
some last specs OF dust from Zephyr's
sleek coat. f
How good of you to think to do this.
Mr. Lamberton | feel very much in
debted to you, ''-said Miss Fleming, lay
ing her cheek against the ~pony's nose
and receiving a little whinny of well
come.
eff can hear your violin, by and by,
[ shall be well repaid answered
Johnny boldly from the other side of
the pony. ~.
ooh, indeed you shall hear it-until
you are tired of it, I'm afraid, for I've
taken but a few lessons and am only a
| torturing amateur. It is a sort of rest
| for me, however" and Miss Fleming
sighed little.
eff / were your father / wouldn't let
you study SO hard, }" said Johnny, stoop-
| ing to look at nothing whatever ON the
pony's hoof
cit is not my fathers fault have no
| father-nor mother" answered Miss
Fleming gently. "IfI've studied little
too constantly, I've only myself to thank.
But do so want to be great physi-
cian."
"What-a little girl like you? You
can't be more than fifteen orsixteen,"
said Johnny forgetting his bashfulness
in lis establishment.
Dear me SO many people make that
mistake. Why, / shall be twenty next
August, and if l live shall grow older
she added with merry laugh.
And I'm going on tWentv-three,
said Johnny as if this information was
something to the point he laughed,
too, and somehow did not feel afraid Of
Miss Fleming any more.
After breakfast, as the rain still con-
tinued and outdoor work was impossible,
Miss Fleming said she would bring
down her violin and discharge her debt
if Mr.. Lamberton was ready to listen.
Miss Fleming could play, aside from
her exercises, few simple airs. She
played accurately, and her. violin was
evidently capable of the sweetest and
,aI, I'll L II L i
the instrument. How far beyond his
own it was in beauty and power
Suddenly Miss Fleming turned to him
Perhaps you play she half .ques-
toned.
"a little" answered Johnny modestly.
''Try this" she said. eagerly extend
ing to him the violin. "My Uncle
bought it in London, and it is said to be
an uncommonly good instrument"
Johnny had fingered a violin ever
since he was six years old. He had
gained some knowledge of notes at
the village school. Occasionally he had
treated himself to a batch Of sheet
music. So he was not quite at loss for
something good enough for even Miss
Fleming to hear. In his delight over
the sweet rich qualities of the violin be
forgot, after few moments that anyone
was listening to him, and SO played all
the better.
At the conclusion of his selection Miss
Fleming clapped her hands, and there
were tears in her eyes. You play bet
ter than my teacher does. Let me take
lessons of you ~ she exclaimed impul-
sively.
"Of me! !" said Johnny, and the very
tips Of his ears grew red.
III.
Aunt Jane, who dearly loved to talk
to every body and 10 draw out from them
their inner lives, was not long in making
the acquaintance of Miss Flemngs
maid, who, it quickly turned out, was
not Miss Jennings maid in the least, but
an overworked dressmaker brought out
to the country by the kind-hearted
young woman tor few weeks Of rest.
Last summer" Miss Brown went on
to explain in a confidential undertone,
as she and Aunt Jane were socially
SHILLING peas on the back porch, "last
summer it was a poor little lame girl she
took with her-up near the White Noun
tains, it was-and the summer before
that young lady who was studying with
her at school and hadn't much money
This summer it's me-bless her heart !
and | feel five years younger already
But don't let her know that you know
She thinks I'll feel better, coming with
her as maid, as if / were paying my
way, don't you see? Rich ?-Oh, yes,
rich compared with poor lolks-about
eighty thousand, or soft she don't give
it all away. Does just what she pleases,
always. But such sense Her uncle
says she has better head than he has,
any day, and thinks she ought to be has
guardian-'stead of it being the other
way about"
Of course Aunt Jane promised never
to disclose the little ruse regarding the
maid but that xery night she button
holed Johnny as he was going off to bed
and told him the facts Of the case. And
Johnny in his own mind was not the
least surprised. All sorts of angelic
deeds might originate in such girl.
All, you lovers OF misunderstandin
and disappointment and heart break,
you shall find nothing to your liking in
this simple tale! That two young people
like these have so brokeniv described,
should come to love each other, is as
natural thing as the descent of water
when its way leads down an inclined