New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-06
/ I.

The drawing-room was very hot and quite full
of ladies. The gas was lighted and threw DIigns y
lights and deep shadows on the DOnnetSu heauo vi
Mrs. Drayton's guests as they slpPeea Iiicir ~"
and chatted together Of amiabe nothlngs.
Major Brown had retreated TO secure corner s,
near the door, barricaded by screen ana q SOFA,
and from this point of vantage let his weary eye
wander aimlcssly over the crowd. 49,.
For some time he had been watching Netue as
she fitted about among the guests, supplying theIr
; o'clock wants. and seeing that they were grouped
in order suitable for the exchange OF Ihat slhaII
gossip so dear TO the hearts of ladies'. Every now
and again. he noticed with an amused inte[eS I'
she would spare a moment from these duties IN
which TO receive the strictly eccleslasucaI aCucn-
lions of her clerical admirer.
There had been music when had ceaScu' a al
conversation had rebegun with fresh vlgor i ne
Major had fallen into a brown study, from Wh l
he became conscious of waking suddenly with d
start as a strange harmony stole through tno
ROOM soft, yet piercing the babel OF voices -,
He glanced up and saw that a small man WIN
large head and great dark eyes looking OUT OF q
wan face, his shoulders so high as TO DE Almost
dsproportioned, sat at the piano, and beside nun
there stood tall young woman. Her face was
pale and smooth and singuarly beautiful, ana
looked in the glare of the gaslight, as though u
had been cut out of ivory, its whlteness 1orclply
contrasting with the dark hair that waved on eacn
side of il and with the straight lines OF dark eye
brow. Her eyes were cast down, ana as hlaIoa
Brown looked, wondering that he had not peloEo
noticed this strange couple, she put up her hanu,
and with most unconventional moVemeno
loosened and then removed the little velvet Doll
net she .
shudder seemed to run through the company az
the girls action. Then she began TO sing, ana
Major Brown forgot TO think of anything eSe,
forgot to look about him TO mock at the husheu
and faintly troubled audience. She had low,
round voice. which stole on his senses and TOOK
possession entire and absolute OF them, tIi she
had carried him far away to the land OF Whlch she
sang All knowledge Of where and what he was
forsook him. He became impersonal, and yet ne
breather the air Of that odorous land, the Drght
sun was sinking in the west ana b nG te ne
Kur with the red wine in his hand and great
passion in his heart and +" o! wenn eS doch INNER
so bhebe !" .,
She had stopped, and he looked up. dreamiE.
II was not surprising to him that he did not see
her What could she and her voice and her song
be but glimpse from the vlslo1-nnd OF the pos
sible? Two ladies on the sofa before him., how
ever, were discussing the singer as though she
were very real
Who's that grl?' asked the one.
oh, that's Miss Levison Her father was con-
verted jew. In trade and nobody, you know,
but he made great fortune and this girls an
heiress. They say she's going TO marry that
dreadful little man, her cousin. tie hasn't
penny but is very clever-and doesn't he play
beautifully? That's his mother in the velvet
cloak just saying 'goodby.,' They, have been try
ing Bournemouth for her health, but it does not
suit her and they are leaving immediately
Dear mel" interrupted the first speaker how
very intereStinG But Just look at the girl now!
How can she put on her bonnet again without
glass! / never saw such manners. Yes-dread-
fully Jewish looking and her style far too profes-
sional But have you heard the wonderful dis
covery which really quite establishes our claim to
being Anglo IsraeliteS? No? Well, the prophet
jeremiah married an Irish"
Major Brown felt that duty could require no
more of him and sill ntly absconded TO the smoking
room. Once safely within its sheltering solitude
he threw himself back into the basllet-chair, and
lighting his pipe tried to coniure up his vision
again through the curling wrea'hs of smoke.
And the clock licked and the wind whistled.
40! wenn es doch INNER SO bhebe.'