The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-14

remember three Scotch ladies', for whom
my grandmother had great regard, who
were not part of our community. but'Who
used 10 pass through Paris and always
m 1de a certain stay. was very much afraid
of them, though interested az the same time
as girls are m unknown quantities. Ihey
were well connected and had estates ana
grand relations i'm the distance, though they
seemed ~ live as simply rs we did. one
winter 10 was announced that they mad
taken an apartment for few weeks. and
tn next morning was sent with note TO
one OF them by my grandmother lhey
were tall, thin ladies; two were widows,
one was "a spin-ter; of the three the unmar-
ried one frightened me most.
Ca thi, occasion. after reading the note,
one OF the widow ladies said o. the splnsier
Miss ", who had got her bonnet ON. "N hy,
YOU were iusi going 10 call ON Mrs. y. H..
were YOU not ; Why don't You take the
child back with you m the carriage = Il
must first 20 and see how be j, this morn
ing." said Miss y. somewhat anXlOusly,
and then | could take her home ot course.
Arethe things packed - \ servant came
ia carving a large basket with "a variety
Of bottles and Wand, and napkins. had
rot presence Of mind 10 run away as /
ioneed 10 do, and in minute J
found myself sitting In a little open Carl
age with the scotch lady. and the basket on
the opposite seat. thought her. If possible,
more terrible than eyer--he seemed grave,
preoccupied. She had long nose, thick
brown complexion. grayish sandy hair. and
was dressed in scaniy cloth shirts gray and
sandy. too. She spoke TO me, | believe. but
my heart was IN my mouth; hardly
dared even listen 10 what she said.
We drove alOng the Champs Elysces to-
ward the arch and then turned into side
street. and presently came t0 "a house at the
door of which the carriage stopped. The
lady got ont carefully, carrying her heavy
basket. and told me % follow, ana We began
to climb the shiny stairs-Oue, two flights,
think-thcn We rang at "A bell, and the
door was almost instantly opened. IL was
opened by a slight, delicate-loOking man
with long hair, bright eyes. and long,
hooked nose. When Miss y. saw him she
hastily put down her basket upon the floor,
caught both his hands in hers, began 10
shake them gently and 10 scOld him in an
afiectiOnater. eprONing way for having come
10 the door. lie laughed. said he guessed who
il was. and motiOned To her to enter, and /
followed at her sign with the basket-lOllow-
Cd into narrow little room, dining room or
passage. with no furniture in IL whatever
but an upright piano against the wall and
a few straw chairs standing on the wooden
shiny door. He made us sit down with
some courtesy, aud in reply To her questi, =
said he was pretty Well. Had he slepty lie
shook his head. Had he eaten. He shrugged
his shoulders. and tlen he pointed 10 the
piano. He had been COMPOSING something
remember that he spoke III an abript,
light sort Of way-wonld Miss y. like To
hear ity ''she would like To hear it, she
answered; ''of course. she would dearly
like TO hear it; but il would tire him 10 play
II could not be good for him." lie smiled
again. shook back his long hair, and sat
down Immediately; and then the music be-
gan aud the room was Illed with con-
tinuous sound. he looking over his shoulder
now and then 10 see il We were iikiu- n.
Aswe were coming down stair, she wlpe,l
her eyes again. BY thi, time had got Ia
love her, plain, tall, grim, Manufactured