The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-12-09
HENRY /. BIOSSAT, Business Manager.

embroidered tides on the sofa and
chairs; there were several tiny paint
ings-quite evidently the work of a
female amateur; and there was por-
trait of the deceased herself, draped in
Grape, and in one corner of the frame
stuck faded, dried bunch of flowers.
The picture showed q pretty young face,
whose dark eyes seemed to look upon
me with gentle, reproachful gaze. 1
began to feel q load settling down on
me and the heart within me grew
heavy L felt worse than an intruder
felt like a ruthless foe in this mourn.
ful home Of happiness that had BEEN
Just then my neighbours voice struck
my ear:
what can do for your
Mechanically, following but the inn
pulse that had brought me up there, /
told him of my trials and tribulations,
due to his incessant piano playing in
the evening. vs.,
'When had ended the man looked
at me with the expression of hunted
dog whose last refuge is about to be
taken from him. He nodded his head:
Yes, yes he said, with voice that
seemed full of unwept tears. I might
have known it. Somebody was sure to
object And as ] hastily interposed
some remarks intended to make my in
trusion less painful to him, this neigh
Dor of mine with the sad mien slowly
turned his face to the light SO that
could study the features furroweds by
sorrow, notice the hair on the temples
and how it began to wax thin and gray
despite his thirty five years =
"'You are quite right he mu1'-
INJURED. 4 know what good playing
means, for my wife-she played well
and I've often enough listened to her
to know. Not that she was per-
feet performer. She generally only
played simple tunes, those that speak
to and touch the heart. But she played
them so we'll and with so much feeling.
Il saw tear in the mans eye.) But
what am to do? You see, | am at the
bank all day long. (He is cashier in
it, When my work is over go home.
Often have / meant to go, to the thea.
ter or some concert, or to an en-
tertainment at the house. Of q friend
But cannot It is impossible These
rooms, the scene of our brief happiness,
draw me as with hooks of steel. / can
not resist And what should l do else.
where? The thought Of my poor wife
follows me everywhere. And here 4
see her. | feel her presence. And that
consoles me for her loss. That, too, has
driven me to the piano-her piano. i
know next to nothing OF music, it is
true. But when l sat down on her
stool for the first time and looked
through her sheets of music the ire
sistib1e desire came over me 10 try and
play her favorite pieces - those she
played SO well and which recall her
most vividlytto me-and Pve done it. l
play them. l learned how without a
teacher-insensibly, by degrees, just
trusting to my poor knowledge OF the
notes and to my memory. suppose-in
fact l know-it must sound horrible to
others, especially neighbors, this play
ing Of mine. Butt is such happiness
to me. see her again, gracefully
bending over the piano and nodding to
me, giving me one of her sweet glances.
And that is why l am playing at this
piano during my leisure hours in the
evening"
"There was silence in that room.
Then l rose, shook the hand of the
man whom had, an hour ago, wished
in hades, and stole away. And now
that is the queerest thing of all-his
playing no longer disturbs me at my
work. In fact, it inspires me. I sup.
pose part of the fancies that come
over him are shared by me, and shall
never disturb him again. .lE a.
WELL" said Simpson, who had a
suspicious moisture in his left, his
weak, eye, 'that shows that even the
piano is good for something. Let's 60"
l-Chicar0 Herald