The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-07-15

ZggeSNgMNESS hesitated. 1t was
1BTM2//>>(N%$So' very nice, from the
SV0 WV W. neat little drawing
room, simply but elegantly furnished,
right away to the kitchen, where every.
thing shone again. And Tom had got
everything together in eighteen months,
too, when the luck had changed and his
writing MI mt once got to be appreciated.
But, rs Maggie put it, there was one
trifling drawback, consisting Of an al
cove in the drawing room which would
never-no, never look complete without
piano.
"And a piano you shall have" Tom
said, looking up heartily from the break
fast bacon. al had good slice of luck
last week which | never expected. You
remember that long love story | wrote
three years ngo, and which have sent
to pretty well every magazine in Lon.
don. Well, Ned Hartley advised me to
send it to The Woman's Companion,
where it was accepted. They paid mo
EDS for it,uot quite half u crown pngc,
but it's better than nothing. Don't You
think could get n decent instrument
for the money"
Maggie smiled pleasantly. She was
extremely fond of music aud, bciuu a
managing little soul, equally fond of n
bargain. 1t would be far better, she
said, sapiently, for Tom to- keep his eyes
open than to 80 direct to maker, by
which he ight save at least Gl0 of hi,
hard Learned money.
"ThcIr are lots OF thcm advertised
al uI., t,h
the paper and will show you what
mean. Now listen to this one"
TOR SALE A bargain; magnificent
n piano hy well known maker; upright
grand, ovcrstrung, double check action
soft pedal, steel frame, full compass tri-
chord throughout; the propsrty of a lady
going abroad; cost E75 but a few months
ago; will sacrifice for E25. Apply "Bcc-
thoven,' lA Gunnersbury ruul, Green.
thorpe Park, Hampstead, or personally any
day this week.
Tom nodded approvingly. An nstru,
ment costing but few months ago up,
ward OF "thrce. quarters of century"
to be disposed of for \ third of the
amount struck him as the very thing e
desired. 1t was little strange, though
AL outsider would have decided, that So
valuable property snouiu nave gone so
long begging, or that the lady Going
abroad did not get to see the folly "f al
vcltlsing regularly at the rate Of Il per
week.
81 tell you what it is," SAID Tom, ga,
Gunnersbury road is close III just walk
over there after dinner and interview
Mrs. Beethoven personally. II like
the look of the instrument you can come
over afterwards and try it,"
So it was arranged, and Tom retired to
his writing den, where for three solid
hours the anticipated purchase was for.
gotten. There was plenty of work now
for the young writer and journalist, who
Tor the last tive years had found it \ ter.
tible struggle to keep himself, aud lind
Maggie, who had until recently beon out
as a govcrness, with those tritling luXu.
ries which even the princely salary OF II
govcrncss does not afford. But the tide
had turned now, and although Tom
would never be great novelist or
brilliant csSayist, he earned comfort
able income, which by the end Of the
year promised to touch close upon four
figures. 1t seems lot Of money, but |
know more than ole of the quiet ones Of
whom tho general public have never
heard who are doing quite us well. II
Is SO easy to get living in literature if
you have the ability and know how to
set about it-especially know how to set
about il, which, perhaps, in the long
run is better than ability. But this
secret is only learnt 10y much grief and
pain and bitter disappointment.
so Tom finished his mornings work.
aud, after dining comfortably, walked
over to Gunncrsbury road, pleasant,
SEM. .gcntccl street, with little houses,
aii bearing strong family likeness to
each other and all striving to look as if
they were scmi-detaChed residences anu
not the occupants os Il common terrace.
No. l?5 was, perhaps, n little cleaner
and ncatcr than its ncighbors; the door
had been painted within recent memory.
lhere were extremely white curtains in
the windows, and neat little maid took
Toms card alter she had ushcrcl him
into tiny drawing room, the furniture
OF which struck him as being new and
cheap. But tawdry as his surroundings
were, Tom speedily forgot them as the
door opened and lady entered holding
his card in her hand
81 presume you come to see me about
the piano." she said
Tom was atolerably elf.possesscd man,
but ne felt at disadvantage now. The
speaker was the pretticst woman he had
ever seen in MS HE. Sne was young
not more than twcnt .wo or three, tall,
with an elegant figure, she had won.
derful mass of red gold hair piled up in
some bewilderiny, fascinating fashion
her features were wonderfully sweet and
regular, and her sorrowful blue eyes,
half bold, wholly shy, went straight to
Toms heart and enslaved HIM on the
spot. He was 9 very sensitive, feeling
> kind of fellow, and when he noted The
black dress and tiny white cap perched
upon the golden, wavy hair, Tom felt
that he could do anything for her, or
lie happy in the attempt.
cit is OF no consequence, he STAN.