Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-08-11
door opened and a lady entered hold.

pISSuIAo SOA SSA1AS w SSS AAS
about the piano." she said.
Tom was tolerably self-possessed
man, but he felt at a disadvantage
now. The speaker was the prettiest
woman he had ever seen in his life.
She was young-not more than twen-
ty.two or three, tall, with an elegant
figure; she had wonderful mass OF
red gold hair piled up in some bewil-
dering, fascinating fashion; her fea-
lures were wonderfully sweet and reg.
ular, and her sorrowful blue eyes, hall
bold. wholly shy, went straight to
TOMS heart and enslaved him on the
spot. He was very sensitive, feel
ing kind OF a fellow, and when he
noted the black dress and tiny white
cap perched upon the golden, wavy
hair, Tom felt that he could do any
anything for her, or die happy in the
attempt.
at is OF no consequence" he STAN
mered, unconsciously paraphrasing
Mr.. Toots. II did come over to see
the instrument, which thought Of
purchasing if it-that is"
"If it is satisfactory" the lady
said, with smile, and concluding the
speech Tom deemed it almost heresy
to utter. "It is there as you see.
You are, no doubt, good Judge, and
in that case the piano speaks for it.
SELF"
1t did, and pretty loudly, too, as
any connoisseur OF the popular form
OF harmonial torture would have
readily testified. 1t was suspciously
new, the varnish was bright and OBJ
truslve. There was also some little
difficulty in raising the lid, and when
Tom did clumsily run his hand over
the keys, even he-ignorant OF music
as he was-felt startled at the metallic
demon he had aroused.
ut is great bargain the lady re-
marked, land, as you see, almost
new"
Tom did see, and FASTENED eagerly
to pay a fitting tribute to its youth,
which apparently was the only virtue
it possessed. And yet the soft-heart-
ed fellow, with those pathetic blue
eyes turned upon him, could not steel
himself to pronounce the fat which
his common sense dictated.
II will not decide now" he hesitat-
ted, man-like. "You see, am not
buying it for myself, but for lady
my sister-and l should like her to see
it first. If there is no objection l will
call again tomorrow afternoon"
My-my husband chose that in
strument, and he was a weil-known
musician the lady said, almost
timidly; "indeed, did not circum-
stances compel me l would not part
with it now; but l am not so well
off as"
She turned away abruptly, so sud-
denly that for a moment Tom was
conscious of an idotic desire to take
her in his arms and comfort her.
Yet usually he was keen hand at
reading character, and some inward
monitor warned him even now that
the pretty, child-like widow was
only acting part. But we are only
and Tom knew too we'll
what poverty was not to feel for the
others who suffer from it's blighting in
auence.
II am very sorry-Mrs. Kerr, I
think you said?-but cannot decide
now" he said, almost humbly.
II will bring my sister to-mor-
row.
Maggie listened with interest to the
story OF the interview, but, sister
like, she by no means liked Toms
encomiums concerning the widowed
Iossessor of the instrument chosen
by a weIl-known musician.
81 declare you are quite in love with
ner," she said, half jealousy. at
would be romance if you went to
buy piano and found wife in
Natural enough, too," Tom re-
piled. why shouldn't l marry? l
should not be de trop then when Ned
Hartley comes of an evening""
1t was Maggie's turn to look confus-
ID now Ned Hartley aforesaid,
great chum OF Toms, and dashing
young journalist OF some repute, Ger
tainly spent deal OF time in MagCies
company, to Toms secret gratitica-
ton, for Ned was good fellow and
we'll able to afford the luxury OF wife.
1--WE will 60 and see the lady," she
said. ~ can't trust you alone again"
Tom assente1, although not with
out certain misgivings. Being, like
most OF the craft, of a sentimental,
emotional nature, he did not care to
bring his divinity under the cold,
practical eye even of his own sister,
and as she sat awaiting the arrival OF
the disconsolate widow, and coolly
criticising the unfortunate piano,
Tom began to scent something like
trouble in the future.
my dear, the thing is regular take
in," she said decidedly. ANY one
but you would have known that half
those advertisements were mere
dodges'-
"Not forgetting that you advised
the dodge to be tried" Tom retorted.
Any further conversation was ter
minated by the entrance Of Mrs. Kerr,
who stood in the doorway looking
from one to the other. A stray ray
of sunshine touched her lovely hair
and sweet pathetic face so soft that
even Maggie, the practical, was fain