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

~sV ~ w neat little drawing
room, simply but elegantly furnished,
right away to the kitchen, where every.
thing shoue again. Aud Tom had got
everything together in eighteen months,
too, when the luck had changed and his
writing all at once got to be appreciated.
But, rs Maggie put it, there was one
triiiing drawback, consisting OF an al.
cove in the drawing room which would
never-no, never look complete without
piano.
"Apd piano you shall have" Tom
said, looking up heartily from the break
fast bacon. II had good slice of luck
last week which l never expected. You
remember that long love story l wrote
three years ago, 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 me
t3o for it,not quite half.a- crown a page,
but it's better than nothing. Don't you
think | could get a decent instrument
for the money!"
Maggie smiled pleasantly. She was
extremely fond of music aud, beiug a
managing little soul, equally fond of a
bargain. 1t would be far better, she
said, sapiently, for Tom to. keep his eyes
open than to go direct to a maker, by
which he might save at least tlO of his
hard-earned money.
"Thclc are lots Of them adveIt tised
every day" she observed. "Give me
the paper and will show you what ]
mean. Now listen to this one"
FOR SALE A bargain. magnificent
h piano. by a well known maker; upright
grand, overStrung, double check action
SOFT pedal, steel frame, full compass, tr-
chorh throughout; the property of a lady
going abroad; cost e75 but a few months
thoven,2 1914 Gunnersbury road, Green.
thorpe Park, Hampstead, or personally any
day this week
Tom nodded approvingly. An instru
ment costing but few months ago up
ward OF "three. quarters of century"
to be disposed of for third of the
amount struck him as the very thing lie
desired. 1t was little strange, though,
al outsider would have decided, that So
valuable property snoulu lvc gone 50
long begging, or that the lady noinp
abroad did not get to see the folly of ad.
vertIsing regularly at the rate of Il per
week.
81 tell you what it is SAID Tom Gas
Gunnersbury road is close I'll just walk
over there after dinner and interview
Mrs. Beethoven personally. If 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
fible struggle to keep himself, aud lind
Maggie, who had until recently beon out
as a governess, with those trifing luxu.
ries which even the princely salary OF a
governess does not afford. But the tide
had turned now, and although Tom
would never be great novelist or
brilliant essayist, 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 one Of the quiet ones Of
whom the general public have never
heard who are doing quite as we'll 1t
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 it, which, perhaps, in the long
run is better than ability. But this
secret is only learnt by much grief and
pain and bitter disappointment.
So rom finished his mornings work,
and, after dining comfortably, walked
over to Gunnersbury road, pleasant,
semi. gentcel street, with little houses,
all bearing strong family Likeness to
each other and all striving to look rs if
they were semi-detached residences and
not the occupants of Il common terrace
No. 1875 was, perhaps, little cleaner
and ncater than its neighbors; the door
had been painted within recent memory,
there were extremely white curtains in
the windows, and a neat little maid took
Toms card after she had ushered him
into tiny drawing room, the furniture
of which struck him as being new aud
cheap. But tawdry as his surroundings
we're, Tom speedily forgot them as the
door opened and lady entered holding
his card in her hand.
~ presume you come to see me about
the piano." she said.
Tom was tolerably self possessed man.
but he felt at disadvantage now. The
speaker was the prettiest woman he had
ever seen IN MS nre. Sne was young
not more than twent two or three, tall,
with an elegant figure; she had won
derful mass of red gold hair piled up in
some bewildering, fascinating fashion;
her features we're 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 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, OF
die happy in the attempt.
tTt is Of no consequence" he STAN.