The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-09-09
An UNLUCKY SERENADE.
The ul-Fortune That Attended Ny
Musical Efforts.

aud myself as legacy 10 q rich and &C.
centric aunt She, having already
adopted an orphan girl and not wishing
10 be plagued with u pair. promptly
packed Ine of To q boarding-school.
Here l remained, holidays included. till
/ attained my eighteenth year. Not till
then did Aunt Matilda condescend To
receive me.
She did not greet me with much
warmth. She kissed me and then re-
warded fat poodle which nestled in
her lap with the same attention.
You have grown very much like
your fool OF father"
Pardon me, auntie. said /, astounded
at this Introductory remark, you men
toned"
snapped. Whatever my poor sister
saw in such a notch passes my compre-
hension. Nothing but q ne'er-do-well,
good -for-nothing -"
Excuse me, aunt" / demonstrated;
but hadn't we better change the sub
ject? The weather is very sultry."
She laughed outright.
Il am pleased To find you are not the
same easy going fool he was l suppose
Won are right We will let the Door
man rest" which remark was very
charitable. considering poor dad had
been at rest for eight years. Come"
She continued. Il want To introduce
you To Louise. your future wife"
| stood open-mouthed with amaze
mcnt.
Don't stand staring there, you
booty"
My wife?'' | gasped-
know first as last. ! will leave you my
fortuue-tweuty thousand pounds in
consols-but only on condition that you
marry Louise, you understand"
YES. aunt" | responded, feebly.
Following her / was introduced TO Lou
Use and at once fell IN with nv aunt's
proposals She was lovely. l don't
think it would have needed my aunt's
fortune a. an incentive to falling AT
once in love with her. Dark, with
splendid hazel eyes, laughing mouth
aud pare, transparent skin, she was in
deed picture of youth and beauty.
She received me graciously, and 1 could
see that my aunt was pleased with the
impression she had made. 4 few days
after Aunt Matilda broached my future.
Il don't want to see you around the
y
You must adopt some profession.
Now 70 what do you incline?'
Protest was useless and my aunt had
her own way. SO shortly after passed
my examination and became n member
of her majesty's civil service. l had
nv own quarters, which a decent allow
ance from nv aunt enabled me to keep
up. and / occasionally visited her ut the
-unCr little TI1rnnSfa.H viiIaGr..
ont of my first quarters allowance
from Aunt Matilda l lent a fellow
clerk, Jack Denton, five pounds, for
which he promised handsome interest.
l waited patiently but in vain for its
return. At the end of two years-al-
though by that time / regarded il as
bad debit ventured TO remark that 1
should like TO see the principal, and
would willingly waive all claim to the
interest.
MY dear fellow" was his reply, II
would pay you with all the pleasure in
the world, but unfortunately ] am COM
plctely stumped."
l saw no chance of its recovery, but
determined To press him little.
Couldn't you manage To pay SO much
a month";
Vague improbability, old chap. /
have mortgaged my next three-months'
crew. But-a good ideal have a
French horn, a regular beauty, worth
ten guincas, and dirt cheap at that.
Now, take il, like a good fellow, and
cancel the debt"
But what on earth do | want with q
French horn? It's OF no use to me-"
Then create use for it. Add to
your many accomplishments that OF
musical amateur. You've a splendid
lip he continued. artfully; lust the
. cut for the instrument. Now, old chap,
make me eternally grateful by accept
ing. a magnificent bargain, l assure
you"
| took the instrument, and from that
date my trouble began.
Up 10 this period the course of my
love had been perfectly smooth, when
who should turn up but a cousin of
Louisa's, Tom Meldrum. He had been
out To- Australia To try his fortune, but
after sojourn of five years in that
land of promise had returned with Just
sufficient To pay his cab fare from the
dock to my aunt's, where he was loaf
ing till he found something better TO do.
was Jealous of this Hercules. He
stood six feet in his stockings When
ever paid dutiful visit TO the villa
was bound To come upon the cousins in
some interesting position-poring over
sketch books or albums Aunt was
confined to her bed and could not watch
over my interests and SO my rival had
the field to himself
determined to warm up my tickle
loves waning affections, and with this
object l practiced assiduously on the
French horn lovely German serenade
/ had purchased at a cheap music stall.
taxed my patience to the uttermost
and most people within 4 respectable
radius of sound. If l endeavored to
make a crescende on a certain note l
invariably cracked il or split 1t into two
or three.
But by laudable perseverance / got
over these little difficulties SO far as the
serenade was concerned and deter
mined on the first fine moonlight night
TO give il a practical trial and see what
romantic effect would do in the cause
of Cupid.
At length the auspicious night ar
rived and l set out for Hampstead. ar
irving there quite two hours before the
time l had arranged for the perform
ance-midnight SO | adjourned to the
shelter of the nearest public and forti-
fled myself with several stiff tumblers
of whisky and water until closing time
This ! knew would be bad for articula-
tion on the French accent, but ! needed
bracing
UNFORTUNATELY for me. though / wa:
unaware of the fact, Aunt Matilda haS
an unconquerable prejudice agains
music in any shape or form. German
bands visiting the vicinity, AS ! after
ward learned, were always sure OF I
rich harvest-to take themselves on
and italian piano and organ grinder
from the purlieus of Saffron Hill an'
Seven Dials were amazed at the open
handed generosity which preceded