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

/ ioo1. ~ uiu come over TO sec the In
strument, which l thought of purchasing
IL it-that is"-
'Tf IL is satisfactory" the hdy said,
with smile, aud concluding the speech
Tom deemed il almost heresy to utter.
1T Is there, ~ you sec. You are. no
doubt, good judge, aud IN that case
the piano speaks for ltseif 4"
:: 1iu, and pretty loudly, too, - any
&C nnoisseur Of the popular form Of har-
monial torture would have readily tssti.
fled. II was suspiciously new, the var
nish was bright and obtrusive. There
was also some little difficulty in raising
the lid, and when Tom did clumsily rus
his hand over the keys, even he-igno
rant of music as he was-felt startled al
the metallic demon he had aroused.
at is a great bargain" the lady re
marked, "and, as you see, almost new.
Tom did see, and hastened eagerly to
pay IA fitting tribute to its youth, which
apparently was the only virtue it pos
sessed. And yet the soft hearted fel.
low, with those pathetic blue eyes turned
upon him, could not steel himself Ia
pronounce the fiat which his common
sense dictated.
al will not decide now, he hesitated,
man-likc. "You see, am not buying
for myself, but for lady-my sister
and 1 should like her to SEQ IL first. n
thero is no objection will call again 10.
morrow afternoon.
"My-my husband chose that instru-
ment, and he was a we'll known mu-
sician," the lady said, almost timidly;
"indecd, did not circumstances compel
me, would not part with it now; but ]
am not SO we'll of as
She turned away abruptly, SO sud.
denly that for iDoment Tom was con.
scious of an idiotic desire to take her IN
his arms and comfort her. Yet usually
nc was keen hand at reading character,
and some inward monitor warned him
even now that III" pretty, chilh-lilc
widow was merely acting II part. But
we are only mortal. and Tom knew ton
well what poverty was not to feel for
tn, others who suffer from ts blighting
influence.
''I am very sorry--NIrs. Kerr, think
you said?-but | cannot decide now" "
he said, almost humbly. "I will bring
nv sister to morrow.
Maggie listened with interest 10 tho
story of the interview, but, sister like,
she by no means liked Toms cucpmiums
concerning the widowed poSscssor of the
instrument chosen by II well known mu-
siCian.
al declare you are quite in love with
4. L. a l,l a IA 4
be II romance If you went to buy piano
aud found II wife instead.
"Nutural enough, too, Tom returned
"Why shouldn't marry | should not
be in the way then wh"r Ned Hartley
comes OF an evening.
It. was Mnurlr's TARA to look confused
now. Ned Hartley aforesaid, Grca,
chum of Toms, mud la3hiug young
journalist OF some rohutc, ,Cortainly spcnt
II deal Of time in Maggie company, To
Toms secret qualification, Tor Ned was il,
good fellow, and well able to afford tho
luxury Of u wife.
"We will go and soc the lady," she
said 81 can't trust you alone ayuiu.'
Tom asscnted, although not without
certain misgivings. Being, like most of
the craft, oi Il sentimental, emotional
nuturc he did not care To brinI his di-
vinity under the cold. practical eye even
of his own sister, and rs she sat await.
ing the arrival Of the dsconsolatr widow,
and coolly criticising the unfortunate
piano, Tom bcLln to scent something
like trouble in the future.
"My dear, the thing - n SECULAR take
in," she said, decidedly. "Any one but
YOU would have known that half those
advertisements were mere dol -,rS ~
"Not forgetting that you ADVISED the
dodgc to he tricl," Tom rctortcd.
Any fulthrr conversation was tcrmi.
mated 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, pa.
thctlc face SO softly that even Maggie,
the practical, was iain To admit that
Toms cXtravagunccs had not been 50 cN
aggcrated after ALL
81 am sorry to have kept you wait.
ing" she commenced, "but-"
alt 49, Maggie cried, impulsivcly,
"actuallv it is. dear Marion
Dear Marion, thus accostcl, smilcl |
rcdly, and returned Ma.gic's warm cm
brace.
"It is an old school friend of miuc,n
the latter said, incohcrcntly. "Tom,
you have heard me speak Of her: What
memory you have, to be sure! And to
think of you beng married, aud never
knew it! And n widow also! Let nc
see. have not seen you for four years,
since you left Mrs. Grim5hiw's. You
must come and see our house, the dear.
est little place i'll Hampstead, I call it,"
Tom, looking on, thought that although
Mrs. Kerr seemed pleased to see her old
friend, she was strangely i'll at case.
She parricd Maggic's questions both hur-
riodly and confuso'lly; the strange feel
ing that she was playing part struck
him with 4 new and uncomfortable
force.
'i0u must come and stay with us,
and if you are leaving here Ton shall
find you a customer for tho piano" ;"
Maggie decided, vigorously. "Anyonc,
so long as he docs not buy it himself.
Your late husband must have been sadly
tokrn in lppr. that ci,--.,. inin,r - ,,,,,