The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-07-14

"0f course it isn't she replied, making
a desperate effort to be serious. "Well,
tell me something more about these tuners"
"Not another word, he said, calamity.
81 am ashamed of myself as it is. Come
to the end of the garden, and let me show
you the view down into the valley
She had conquered her fit of merriment,
but her face wore settled look of mischief,
and she was evidently the possessor of some
secret joke. She seemed in capital health
and spirits, and had so much to say that
was bright and interesting that Oswald
Everard found himself becoming recoDeil-
ed to the whole race of tuners He was
amazed to learn that she had walked all
the way from and quite alone too.
"Oh, don't think anything of that, .
she said "I had splendid time, and L
caught four rare butterflies. l would not
have missed those for anything. As for
the going about by myself, that is second
nature. Besides, do not belong to any
one. That has its advantages. and sup
pose its disadvantages; but at present [
have only discovered the advantages. The
disadvantages will discover themselves"
II believe you are what the novels call
an advanced young woman" he said. "Per-
haps you give lectures on Woman's Suf-
frage or something of that sort"
81 have very often mounted the plat
form" she answered. "[n fact, lam never
so happy as when addressing an immense
audience. A most unfeminine thing to
do, isn't it? What would the lady yonder
in the horse-cloth dress and billy-cock hat
say? Don't you think you ought to go
and help her to drive away the goat? She
looks SO frightened. She interests me
deeply. wonder whether she has written
an essay on the Feminine in Woman. [
should like to read it; it would do me so
much good.,'
"You are at least true woman" he
said, laughing, for see you can be spite
full. The tuning has not driven that
away"
"Ah, had forgotten about the tuning"
she answered, brightly; "but now you re-
mind me, have been seized by great
idea"
"Won't you tell it to me?' he asked.
"No,' she answered. 81 keep my great
ideas for myself, and work them out
in secret. And this one is particularly
amusing. What fun 1 shall have?"
"But why keep the fun to yourself?"
he said. "We all want to be amused here;
we all want to be stirred up; little fun
would be charity"
every well, since you wish it, you shall
be stirred up" she answered; "but you
must give me time to work out my great
idea. I do not hurry about things, not
even about my professional duties. For ]
have strong feeling that it is vulgar to
be always amassing riches As | have
neither husband nor brother to support,
| have chosen less wealth, and more leis-
ure to enjoy all the loveliness of life 4! So
you see take my time about everything.
And tomorrow l shall catch butterflies at
my leisure, and lie among the dear old
pines and work at my great idea"
~ shall catch butterflies" said her COM
panion. "And l, too, shall lie among the
dear old pines"
"Just as you please" she said; and at
that moment the table d'hote bell rung.
The little girl fastened to the bureau
and spoke rapidly in German to the cash
Ter.
each, Fraulein l'' she said. "You are
not really serious ?"
ayes, 1 am" she said. ~ don't want
them to know my name. 1t will only
worry me. Say l am the young lady who
tuned the piano"
She had scarcely given these directions
and mounted to her room when Oswald
Everard, who was unusually interested in
his mysterious companion, came to the
bureau and asked for the name of the little
lady.
"Es ist das FFaulein acelches das Piano
gestimmt hat" answered the man, return
ing with unusual quickness to his account
book
No one spoke to the little girl at table
d'hote; but for all that she enjoyed her
dinner, and gave her serious attention to
all the courses. Being thus solidly occu-
pied, she had not much leisure to bestow
on the conversation of the other guests.
Nor was it specially original; it treated of
the. shortcomings of the chef, the tasteless-
ness of the soup, the toughness of the beef,
and all the many failings which go to COM
plete mountain-hotel dinner But sud-
denly, so it seemed to the little girl, this
time-honored talk passed into another
phase. She heard the word music men,
toned, and she became at once interested
to learn what these people had to say on
subject which was dearer to her than any
other.
"For my own part" said stern-looking
old man, 81 have no words to describe
what gracious comfort music has been to
me all my life. 1t is the noblest language
which man may understand and speak.
And sometimes think that those who
know it or know something of it are able
at rare moments to find an answer to life's
perplexing problems"