The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-03-16
E2H,oYs1S
:.:ztssSYEssssaaaakSlI1kai|;E;EtRlsEIsTs
A BOSTON ROMANCE.

kind, so noble and high minded, and withal
possessed of such business capacity. This
last was indeed, in the eyes of my mother,
sine qua non. Without it the other quail
ties combined would have been utterly
worthless He was owner of an ample for
1une, which he had inherited but it was
well invested and the interest allowed to
accumulate. so that one day he might be a
gentleman of leisure.
Meantime he was employed at a salary
of So, 600 IA year, preferring that to being in
business on his own account. He had tray
eled extensively and appeared in many
ways much older than his years In con-
yersation | have never met his superior,
one day in August on the beach, and for
the next two weeks we walked on the
beach, we drove on the beach, we sat on
the beach looking at the moon shining
and then we pighted our troth on the
beach and left it an engaged couple.
He had, | soon found, masterful way
that caused one to carry out his suggestions
nstinctively-overlaid, however, with
great gentleness of manner and Il persua
siveness not to be resisted. The gloves
were go soft that the iron hand was success
fully hidden, even from those far more
experienced and keen of perception than
myself. 1t was something new for me to be
thus controlled, An only child. | had pos
sessed the knack of making the household
bend to my will ever since could remem-
Der, but had met my match in Jerome
Crocker.
The middle of September came At this
time my mother and had usually left the
shore for beautiful Lenox, where we found
the social atmosphere most congenal to us,
but this year my Jerome required my pre-
sence in the city. He was longing for my
society. We could take long drives in the
suburbs in the late afternoon, walks in the
evening-in short, we could be together,
which was the proper thing for the be-
trothed couple.
To my amazement and--shall | confess
it?-a little disappointment, which did
not understand, my mother agreed with
him. and to town we returned. | found
now that l was taken in hand with ven
geance. Jerome mOnopolized nearly all
of my time. He planned my employment
for the day by mapping out in black and
white the manner in which he expected me
to pass the hours when he could not be with
me.
He informed me that | was not meth
odical in my pursuits, which was true
enough thought, with sigh. His inten.
tion was evidently to revolutionize my
habits, tastes and temperament also, if that
were possible. Beginning with piano
music he laid down the rule that | must
practice four hours each day without fail,
no more, no less-iust that
He prescribed two hours for five finger
exercise and the remaining two on one of
Beethoven's most difficult sonatas, which
ne had selected, and which he wished me
10 make a special study. Now had been
in the habit of practising when and how |
liked, and though | had studied.for three
years or more with one of the most compe.
tent instructors my playing judged from
AN artist, was careless and slipshod, but
having great musical intelligence | was
enabled easily to master difficulties of exc
cution, and it was necessary for me only to
apply myself to steady and conscientious
practice to attain fair degree of excellence
in the mechanical part of the art at least.
My reading was next taken in hand. On
being catechised it was found that was
woefully ignorant in regard to most of the
standard writers.
Carlyle? No? | had never read a sen
tence of that virile, dogmatic old worthy
Accordingly dose of the ''French Revolu-
ton" was administered. One hour "a day
was to be spent in gazing at the series of
lurid pictures thrown off at white heat by
this grand impressionist, fired with indig-
nation at the Slow sad years of injustice
and tyranny.
Jerome spent nearly every evening with
me, and | was fully questioned as to my
progress Alas, disgracefu pluck too
often awaited mel had seldom made out
my four hours of practice, owing to callers,
engagements with dressmakers or head
aches. The last began to have in plenty.
And the "French Revolutions" | could
not grasp the situation or understand two
consecutive sentences and was helpless to
make out in the least what all those people
who seemed so terribly in earnest were try
ing to do.
That ponderous work was accordingly
replaced by "David Copperlield," which
should have heartily enjoyed had not felt
that was regarded by Jerome in the light
OF another Dora Spenlow, had an under
lying conviction that the story was given
TO me that might see how small and insig-
nfcant poor little brainless woman can be
in the eyes of a bright, intellectual man.
am of the opinion to this day that Jerome
had an Interior object in selecting that
charming book Just at that time. As l look