Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-01-15
A BOSTON ROMANCE.

was Is. He was ten years my senior.
He was my first lover and l was con-
WINGED that no girl ever had one SO devoted
and 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 qualities combined would have been
utterly worthless. He was owner of an
ample fortune, which he had inherited,
but it was well invested and the interest
allowed to accumulate, SO that one day he
might be gentleman of leisure.
Meantime he was employed at salary
of 70, 900 year, preferring that to being
in business on his own account. lie had
travelled extensively and appeared in many
ways much older than his years. In COIL
versation l have never met his superior,
seldom his equal. We were introduced
one day in August on tho beach, and for
the next two weeks we walked on the
beach, we drove OH the beach, we sat on
the beach watching the flowing tide come
in, we stood on the beach looking at the
moon shining with all her might on the
uuivering waves, and then we plighted
our troth on the beach and left it an en-
gagged couple.
He had, soon found mastorful way
that caused one to carry out his suggcs-
lions instinctivcly -- overlaid, however,
with great gcntleness of manner and per-
suasivcness not to be resisted. The gloves
were so soft that the iron hand was sue
cessfully hidden, even from thosofar moro
experienced and keen of perception than
myself 1t was something new for me to
be thus controlled. An only child, had
possessed the knack of making the house
hold bend to my will ever since could re-
member, but had met my match in Jer-
ONE Croker.
The middle of September came. At this
time my mother and l had usually left the
shore for beautiful Lcnox, where We found
the social atmosphere most congenial to
us, but this year my jerome required my
presence in the city. He was longing for
my society. We could take long drives
in the suburbs in the late afternoon, walks
gether, which was the proper thing for the
betrothed couple.
10 my aInazcment 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 q
vengeance. Jerome monopolized nearly
all 'of my timo. He planned my employ
ment for the day by mapping out in black
and white tho manner in which he expect
ed me to pass the hours when he could not
be with me.
He informed me that was not method
ical in my pursuits, which was true
enough, I thought, with sigh. His in
tention was evidently to revolutionizo my
habits, tastes and temperament also, II
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-just that.
He prescribed two hours for five finger
exercises and the remaining two on one
of Bcethoven's most difficult sonatas,
which. he had selected, and which he
wished me to make special study. Now,
had been in the habit Of practicing when
and how liked and though / had studied
for three years or more with one of the
most competent instructors my playing.
judged from an artistic standpoint, was
careless and slipshod, but having great
musical intelligence was enabled easily
to master difficulties of execution, and 1t
was necessary formconly to applymyself to
steady and conscientious practice to attain
fair degree of excellence in the mcchan-
ical part of the art at least.
My reading was next taken in hand On
being catechiscd 1t was found that l was
wocfully ignorant in regard tomost of the
standard writer's.
CarlyleS No? had never read a sen
tence of that virile, dogmatic old worthy.
Accordingly a dose of the French Rcyo-
luton" was administered. One hour
day was to be spent in gazing at the series
of lurid pictures thrown off at white heat
by this grand impressionist, fired with in
dignation Mt the slow, sad years of injus-
tico and tyranny,
jerome spent nearly every evening with
me, and was fully questioned as to my
progress. Alas, a disgraceful pluck too Of
ten awaited mo! had seldom made out
my four hours of practice, owing to call
ers, engagements with dressmakers or
headaches. The last / began to have in
plenty. And the French Revolutionp I
could not grasp the situation or under
stand two consecutive sentences and was
helpless to make out in tho least what oil
those people who seemed SO terribly in
earnest were trying to do.
That ponderous work was accordingly
replaced by David Copperflcld, which
should have heartily enjoyed had not
fclt that was regarded by Jerome in the
light of another Dora Spenlow. had an