Abilene weekly reflector., 1896-03-19
WON BY WhlSTLING.

Alp W tiiN tNtulHf q >htNi 49,
An hour or SO later, the "crowd" hav
ing dispersed, Birdy Jackson, Hartley
and | we're idly discussing the events
cf the affair in the smokng-room
jackson and were stopping over night
with our host, being old chums of his
md living some distance out Of town.
"No idea you could give us such q
ripping performance, Birdy,' remarked
Hartley; "and when your wife joined
in was perfectly astounded.'
Jackson laughed softly.
"No, she doesn't do II at all badly
he admitted. "You know, Dick, there's
a bit Of romance attached to that whis.
Tie Of hers; in fact, II was the means Of
bringing our matrimonial desires to an
abrupt point ut an extremely critical
Ieriod in our courtship.,
Hartley gave me gentle kick.
"Thcn your union had spice Of 70
nance about it?' be said.
Rather! Unique in the annals oi
]ove-making, should say. But folks
are SO confounded incredulous nova
days, I've never attempted to tell the
yarn but once, and then | swore Id
never do II again"
But he had to on this occasion, and
soon began 10 interest US as follows
'First Of all, you must know, Mr..
king"--addressing me-"l'm called
Birdy on account Of having practiced
from earliest infancy cheap form Of
musical recreation. Though cuffed as
a boy, severely reprimanded for warb-
ling in slack business hours and sound
ly execrated by the neighbors, ! never
Jheless pcrseered.
"A year this last summer | came in
lor sum Of money, which rendered me
a practically wealthy and Independent
man, and to celebrate my good fortune
] threw up my business berth and went
into Yorkshire to spend few weeks
with a professional bachelor friend
nnd TO idle generally.
"While there was introduced to a
Col. Alton and his daughter Evelyn,
aged 22, who lived ut the Chase, and
were intimate friends Of my chum.
Nice cir, she was; plenty Of go with
out being the least 'fnst.' In less than
fortnight was over head and ears in
love with her. The subsequent after
moons at the Chase were too hot for
tennis. Col. Alton spent them snooz-
ing in his study. Evelyn's elderly com
panion and her fathers housekeeper--
for Mrs. Alton had been dead some
years--nodded in the shade o! her fa-
,orite elm, and my friend had invari-
ably to leave for an important case be-
fore the tea came out Very nice Of
him, ! thought.
"Thus thrown together Evelyn and I
monopolized the nrbor, md | used 10
amlse her by triling selections from
the operas, (comic and serious), and she
would occasionally Join In as u kind Of
fi,i,p to my.performanees. Though
woman In every respect, she could whls.
tie. In most OF the well-knowu tunes
up to date or pathetcally aged, she ex
celled, owing to the fact that during the
winter months for some years past she
lad always ofllciated at piano for the
village popular concerts, when the vo-
cal and instrumental items were natur.
ally Of an amusing and light orler-ut
times scarely high-class perhaps.
"Then came the time when the col
onel had to be approached. The old
man gave me prompt and curt refusal.
lie had other views for his child, !
tried remonstrance, then doggcd per-
sistency, but with no avail Evelyn
stood out like n brick. This burst Of
independence resulted in her immediate
banishment to regions unknown to me,
under the surveillance Of relative Of
mature age and experience, and all com
munication between us strenuously de-
MED and forstalled, All chances Of
elopement, even, were reduced To nil.
"A few days later left my friends
for Bournemouth, there to recruit my
shattered health and think things over
quietly. was crushed for the time be
ing. As alightsd from my cab at the
entrance to the North Cliff, where !
had taken rooms, an elderly lady camc
down the steps. Her face seemed some
what familiar to me, though | could not
at the time recall to mind when anil
where had seen 1t before. When she
started as she saw me, and somewhat |
hurriedly rcentered the hotel, Twas fur
ther mystihed. A Athoughtstruck me as
was signing my name in the hotel reg
lister Of visitors some time later, Two
pages back | found an entry: Miss Al
ton and Miss Il. Alton ltumbled toit |
in 4 second, then The elderly lady |
had encountered was, undoubtedly, Col
ATOMS sister, who had been staying a!
the Chase and left two days after my ar.
rival in the village, and before knew |
anything Of Evelyn | had once passed |
her walking with the colonel, and she
must have recognized me again.
II remarked on the entry to the clerk
in casual way, and he volunteered the
information that Miss Alton had, but
few moments previously, given notice
Of her intention to vacate their apart.
ments the next morning This stag
gered me. Then Miss Alton certainly
did not know all, and decided on fight |
as the only safe remedy under the cir
cumstances.
mot glimpse could | catch Of Ev-
elyn. After dinner, from search on
The pier I RI f,Irped IN tho North Cl'U