New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-19
IN THE FIRST PERSON.
BY MARIA LOUISE POOL.
A STRANGER.

table stirring something in the cnahng-uish
which was over its lamp.
1t was a very small room, and this newcomer
appeared to fill It,
"Here she u.s." said Miss Runciman. giancins al
me.
Mr.. Maverick rose.
"Wbat. you?" he exclaimed. Our hostess
looked again at me. this time keeny but sne
said nothing
Mr.. Maverick Immediately and deferenuaiiy
eSpla,ned how we had met before. Bathsneoa
SOD nv me listening; then she poked her eipo"
atme. When the gentleman had hnisned' "hic"
n. ala IN a very few words Bashy gave him this
Information: 81.
"she doesn't fat, Mr.. Maverick; but do' al
r,e.ert. though I'm expecting TO stop It.
Mr. Maverick smiled and stroked his mus
tache He did not seem at all like a man VINO
,nderesti,nated himself. Bathsheoa that Gay
rave him the name of Ahasuerus ana geheraiis
called hin, thus thereafter. AS he strokeo MS
rcustache his diamond glittered 1t sent ray VI
light straight into my eyes j..
"r eat n,vself sometimes" he said. mucn as II
no had affirmed that he was human. though we
might have thought him more than human
"You sing them" asked
He smiled and Miss Runcman smiled ie''
annoyed.
"yes" he answered. "sometimes-
"t1a "a m he our new tenor" said Miss Runci-
man: and Bashy gggfed. But how was 10
know he was a tenor?
eyes" said the newcomer again, anu sun 'ooN
ing at me with a slight smile. he contnueo'
"M,ss Runciman has done me the honor 10 sehu
for me. I've been u singer ever since was
born, II seems so to me-.
"Oh."
This was all could think OF to say, ana
had an awkward consciousness that seemeu
.tup,d and also a still keener feeling that o'd
not wish to seem So w.
There was very little more holiday 1or us HI
a week the house carriage was put up III par"'
one of the horses was sold out the gray was
bon, for ito owner to ride when she wished. We
went 10 a town within few miles OF New 10TH
CITY and then began harder work for me than
had ever imagined. 49,
when we broke up 1 asked Miss Runciman II
might go and see my mother. she was at no,'e'
and had taken grandmother there Tor the WINTER
had heard this the day before
Miss Runciman was Sitting with guitar on
her Ian singing in a half voice from sheet or
music before her She glanced up. There was
a marked GOODNESS in her eyes.
"No." she answered shortly. She had never
.roken like this to me before. and had SEN
sation as of having been struck turned away
She put her guitar down and called
"Billy."
She was smiling now, but there was glitter
In her smile.
"I don't wish YOU TO see your mother at pres
ont" she went on II want your heart and soul.
and all YOU are You are to work like horse'
an OK. a slave. all winter. Do you shrink
mot from work"
From what, them"
.T don't know-from hardening. think.
The woman laughed
"you need not shrink from that process-wel-
come IT,"
We were In a quiet house, and II any one came
70 see Miss Runciman she declined the inter-
View. We sang and sang and sang or rather
did and the rest more desultoriy. SANG III
my dreams as we'll as in my waking hours.
.raw thin and excited but was we'll could
not write home to mother. save little noh-com
,,,tta, notes that must have been very unsatis-
factory Blu. mother tried to write me all the
news. I knew how she must labor over 'hose
ep;,tles She wrote that Bidweil Blake caI'''
very often and sat and smoked with 1ather' SHe
said she thought father wasn't as well as usuai
anyway. his spirits were lower; out she sup
nosea he missed his Billy. He never sent me
any word.
Ar Maverick the new tenor. was not with US
Bathsheba informed me that he did not need u
.,ray and nractise. because he knew everything
already. In the first weeks IN december ai.e'
~,uch sending and receiving Of letters. Miss
Runciman and Bashy went away. They wen
south TO begin their season" was left witt
housekeeper and great many directions. ant
.r,,ce a week a teacher was coming from New
York to instruct me.
.you.u find out what stuff you're made o
ovv" Mics Runciman remarked to me as sh
informed me Of her plan.
ueed TO wonder in the days following o
what stuff was made
feft TO myself, l returned to my country-pre'
crstoms and rose early. sat at the piano am
sang for an hour: then i breakrasteo' ai'e
h,eakfast went to walk, and then took m!
exercises in breathing.
Though the place was but an nour from NC"
work. II was solitary. and seemed remote as
was not on the way to any large town. Neari
all the people saw were market gardeners o
tbe,r families These carts. loaded with winte
vegetables. sometimes went slowly along owe
ths narrow. yellow roads which were muddy
:, we're mild. or frozen in deep ruts and nun
bles' II 1t were cold
II was not interesting to walk anywhere. ou.
cersisted: I walked In the forenoon ana IN IN
Afternoon. and generally went to the postonc'
-s,ot ,v.. IN the railroad station one mile ava,
80. always looking for letter from mothe
and usually received one on the Tuesday atte'
80, a. ~ missed going any day to the pos
ossce. It would not be on a Tuesday
used to have curious fancies in those day.
the .trangest among them was the fancy tins
: vas somebody else not at all the Billy Arm
.trons who went to Mt Holyoke Seminary an
who later made barrei-stave hammocks on u
home farm and dreamed hours away IN them
Though knew was not that girl l naa ne
in the least decided who was. Ana s.uu'e
ana sang, and sang and studied ana so"ess'
and arpegsio. and high quick nooes. anu ~
49, rotes were In my mind dreaming or wakin