Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-01-14

hail, drawn-though 1 would not then
have admitted it-by q pair of clear
gray eyes. There the i1l-assorted
couple always sat, scarcely ever speak
ing to one another, she listening alb
stractedly to the music, he mostly read
ing Il newspaper. As the last item on
the programme was begun they in7ari-
ably rose to depart.
One night confess it with a certain
feeling of shame-I followed them with
the object OF finding where they lived.
Down the Rue de la Loi and the Rue
Royal they went as far as the Place St.
Gudule, and there, in n crowd close to
the cathedral, I lost sight OF them, al
though I apostrophized myself as a
blank fool for doing so. /, penniless
playwright liked the maine, though
still among the great unployed! Sup
pose 1 met them, suppose my infatua-
ton for a pathetic pale face with
searching gray eyes should develop
into real, passionate love for the living,
pulsing personality to which they be-
longed; what could I do, whose
worldly possessions consisted of C 20
sterling, few Enacted plays, and some
unpublished stories?
Thus I reasoned with myself, but
reason has little to do with governing
mans actions in these matters; and,
besides, I argued, probably shall be
promptly disillusionized as soon as I
have spoken to ''NTiss Gray Eyes"
The very next evening my opportuni-
ty occurred; nor was 1 slow to seize it.
I reached WauXhall early and took my
place close by the table where the I'M
known ones We're in the habit Of sitting.
Presently the man arrived alone. Ny
heart sank within me-shc was not
coming-and then rcboundcd, for fhero
should be no difficulty in tackling the
man when by himself. 1 pretended to
he earnestly reading paper, but out
of the tail of my eye observed the new
conner take his accustomed seat. The
band struck up lively tune, and 1 was
wondering how I should introduce my
self when a voice at my shoulder said:
Sir, when you have done with your
paper, may I glance at it for mo-
ment?"
I started at being thus suddenly adj
dressed, looked up and found the bent
figure of the father of "Aiiss Gray Eyes"
standing by me. Here was luck! Idip-
lomatically offered the paper at once,
and before the evening was over had had
some talk with Mr.. Mortimer; and fair
" accurately did I gauge his character
as that of q man prematurely aged and
deeply bitten with the gambling mania.
So far as 7 would permit him his whole
talk was of stocks and shares, of odds
and chances. When he rose to go L
rroffered him my arm. He glanced sus-
pic;ously at me and then took il. Be
fore we reached his home 1 ventured
timorously enough to ask after his
usual companion, and to express hope
that she was not i'll. No; she had stayed
IN on account of headache.
was not slow in pressing my adj
vantage. The next evening l boldly APP
rroached the AGortimers, and, grudging-
| ", the old man introduced ne. Now,
said I to myself, now for disillusion-
nlent. What self-deccivars we are, for
I neither wanted nor expected to be
disillusioued.
And I was not. Night after night i
talked to Grace-I had heard her father
call her so, and thenceforward she was
Grace to me, and the more we talked the
more we found that we had many tastes
in common. I became daily more de-
voted to this girl, of whose existence L
Irew nothing short month ago. Oh,
II only should secure the first prize in
the lotterr, or if only my comedy were
to be produced at the Thespian, then l
might dare-what might I not dare?
One morning I went - the Botanic
Garden, for Grace had said the evening
before that she often spent en- hour
there at noon. 4 couple Of small chill
dren came playing near where I sat.
They began chatting to enc another in
French, as they gathered up stones
from the path and arranged them on
the garden seat. I tried talking to the
youngsters, and they promptly began
transferring the pebbles from the seat
to my knees, laughing merrily the
while. I was SO taken up with them that
I did not notice anyone approach, and
was startled at hearing sweet, familiar
voice say:
'NIr. Drummond, what are those chill
dren doing?"
I rose at once, to the disturbance OF
their playthings. "Good orning, Miss
Mortimer; this is anuneXpected pleas
ure"
She blushed at my reinark-seeing, I
suppose, with feminine sharpness, that
I vas there merely on tie chance CT
meeting her. The two little children
evidently decided that I was an unsat-
isfactory comrade, and returned to their
garden seat as a more stable foundation
for their buildings. When addressing
my companion they called her "Mees
Mariner" and I suppose that looked
surprised, for she said;
"I was about to tell you, Mr.. Drum
mond, that my name is not Mortimer.
Mr.. Mortimer is my stepsather. These
are my young pupils" she added.
whom I bring out here every morning
es a reconpense for having made them
t.y to twist their little tongues int
Elealdng our language"
During this morning and some sub
sequent ones-for it is curious how
c:ten we happend to meet in the same
place. learned much Of my charmer'f
history. Her stepfather was retired
officer whose means had all been swal
lowed up in notorious bank failure o.
a few years earlier. They had but 6 1o(
year, and: both being withoutnearrel
atiyes, had gone to Brussels to be able
10 live cheaply, she adding to their in
come by giving lessons in English. Iir
turn told everything there was to tel
Of my uneventfuL history; allowing
perhaps, that wish which is sometimes
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