The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-11-02
AN EXPERIMENT.

Arthur Wilson awoke with vague
sense Of positive distress. What wasi 1t?
He knew now From the room beneath
came tho tink tink Of Il piano played
no, not played, thumped in u most
atrociously crude fashion.
1t WAS dreadful. awful, uncomfortable !
II would have been bad enough if tho
tune had been played correctly, for to II
man brought up on Boston symphony
concerts the tunes of Mr.. Sankey are
not the most inspiring and satisfactory
music, but this performance outrivaled
anything Wilson could have dreamed
in the way of imperfections. Moreover,
there was certain insistenoe In the
humping that foretold frequent appli-
cation to tho instrument The racket
would probably be kept up for hours at
a time and many times during the day.
What should be done about it,
Wilson polSed his head from beneath
the clothes and locked around. There
WAS his baggage, there was tho table
especially put in by kind Mrs. Hapgood
i'll order that he might have ample ao-
oommodation for his literary work. Ho
might go elsewhere, but he knew that
at this one house his needs could be
satisfied, and as fer going to another
town, hadn't his physician told him
with great emphasis that Boston was
tho ono spot, by reason OF its climatic
conditions, where he could hope to ac.
oomplish his task without breaking
down? Here, then, Inc must stay; and If
he found that he positively could not
stand the pounding of that piano he
must find way to stop it,
All through his preparations for
breakfast the nerve wrecking attempt
at music continued. There was IA pause
when no opened the door to go down
probably hunting another tune, -
thought Wilson--and he hastened his
stops that he might look into the parlor
and see who it WAS that was apparently
destined to torment him. just as he
laid his hand ON the knob OF the parlor
door there was one solitary thump. as
if the performer had unwittingly drop
ped book on the keys. Next instant
the door was open and Wilson beheld o
sight that filled his heart with pertur-
bations quite az exciting but far pleas
anter than those that had been caused
by the execrable playing.
Upon tho piano stool. swinging
around to face him and with the Moody
and Sankey book in her hand, was u
young woman whose fresh, radiant
loneliness sent thrill straight through
his breast to the innermost core Of
his spinal column. So far as Wilson
was concerned ii was case Of love at
sight. How else will you explain the
lamentable confusion that beset himp
How account for his sudden access Of
color and his subsequent behavior?
Excuse me. he stammered, trying
to Withdraw, but rooted to tho spot.
GOOD morning, Mr.. Wilson, she
responded, rising with admirable COM
posture and simplicity. Iwasn at home
when You came last evening, but. Of
course, | knew about it. | am Lucy
Hapgood, and that saves mamma the
trouble Of introducing us. am afraid
the piano disturbed you.
''No, no. Not at all Not in tho
least. l assure you, fabricated Wilson.
with alarming emphasis. What further
perjury he might have committed may
be left to the imagination. for just then
Mrs. Hapgood appeared and announced
that breakfast was ready
All through that bountful meal Will
son reflected. He hardly dared raise his
eyes from his plate, and for that matter
he did not need to, because where he
should have seen hot buokwheats he bo-
held the lustrous orbs OF Lucy Hapgood,
who sat demurely opposite. He an
swered the commonplaces of Mr.. and
Mrs. HaQgood in monosyllables and
looked up only toward the end Of tho
meal when Molly. 6year old sister Of
Lucy, came running in from the yard
with yoluble excuses for being late.
Now, Wilson did not for ono instant
realize what was the matter. He failed
on Lucy Hapgood. 1t was quite appar-
ent, however that an unforeseen elo-
ment had obtruded itself into his life
in Boston, and he attributed his discom-
posure to the impossibility OF asking
that superb creature to let the piano
alone. II she had been mere child or
an ordinary raw country girl, it would
have been easy enough, but-the end OF
it was that Wilson decided upon trying
an experiment He would teach her to
play
Being naturally an honest man, Will
son s first step was to correct his previ
Gus falsehood. Finding Miss Lucy dust.
ing i'll the parlor, he said 81 want to
be frank with you, Miss Hapgood. The
piano this morning did disturb me a
good deal, and | am afraid / could not
stand that kind Of music right along,
don t you know. "
81 felt sure of it, she answered,
with equal frankness. at shall not hap
pen again, Mr.. Wilson"
But should hate to deprive you Of