The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-07-20
In the Music Room


night. 1 recognized the roses. You tall
women are bewildering Ialikc tonight
Are YOU sire, you know lie now"
"Ferfectly sule, my coz. You're eyes are
black behind your mask. Your voice.
would not know that, either, but there's a
certain air about you-7a carriage Of the
head. Pauline he drew nearer, docs
she wear my roses?"
Yes
HAS she danced much with Grey to-
night?'' d. I'-
Yes
docs she care for him." quickly.
''She hasn't discussed the question with
me-" This with fine scorn.
you aren't a bit like yourself Not a
bit sympathetic, Pauline he drew her to
q couch. Eve got to- confide in somebody
You remember the night l met her, just a
week ago. Did she ever tell you she had
met me, or some one like me?"
Never"
"She never speaks of me?' in disap-
pointed tone. do you care to hear about
it, Pauline? You sit there like a mummy,
or answer in monosyllabes.
YES" came from behind the mask. There
was suspicion of laughter in the soft
voice.
WELL he began, ga year ago 1 was
spending few days in a hotel on the con-
tinent-no matter where 1t was rather a
lonely place, and the day was dull.
wandered down a corridor and into a con-
cert room. A grand piano stood open, and
sheets of music were scattered about.
picked up a gay little waltz and played it
through. When I finished, a girl who had
evidently been standing in the doorway ap-
preached me. She was tall, with a manner
imperious enough for a princess and she
looked every inch of one in her costly furs
and velvet hat.
Have l kept you waiting? she asked,
quickly. I'm: sorry. What shall l sing?'
Tier N. rner took so much for granted
7 knew instantly 1 was mistaken for some
one else, but l was not tempted to quarrel
with fate.
1T was such piquant adventure. The
girl was beautiful. Explanations were
bores and awkward. So, in spite of a
strong desire to laugh, I sat down to the
piano, and assuming a professional air,
picked up the music that lay before me. 1t
was the grand ACCOMPLISHMENTS 81 have
never heard it more beautifully sung.
"Her voice was marvelously sympathetic.
l had, as you know, passed unscathed
through good many seasons, but I went
down before those conquering eyes Pau
line, you'll never believe it, but l swear
1 left that room and went straight to the
singing master she believed me to be and
paid him six times over to let me imperso-
nate him for a month. She had told me she
would remain that lonc and would like to
keep up the lessons.
my dream ended abruptly. One morn
ing I came, as usual, to find her gone
There was little courteous, if chilly, note,
saying they had been called to America
by the illness of a near relative Enclosed
was the money for the lessons. l had
absolutely no trace of her. I did not even
know the town she lived in. l went down
the street. There seemed suddenly nothing
left to do-nowhere to 60.
"a handsome, dark-eNed boy I had often
seen passed me. l. tossed him the money
and laughed at his delight. So it ended
A week ago 1 met her hefe-your guest. She
gave no sign of recognition. l haven't had
ghost of a chance she is always sur
rounded. But tomorrow 1 will see her. Do
you think she can care for me, Pauline?"
Yes" IS
"You do?" eageplg1 1'why? Why, Pau
line?" still more eagerly.
se c, use he ed read ad the 1 an.
she slipped the mask %
An hour later she told him that letter.
bearing his address and dated from an
American town, had one day fallen from
his pocket in that old MUSHROOM across
the sea. Picking 1t up she had found the
familiar hand of a friend. Further convinced
by the postmark she had written her friend
of the adventure and received a photograph
she Immediately recognized.
But not until her wedding journey some
six months later did Mrs. Howard confide
to her husband in strictest confidence that
all her plans were changed and she came
South Unexpectedly because of telegram
that ran: my cousin, James Howard, is
spending a few weeks with us."-New York
Evening World.