The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-06-30
IA iSCrllanepus
A FROSTY NIGHT.
BY G.. 7. HAMILTON

MrS. Baxter, or tower street, wal
about TO give au evening party. i
was unfortunate that the weather was
SO severe, but every one agreed that i
was better TO be free Zing than raining
and so the date was fixed for the 26Gt
of February. Mrs. Baxter kept 6
boarding house, which was mucl
patroniZed by foreigners and gentle
men who had something to do in the
city"
She had two German, a Norwegian
a Russian, a dapper little Frenchman
and two dusk Y faced indians who were
studying law at the Middle Temple
Besides these she had two Englishmen
one in al insurance office and the othe
in bank. There was only one lady
boarder, an elderly spipster who wore
a false fringe and wrote penny move,
lettes of a highly-sensational nature.
There was, too, Clara Simpson, the
lady-help, a pale, rather broad-faced
girl, with large, lustrous eyes. She was
very nearly pretty girl, but she had
so much to do-hammering reading.
writing and music into the two Baxter
children, running up and down stairs
to e after the bedrooms, airing and
mending house-linen, that she had not
much time to think about her looks.
She was nearly always tired, Tor she
had to turn off the gas at half-past
eleven, and be up at seven to get ready
the early breakfast, which must be on
the table at eight sharp. 1t was gen
erallv admitted that young Martin, the
clerk in the insurance office. was
"rather sweet" on Clara Simpson.
But, of course" said Mrs. Baxter, lit
will never come to anything. Clara
hasn't halfpenny, and his salary is
under q hundred a year. l know he
often finds it hard work to pay me
my five-and-twenty shillings week.
take him for that, as he has one of
the top rooms, and doesn't come back
to lunch. The Indians give two
guineas, but they're dear at that.
can't abide those niggers. with their
upsettiDg ways, and only for these
hard times, l wouldn't take them at
ALL"
Still Theodore Martin deserted his
pipe in the dining-room to hang er
Clara as she played the piano, and he
even went with her to church on Sun
DAYS, much to the .amaZement of the
other boarders. Such incontestable
proofs of attachment were rather
startling, and somewhat astonished
Clara herself.
MY winter Jacket is getting SO shah
by" she said TO herself, Il wonder he
likes to be seen with me-"
And then came the party.
Il don't know if | eau rightly afford
to give it," said Mr.. Baxter musingly
80 pair of chickens there'll have t.
be, aud a ham and two shapes of jelly"
The Chelsea jelly in the squares
will do very well, suggested Clara,
''they look so good and they're cheap
enough"
"Yes, five pence halfpenny packet
seems cheap, but it runs up all the
same, aud then it's so cold, we'll have
to keep roaring fires. Mind, Clara,
you must pour out TIE tea and coffee
in The little room on the stairs, and il
there aren't enough teaspoons to &c
round, you must Just rinse them in a
bowl behind the curtain. No one will
see you, if you take care"
And what will YOU do about music
Mrs. Baxter? Shall have to play al
the EVENING""
well, it does seem a shame to ask
you, when you're so fond of dancing
and haven't many chances of q bit Of
fup, but what can do? Miss Bevau
can't play u bit, and | can't afford t.
| pay a regular professional"
There's young man lodging in the
same house with my mother at Ken
nington," said Clara, speaking very
fast, that plays beautifully. He ha:
a top room up in the attic, and keeps
piano there. | often stop to heal
him."
"Well, what about him p
"He's 4wfully poor, he has no over
Goa !, and very often he hasn't got q
fire. He looks SO cold and hungry, Im
sure he would play for next to nothing
know his name, Mr.. Leonard Den
ham,"
"Well, you can ask him, if you like
but l can't afford to give more thar
| five shillings. I'll have to pay q mar
| to take up the carpets, and it's freezing
like mad, aid the pipes'll be frozen
| and that means a plumbers bill
| There never was such q winter"
An .nswer came from Mr.. Leonard
Denham, written on y piece of soilet
ruled paper, to say be would be very
| glad to play at Mrs. Bakers party fol
the sum of five shillings. Clara's hear
felt considerably lighter. She was s
good natured girl, land it was pleasure
| to her to do Il kindness to anyone, ant
now, as she hadn't to play, there was &
prospect of unlimited dances for her
| self. Already Mr.. Martin had engaged
her for two.
When the evening of the party ar
rived, the cold seemed to be intensified
A bitter black frost locked the frozer
ground still tighter. Specks of snow
sometimes fell, the very air felt desc
late. Mrs. Baxter was in perpetual
fidget, and Rudolph, the Swiss servant
was run off his feet. The gas wouldn'
burn, there was no water, huge heaI
of frozen snow choked the area steps
there were icicles even in the milk
cans. A hunt began for candlesticks
one old brass lamp was tished out Of
cupboard, and by dint of borrowing
and searching through heaps of lum
Der, half dozen candlesticks in rari
GUS stages of dilapidation were pro
duced. When these were propped NJ
and covered over with colpred paper
a feeble illumination was made
| throughout the house. Clara in 4
mink creBon frOck stood behind the
muslin-draped alcove to pour out tea
The tired look had gone out of her fac'
her luminous eyes were radiant
Life had even for her its joyous mo
ments. and this was one of them
What if the gas did not burn what j
there was no water, was not Theodor'
! Martin standing near her! and had III
not brought her Il bunch OF violets !
You must have taken a lot o