The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-25

Coed gracious, aunt" l cried. whats
on earth is the matter?"
She opened her eyes suddenly. Dear
me, Harold she said mildly, how you
startled me! There is nothing the mat
ter. 1t is the thunderstorm"
THE thunderstorm?
Yes. l am very nervous about thunder.
and have found that the best thing 10 do
is TO try TO forget it. | sit down with my
| eyes closed. and try to concentrate my
| thoughts upon something else. Indeed. l
have found this plan most successful
Really l asked. And are all your
servants doing the ssme?''
| Yes answered the old lady, gravely.
| Il have ordered them to do So
This accounted for the prevailing silence.
! The cook, the houselnaid. and probably
the gs.'tener were all sitting down IL the
kitchen with their eyes closed, trying hard
to concentrate their thoughts on anything
but the storm. Before had quite real
lied this Aunt Esther went on:
Il am not so foolish as come people
about thunder | know one person who
refuses TO stay in the house at such times
because there are so many steel articles
about her. Mine however. is a good plan,
and give my servants the full benefit of
II. | think. Harold"
In another moment she might have Or
dered me to follow the general example. so
l left the room hastily. | sat down in the
hall for a few moments, to enjoy the vision
which her words had suggested then
took my travelling cap from the stand and
went into the garden.
Aunt Esther's garden, which ! had not
seen for some ten years. was an extensive
and old-fashioned one. with wide walks
and the privacy secured by high stone
walls. On reaching the further end
found that the house behind me was quite
hidden from view by the abundance OF
foliage. Before me was the wall, covered
by peach and pear trees. aud against the
wall stood light hand ladder. The gar
dener had left il there when he had teen
called in TO concentrate his thoughts upon
something else.
felt an idle curiosity TO know what was
on the other side of the wall. Probably /
should find a field. or perhaps another gar
den. With cautious steps began 10
mount the ladder. ! am inquisitiye by IA
ture.
Slowly my head rose above the wall. 1t
was a large garden that came into view,
with house half concealed among the
trees. Everything was very still. and
there seemed to be nobody about. / raised
myself another step, to make a closer
/ scrutiny.
Then 1 gave a start, and for a moment
drew back. 1t was only for moment. for
then. with increasing holiness. was peer
ing down at the scene which had startled
I me.
Just below. built against the wall, was a
kind of rustic summer house. II was u
wooden erection. covered with the orna-
mental bark so frequently used for flower
boxes. There was no door but 1t was open
at the end, and within / could see couple
Of tall carpet chairs and a wicker table.
On the table lay two books. one of them
I open, and iE one of the chairs sat lady
The first glance told me that she was fast
asleep; the second, that she was young and
chsrming-quite young and decidedly
charmingi
For some seconds could only gaze
helplessly. She sat leaning hack. with her
face turning in my direction and Tam
o'Shanter cap set dainty upon her head.
Her gluyeless hands were DELIGHTFULLY."-
white and small.
When | had observed all these points /
mounted a step higher.
Let me say here that | am shockingly
susceptible and exceedingly romantic The
sound of a girls voice, the very rustic Of
her skirts, can always set my pulse in
rapid motion. while l am prepared to read
the opening of a romance in a simple
chance meeting or in the cammonest
everyday remark. As a rule, ! am shy and
reserved, but. like scme other men of this
character. | can occasionally act in an alb
solutely reckless and daredevil way. These
facts must be taken in explanation of my
further conduct.
! gazed upon that picture for another
minute. Then ! mounted another step
Again | gazed for space, and then
found myself seated astride the wall BY
this time the spirit of adventure was in
me, and was capable of any madness. A
thousand foolish and romantic fancies
came rushing to my brain. | was already
in love,
Who and what the sleeper was. her
rame, nature, and station-all these lad
nothing 10 do with the matter Happy
chance and a prOvidential thunderstorm
had led me to the spot The same thunder
storm, no doubt had sent her to sleep with
the book open before her.
/ looked the ground carefully over. but
there was 10 sign OF life. While | was
doing this l thought ! heard the sleeper
stir, but when / glanced quickly down she
was as still as ever With perfect caution
I lifted the ladder over and let IL down on
the other side. A moment later / was in
the entrance to the summer house.
Save for the breathing of the sleeper
the stiffness was almost painful. 1t occur
lti w mt blNt " Nbuutl VIAL SHt WONlu
say IL she found me there, but did not
trouble 10 answer the question | had read
OF similar cases before and everything al
ways came out nicely. OF course she
would see at once the romance and beauty
OF the situation. | felt quite sure of this
when I saw that the book before her was
volume of Tennyson, open at THE Com
ing ofTArthHr." My name is Arthur
Harold Arthur Simpson.
She was absolutely charming. Beneath
the raSish cap stray curls of dark glossy
hair wandered down 10 the graceful little
ears and about the ivory temples. The
cheeks were rather pale. and the lips were
closed just a trifie too firmly for perfect
repose; but--but all that only seemed 10
increase the charm. ] did not gaze too
earnestly. fearing TO disturb her and pres
emily took up the other book which Law on
the table. IL was a morocco bound auto
graph album. with the majority OF leaves
empty. / turned them silently, TO read a
number of unfamiliar names and common
place quotations. While / was doing this
bright idea came to me. full OF the spirit
of romance. l would write something In
the album!
AS | searched for my pencil | decided
what this something should be. Finding a
vacant page, 1 quickly drew upon it The
outline of a heart. Within this | wrote the
name Arthur" When she awoke after
had gone she would find this symbol. and
know that her prince had been with her.
/ would leave the book open at that place
Prince, As | laid the book down another
thought flashed to my mind. 1t made my
heart beat mndly and sent the hot blood
rushing to my checks. Here was the
Sleeping Beauty-here was the Prince.
There was one thing wanting to make the
story whole One thing. -
Somehow | felt that it would not waken
her: otherwise. perhaps I should not have
darad puf her eIumher uac cnuu, mud