The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1901-11-09
"Some more music, to be taken Inn
nediately."

Some more music, to be taken inn
nediately."
Then l signed my name, Morton Low
ell, and, rolling up the bit of paper,
pushed it through the keyhole. 1t dis
lodged the key, which fell with a ring
ing sound upon the other side. l heard
a noise as of laying the guitar upon q
chair, then q silken rustling close to the
door and the faint cracking of my mis-
sive in her hand.
1t was an anxious moment, for she
might be offended. A sudden convic-
ton came upon me that | had done the
thing very badly; that 1 had made an
error which could never be repaired.
At this thought tie sweat Of agony
gathered upon my brow. The doctor
afterward told me that it may have
been good thing. He had been try
Ing to get me to perspire and had not
made much of success of it. What
ever may have been the effect Of 1t,
know that felt equal to a dozen well
men when a hand was laid upon that
guitar in the next room and I recognize
ed the interrupted melody that had
seemed SO sweet ut the first hearing.
closed my eyes and saw once more
the white face against the black cloud.
The guitar spoke to me, and was hap
py. And then, by very hard luck.
went to sleep, and 1t was Z o'clock tn
the evening when I awoke.
The first thing I saw was the pale,
melancholy countenance Of young Mr..
Lenny. the doctors assistant. He was
standing by my bedside with spoon
In his hand and he gave me some med
icine which tasted like the dregs Of re-
morse i'll the cup Of despair. looked
at him sadly and shook my head. Not
to the likes Of him could 1 confde a
sentimental secret. He reminded me
of maiden aunt of whom used to be
very much afraid in the days of my
youth.
Presently l discovered the Doctors
pad and pencil under my pillow, and
while Mr.. Lenny was absorbed in q
large black book l secretly wrote q
note of thanks for the music.
ut was very kind of you to play for
me-" | said. at was good of you also
to take no offense at my unconvention-
al way of asking a favor of Il young
lady whom | have not had the pleasure
of meeting. | trust the future may af-
ford some opportunity for me to eX-
press my gratitude properly. And
please play some more for me tomor-
row. The doctor says l shall get well
twice as fast if You do
OF course the doctor hadn't said any
thing about it because he lacked in
formation of the occurrence, but it is
natural law that man cannot begin a
Irritation without telling Il lie, whether
he needs one or not.
l put this note through the keyhole,
but my pretty neighbor seemed to be
away. She must have found the com
munication in due time, however, for
the guitar made most delicious music
for full hour the next afternoon.
l responded with a note of thanks, in
which | ventured to beg that she would
sing for me. The bit of paper was pres
entity returned to me, and on the back
was written, Il sing like a crow"
| studied this scrap of pcnmanShip
with heartfelt interest, trying to per-
suade myself that it was a dainty
hand, full of sweet revelations of the
young lady's nature, but at this dis
lance of time l can frankly confess
that it was n backhanded scrawl which
might have been written by a Hunga-
rian immigrant in the act of taking out
his first naturalization papers.
However. | replied warmly that no
woman with the face of an angel ever
had the voice of a crow Nature knew
Il thing or two about the sacred pro-
prieties and never made mistakes of
that kind.
This started regular correspond
had never seen her face and | declar-
ing the contrary, but refusing to name
the occasion. This controversy, inter-
SperSed with music on the guitar, occu-
pied two or three days, and then she
sang for me. She had the voice of Il
seraph, precisely the voice that belong
ed to her by all the rules of divine ac-
cora. l lay cntrancGu, Dcatlllcu, ana
the music was in my ears long after
the song had ceased and had heard
the door of the room close bchind her.
| ycarned to ask her to speak to me
through the door. but of course |
couldn't do it with this sepulchral
creature, Lenny. there to hear. lie
would have diod at the improperly,
\ n a a ~, q,