Middletown transcript., 1901-04-20
A Need Satisfied
BY VIRGINIA LORLNG.

@LACKED five years OF my wv
score-and-ten, and was living alol
MI in the snug little house left me
my father, just on the outskirts
ILondon. The house, few valu
BILE articles of plate and some e5OOO col
stituted all my worldly goods. l kel
them all under my own personal surveh
ance. OF banks l had my own opinion
and 1 knew far safer place for my lit
hoard than intrusting it to strange an
perhaps dishonest men.
was sitting one afternoon in my prett
little drawing room, revolving In IN
mind the improvement little paint an
wall paper might be, and at the sam
time unwilling to expend the necessar
sum, when my neat little maid-servan
announced that a gentleman had calle
to see me.
l took hasty glance in the mirror t
convince myself that my hair was il
order and my cap-ribbons on the prope
angle, when his shadow darkened tn
threshold.
glanced up; fear I blushed. Hi
dark eyes were fixed SO penetratingl!
| upon me that mine fell beneath theil
glance. l had caught but passing
glimpse Of the handsome face and tall
manly form, but dared not look again
''You will pardon me, madam" he
began.
''Not madam" I interrupted; "Miss
Loring."
'Miss Loring," he repeated after me.
II ventured on the madam, because /
thought it could not be possible Miss
Loring could have been permitted to
retain that prefix she so evidently pre-
fers."
Presumptuous it may have been in a
stranger, but spoken in low, musically
modulated voice, it did not present itself
to me in the right light.
I instantly tried to remember all the
heroes 1 had read of in the romances
I procured from the library, and to de-
termine which one of them he most re-
sembled.
There was one great void which here
tofore had always existed in my life-a
romantic adventure.
Singular as it may seem, l had never
had one. My heart began to palpitate
as | thought that possibly the need would
now be satisfied.
"I almost hesitate to make known to
you the cause of my visit, lest you should
regard it in the light of an impertinent
intrusion" he continued; "but in pass
ing by your house, l noticed the upper
room in your bodybuilding, which is
peculiarly adapted for studio. am an
artist and in search of just such an apart
ment, for which 1 am willing to pay
most liberal price. shall occupy it only
during few hours each day. If Miss
Loring will not accede to my request,
will she not at least pardon it?''
He bowed low and deferentially before
me. Ny brain was in whirl. What
,ould his proposition mean? Had he
een me and made this pretext to know
ne? could not tell. l dared not trust
myself as yet to give decided answer.
81 will think the matter over" / said,
nd l fear there was slight tremulous-
less in my tone. ''If you will call to-
morrow I will let you know my decision.
81 will leave you my card, then," he
eplied, drawing his card-case from his
ocket, and placing delicately engraved
ard on the table. 'I am quite willing
pay a pound week, and if you accede
} my request, I shall consider myself
ldeed your debtor"
| rose and courtesied as he bowed him
elf out A pound a week! 1t was mum
icent. / need no longer study ways and
leans as to paint and wall paper. II
lould be able to do all that had planned
I'D more. Why, then, should hesitate?
Thy had not said yes at once? Perhaps
2 never would return.
My heart sank at the though, to a
epth no mere pecuniary loss could have
ltailed upon it.
Had this stranger, then, made an i'm
'ession upon that susceptible portion of
y anatomy? He looked younger than
y real age-but what of that? Doubt {
IS looked far younger than my years.
At the last taking of the census 1 had
ven my age at %, and, further than a !
ght elevation of his eyebrows, the cen s
s taker showed not the slightest sur S
ise. / thought afterwards the move
ent was a nervous affection, and was S
rry that I had rot proposed a specific +
re.
took up the card from the table. It
re the name of Algernon Vernon. A. b
rnon! / might have known he would '
ssess such name! f
[ tried in vain to rivet my wandering f
oughts upon the latest romance. Moth k
, its pages contained equaled this new
d absorbing element in my life. All n
: doubts concerning my resolve had 1
d. !,
On the morrow | would accede to Mr..
rnon's request. Not even the neigh b
rs could find food for gossip, inasmuch
he would occupy the room only during il
ew daylight hours. h
But why had he selected mine? The b
uses on either side of the street were
the same construction. Evidently he v
d motive other than appeared on the
rface for wishing to gain an entree into l
7 humble abode.
Next day found me in state Of ner- h
us agitation lest he should disappoint
}; but there was no occasion for it. b
Promptly on the hour of the day pre- NJ
ling he arrived, and 1 made known to
n my acquiescence in his proposition;
this time he drew a chair before the
, at my request, and we had quite D
ial and very pleasant chat. ht