The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-22
The Gentleman From Indiana.
BY BOOTH TaRIl1NGToN
Copyright by Doubleday & Mcclure CO., 1899.
CHAPTER xv-Continued.


Hvening-something to take him out Of him
self; he must be stirred up to rub against
people once more And therefore, one night
he made little company for him: two or
three apparently betrothed very young
couples, for whom tt was rather dull after
they had looked their fill Of Harkless Gt
appeared that every one was curious to see
him); and three or four, married young coup
ples for whom the entertainment seemed
rather diverting In an absent-minded way
(they had the air Of remembering that they
had forgotten the baby: and three or four
bachelors, who seemed contented in any place
where they were allowed to smoke and one
widower, whose manner indicated that any
occasion whatever was gay enough for him:
and four or five young women, who (Meredith
explained to john were of their hosts age,
and had been left over" out Of the set he
grew up with; and for these the modest party
took on a hilarious and clipper character.
1T is these girls that have let the men go
by because they didn't see any good enough;
they're the jolly souls." the one widower re-
marked, confdentially. They've been at 1t
long while, and they know how, and they're
Hght-hearted as robins. They have more
fun than people who have responsibilities
All of these lively demoiselles futtered
about Harkless with commserative pleasant
ries, and, in spite Of his protestations, made
him recline in the biggest and deepest chair
on the porch, where they surfeited him with
kindness and grouped about him with extra
cushions and tenderness for man who had
been injured No one mentioned the fact
that he had been hurt; it was not spoken OF,
though they wished nightly he would tell
them the story they had read luridly In the
public prints. They were very good to him.
One of them. in particular. a handsome dark,
kind-eyed girl, constituted herself at once
his cicerone in Rouen gossip and his waiting
maid. She sat by him. and saw that his needs
land his lied
over-suppled she could not let him move,
and anticipated his least wish, though he was
now amply able to help himself; and she
famed him as If he were dying consump-
tive.
They sat on Meredith's big porch in the
late twilight and ate a substantial rejection,
and when this was finished buzz Of non
sense rose from all quarters, except the re-
mote corners where the youthful afHanced
ones had defensively stationed themselves be-
hind rampant of plants. They. having
eaten, had naught to do and were
parture. Laughing voices passed up
and down the street, and mingled with the
rhythmic FLASHING Of Meredith's fountain,
and, beyond the strawberries and fence, one
caught glimpses of the light dresses Of women
moving to and fro, and of people sitting bare
headed on neighboring lawns to enjoy the
twilight Now and then would pass, with
pipe and dog, the befanneled figure of an
undergraduate, home for vacation, or a trio
of youths in knckerbockers, or a band Of
young girls, or both trio and hand together:
and from a cross street, near by, came the
calls and laughter of romping children and
the pulsating whirr of a lawn mower. This
sound Harkless remarked a. ceaseless ac-
compartment to life in Rouen; in the
middle OF the night there was always some
unfortunate, cutting grass.
When the daylight was all gone, and the
stars had crept out, strolling negroes pa
trolled the sidewalks, drumming mandolins
and guitars, and others and went, sing
ing. making the night Venetian. The un-
trained, joyous voices, chordng eerily in
their sweet racial minors, came on the air,
sometimes from far away. But there swung
out chorus from fresh, Aryan throats, In
the house south of Merediths
'lWhere, oh where are the grave old seniors ?
Y Safe, now, in the wide, wide world!
Doesn't that thrill you, boy?" said Mere
tith, joining the group about Harkless' chair.
'"Those fellows arc sophomores, class OF
heaven knows what. Aren't you feeling a
fossil, Father Abraham?'
A banjo chartered on the lawn to the north
and soon mixed chorus Of girls and boys
sang from there:
20, 'Arriet I'm waiting, waiting alone out
ere
Then piano across the street sounded the
dearthful harmonies OF Choplns funera
March.
You may take your CHOICE remarked
Meredith, flckng spark over the rail III
the ash OF his cigar, "Chopping or Cheva'
lier."
Chopin, my FRIEND" said the lady who
had attached herself to Harkless. She tapped
Toms shoulder with her fan and smiled, gra
ciously corrective.
.,Thank YOU, Miss Hinsda1e." he answered
nd nNrhanS tel
say, since otherwise there might be pause
and am the host. have a wide selection
In addition to what is provided at present,
predict that within the next ten minutes
talented girl who lives two doors south will
favor us with the Pilgrims Chorus, piano ar
raneement break down in the middle, ant
drift into tRastus on Parade, while doubl
quartet of middle-aged colored gentlemen un
der our own Jim will make choral onerlng II
our own back yard"
MY dear Tom exclaimed Miss Hinsdale
"you forget Wetherford Swift
II could stand it all. ." put forth the widow
ar '4f it were not for Wetherford Swift
when is Miss Sherwood coming home?
asked one of the ladies. why does she sta
away and leave him to his sufferings?"
us to his sufferings,'' substituted bach
elor. HE is just beginning; listen
Through all the other sounds Of musi
there penetrated from an unseen source
sawish, scraped vibration Of catgut, pathet
insistent, painstaking and painful beyon
belief.
:;as.os lie is in terrible way 'sht'' said tt
Miss Hinsdale laughed Worse ever
night. The violinist is young WetherfoI
Swift" she explained to Harkless. "He
very much in love- and 1t doesn't agree wit
him. He used to be such a pleasant boy, b.
last winter he went quite mad over Hele
Sherwood, Mr.. Meredith's cousin, our bea,
ty, you know-I am SO sorry she isn't her
you'd be interested in meeting her, I'm sure
and he took up the violin"
"It Is said that his family took up chlor
form at the same time" said the widower.
His music is a barometer" continued Il
lady, land by it the neighborhood night
observes whether Miss Sherwood has bee
nice to him or not"
''It is always exceedingly plaintive," e:
planned another.
Except once rejoined Miss Hinsdale. #
played jgs when she came home from SON,
where or other, in June. -.
''It was Tosti's Let Me DE- the very ne
evening"" remarked the widower. ,- r.
'tAh," said one Of the bachelors, but b
10y was sadder for than his misery. He
him now 80. '".-; .s;-. !. -
II think he means it for What's this dr
town to me- observed another, with sor
rancor II would willingly make the -tev
sufficiently exciting for him" ...,
''If there were not an ordinance against I
hurling of missiles finished the widower.