The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-21

in Head. soc
folding him once more in her arms,
II will like you'll will love you, if
you will let me. You poor, lonely lit
tie boy!"
And Godfrey felt her tears upon his
face.
She was a Mrs Allen, he under
stood afterwards: and he noted with
surprise and satisfaction that her
name was like his own. She had taken
lodgings for the winter in the keepers
cottage; and he gathered from jamie
son, the keeper, that she had left Lon
don because her child was to delicate
to bear the November fogs. She was
very poor, Jameson added; and she
wanted to exc out her income by giving
music lessons to young people. She
had hired a piano from the neighbour
ing town, and Jameson opined that
her playing was Just wonderful"
Godfrey reflected upon this infor-
nation, and after much elaboration
were sitting over the dinner table,
on which desert had just been placed,
when the Squire, noticing the puzzled
frown on Geoffrey's brow, said sud
denly:
whats bothering you now?"
May l learn to play the piano,
grandfather, please?" said Godfrey,
coming out of a brown study, and
| looking up at the squire with bluA, I'M
| troubled eyes.
THE piano! Heavens. no! You'll
be a man some day, l suppose. What
| should a man learn the piano for?'
1T isn't that l care about the plano.
| / think it beastly-playing exercises
| and all that. But there's a lady living
| at Jamieson's, and she's poor, and
teaches the piano, and l thought it
- L
| her; because then you could give her
a good lot of money for the lessons,
done you see, grandfather
II see, indeed" said Mr.. Tempest,
with a short laugh. "A very ingenious
idea! Well, IL 1t question of
charity. I don't mind helping her.
Five pounds any good?"
| 'Oh she ism that sort" said Geof-
frey, colorly lOly. She doesn't want
any one to give her any money. She
| wants to earn it, don't you see? That's
| why 1 should like to learn of her"
mot that you care about the piano,
eh?' sid Mr.. Tempest, looking at
him, oddly.
| IT don't think I do. I hate the notes,
and the horrid noises 1 make. But 1
| like to hear other people play. And
| / should like to have lessons of Mrs
| Allen"
| The Squire frowned over the re-
| quest, but it seemed that he made some
| inquiries as to Mrs. Aliens capacities
and general responsibility: for in a
| day or two he remarked, abruptly to
| his grandson:
THE rector's children are taking
| music lessons of this Mrs. Allen. You
may take some, too, if you like-since
you want to help the woman" he adj
ed, in dryer tone.
| "Oh, thank you, grandfather" said
the boy joyously.
He marched away, almost at once,
to Mrs Aliens lodgings, and informed
her, with much Importance, that his
grandfather had given him permission
| to take lessons from her. Mrs. Aliens
worn, delicate face. flushed crimson,
and then turned white; she looked at
Geoffreys eyes as if she were about
to cry.
Don't you want to teach me?" said
| the boy, staring up at her.
Want tor" she stretched out her
arms and drew him close to her.
Want to? AS If l did not want you
alwaNs-always, my darling!" And
then she bent her lips to his face, and
he felt the tears upon his own
But in a moment or two she recover
ed herself, and put him away from
her. I'VE must not be foolish" she
said, coldly yet sorrowfully. IF you
kcome to me for lessons, I must teach
you, and you must come for nothing
else"
II don't know what you mean" said
Godfrey, forlornly. His lip fell, and
the unbidden tears started to his eyes.
Il thought you liked me to come" he
said, in the piteous tone that reminded
her of the day when he had brought
Winfred home.
II do like you to come" she said,
melting into tenderness again; for she
was a woman of many moods, al
though winsome and lovable in them
| ALL
So the weeks crept on, and Godfrey
practiced his scales, and played with
Winifred very happily, until the au-
tumn glided into winter, and the De-
cember days grew dark and cold.
Mrs. Aliens face grew thin and
worn; but her smile was always so
sweet that Godfrey did not see the
sadness in her eyes. Winnie, too,
| grew spiritless and languid; the round
ness OF her little limbs began to waste,
her eyes had dark shadows round
them; she cried an fretted necessarily.
Poor Godfrey could not understand
why his little playmate should be so
cross
lis she M" he asked one day. when
he found her crying in her mothers
arms. and noted the tears upon the
mothers face.
I'm afraid she IL. Geon."
cant the doctor give her something
30 make her better3"
n don't think 80 haven't had the
doctor"
Hes a very nice man" said Oeof-
frey, with "a serious face He made
me better when had scarlet fever.
Maynt J 50 round 90 his house and
tell him % come and see Winter
no, 0e0nrey. 10, lfa would 40 her
not food. Ne would oiay advise imr
possible things "a D. 30 use brought
heF ini9 tAf c9antry, assay from fhat