The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-29

and grouped about him with extra
cushions and tenderness for man v 10
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 htl
self at once his cicerone in Rouen Cos
sip and his waiting-maid. She sat by
him and saw that his needs (and his
not-needs, too) were supplied and over
supplied; she could not let him move,
and anticipated his least wish, though
he was now amply able to help HIM
self; and she famed him as if he we're
a dying consumptive.
They sat on Meredith's big porch
in the late twilight and ate a. sub
stantial rejection and when this was
finished, buzz of nonsense rose from
all quarters, except the remote corners
where the youthful affianced ones had
defensively stationed themselves be-
hind a rampant of plants. They, hav-
ing eaten, had naught to do, and were
only waiting a decent hour for depart
ure. Laughing voices passed up and
down the street, and mingled with fke
rhy thmic FLASHING of Meredith's foun-
fence, one caught glimpses of the light
dresses of women moving to an1 fro,
and of people sitting bareheadai on
neighboring lawns to enjoy the twi-
light. Now and then would pass, with
pipe and dog, the bef1anneled figure Of
an undergraduate, home for vacation,
or trio of youths in knickerborkers.
or a band of young girls. or both trio
and band 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 HAIRLESS remarked as a cease
less accompaniment to life in Rouen;
even 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 ne
groes patrolled the sidewalks, thrum-
ming mandolins and guitars, and OH
ers came and went, singing, making
the night Venetian. The unframed,
joyous voices, chording eerily in their
sweet, racial minors, came on TIL: air,
sometimes from far away. But there
swung out a chorus from fresh, Aryan
threats, in the house south of Mere
dith's:
Where, or, where, are the grave cid
seniors?
Safe now, in the wide, wide world"
Doesn't that thrill you. boy" said
Meredith. joining the group about
HAIRLESS chair. Those fellows are
sophomores, class of heaven knows
what. Aren't you feeling d fossil.
Father Abraham"
A banjo chartered on the lawn to
the north and soon a mixed chorus of
girls and boys sang from there:
20, 'Arriet, I'm waiting, waiting. alone
out ere
| Then a piano across the street sound
ed the dearthful harmonies Of Chopin
Funeral March.
"You may take your choice" re-
marked Meredith Ticking spark over
the rail in the ash of his cigar, Chop
| ping or Chevalier."
Chopin, my friend" said the lady
| who had attached herself to HARMLESS.
| She tapped Toms shoulder with her
fan and smiled, graciously corrective.
THANK you, Miss Hinsdale,' he an
swered, gratefully. And as l, per-
| haps, had better say, since otherwise
there might be pause and 1 am the
| host, we have wide selection. In adj
/ dition to what is provided at present,
l predict that within the next ten min
utes a talented girl, who lives two
doors south will favor US with the Pill
| grims' Chorus, piano arrangement,
| break down in the middle. and drift
| into 'Rastus on Parade while a double
| tie;ren under our Jim viii make choral
Offering in our own back yard"
My dear Tom" exclaimed Miss
| Hinsdale, you forget Wetherford
| Swift
81 could stand it ALL" put forth the
widower, ''if it were not for Wether-
ford Swift"
when is Miss Sherwood coming
homer" asked one of the ladies. why
| does she stay away and leave him to
his sulferings?"
'.Us to his sufferings," substituted a
bachelor. "He is just beginning;
listen"
Through all the other sound of music
| there penetrated from an unseen
source, a sawish, scraped, vibration of
catgut, pathetic, insistent, painStak-
ing and painful beyond belief.
'He is in terrible way tonight, .
said the widower.
Miss Hinsdale laughed. Worse ev-
cry night The violintst is young
Wetherford Swift" she explained to
HdrkleSs. HE is very much in love,
and it doesn't agree with him. He
used to be such a pleasant boy, but
last winter he went quite mad over
Helen Sherwood Mr.. Meredith's cous-
in, our beauty. your know-I am so
sorry she isn't here; you'd be pleased
in meeting her, I'm sure-and he took
up the VIOLIN"
"It is said that his family took up
chloroform at the same time" said the
| widower.
His mustr is a Barometer" eontin-
ued the lady, land by IL the neighbor-
hood nightly observes whether Miss
| Sherwood has been nice to him or
| not"
1T is always exceedingly plaintive,"
| explained another.
Except once" rejoined Miss Hins-
dale. HE played jigs when she came
home from somewhere or other. in
| June"
II was Tosti's let Me Die the
very next evening" remarked the Wild
over.
All" said one o. the bachelors, but
his Joy was sadder for us than his mis-
/ cry. Hear him now"
Il think he means u for what's this
] dull town 10 me-" observed another.
with some rancOr. u would willingly
make the town soficlentiy exciting Tor
Aim"