The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-04-23

of solid work. =.
Hello, how did Monsieur Dauber4
get back 60 soon ? Well, that was HE
business. was glad of the cause,
whatever it was.
put down. pen sand pencil. and
prepared to enjey my usual concert,
rs the light fingers rippled over . pre-
lude, all the more 30, that soon 81.
lence would reign in the room next
door.
| Sitting in q 4dimly. lit room, close to
the open door OF the balcony, and
looking out alta flood of moonlight,
resting calm and white over the quiet
cid street and ancient buildings, my
neighbours melodies came like the
farewell of one long known, whose
absence would leave strange void.
1t was fast approaching the hour
whey Monsieur usually left off play
ing.
A cab, rapidly driven, stopped be-
fore the front door. There were
voices, hurried steps and slight cry,
and that indefinite commotion which
indicates trouble of some sort.
I ran down stairs and asked the
driver what was the matter.
Zone of the musicians Mt the French
opera got into little trouble, y the
man explained.
Nothing much; only there had been
some stabbing.. He was brought
home by 4lis friends. He had been
drinking. He'd be all right in the
morning."
Two men coming out. of my neigh
boris door, speaking volubly. in
ment.
I went back, turned on the cleo
trio lights and prepared for an hour
or two of hard work, wondering over
what seemed rather inexplicable.
It was quite late when there was
light, hurried knock at the door.
''I'mr afraid he is very ILL He is so
restless, and he does not recognize
me. I can't leave him, and saw the
light over here, so I thought
stood silent, too much amazed at
the beauty of the face before me, to
answer her timid request, until a soft
color like pink fame swept over it
and her great grey eyes filled with
tears.
Il beg your pardon thousand
times" said hurriedly. "Of course
I will do anything in the world for
Monsieur Daubert. 1 am sure you
are needlessly alarmed. If you will
let me go to him I can Judge better
what to do"
We went down stairs and over into
my neighbours room, which was bare
and forlorn, an Erard piano standing
against the partition wall.
On poor, little cot Mr.. Daubert
lay, muttering and tossing.
Nothing to be alarmed about" I
said, arranging bandage through
which blood had oozed.
She knelt by him, and leaning her
head near him, murmured soothing
", while stroking his restless hands.
s'NVho is she?" I wondered, doing
what could to relieve him, before
going for q physician and nurse
When I came back with both
learned that the wound was not Sc
rious.
His habits, like all these Bohemian
musicians, are evidently very bad.
'sThe man is q hard drinker. But
he'll be all over it in / few days" my
friend Bolton said, writing out q pre-
scription, after giving directions
"That daughter of his is the most
perfectly beautiful woman Fever saw.
Splendid, too. She's devoted to him,
and miles superior to him. Good old
stock, but he's gone to the dogs, and
she follows him all over the country
to take care of him. Strangers? No
indeed, I've known 'em for years."
Bolton added, as we went down the
hall together.
"Why, I've told Alma a hundred
times she ought to marry me instead
of supporting that, her good-for-
nothing father, teaching music and
nursing him when he gets into trou-
BILE. She's the greatest pianist I ever
heard and the grandest woman I
know
The front door closed on Bolton,
who promised to come early in the
morning, and went slowly back to
the bare room where the wounded
man lay.
'.The nurse says she won't have you
here. That you must go to bed" I
said, gently taking Alma's hand and
leading her away.
We nursed him together for few
days and he recovered.
'.We leave tomorrow" Alma said,
leaning her folded arms on the iron
railing of the balcony that last even
ing I recall so WE'LL She was looking
musingly out at the ancient old city,
and narrow, lamp-lit streets, softened
by faint mists, and the shadows Of
night.
''But will never forget your kind
ness" she said softly.
"You will come back?'' I asked
slowly.
ooh, yes, some day-when we are
married" she added, smiling, while a
radiance swept over her face.
The Erard piano wasrto be carried
away after they left.
p,,< ,.o,,, ~ stands =, - ooynor ~