The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-04-18

Hello, now u1d Monsieur DauDert
get back SO soon ? Well,t that was his
business. was glad of the cause,
whatever il was.
put down pen and pencil, and
prepared to enjoy my usual concert
as the light fingers rippled over pre-
lude, all the more SO, that soon ST.
lence would reign in the room next
door.
Sitting in dimly Lit room, close to
the open door of the balcony, and
looking out at q flood of moonlight,
resting calm and white over the quiet
old 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
when Monsieur usually left off play
ing.
A cab, rapidly driven, stopped be-
fore the front door. There were
voices, hurried steps and a slight cry,
and that indefinite commotion which
indicates trouble of some sort.
1 ran down stairs and asked the
driver what was the matter.
Zone of the musicians at the French
opera got into a little trouble" the
man explained.
Nothing much, only there had been
some stabbing. He was brought
home by his 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
French, corroborated the mans state
ment.
L went back, turned on the cleo
trio lights and prepared for an hour
or two of hard work, wondering over
what seemed rather inexplicable.
1t was quite late when there was a
light, hurried knock at the door.
I'm afraid he is very i'll. He Is so
restless, and he does not recognize
me. / can't leave him, andI saw the
light over here, so l thought"
1 stood silent, too much amazed at
the beauty of the face before me, to
answer her timid request, until soft
and her great grey eyes filed with
tears.
81 beg your pardon a thousand
times" said hurriedly. "Of course
will do anything in the world for
Monsieur Daubert. am sure you
are needlessly alarmed. If you will
let me go to him 1 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 a poor, little cot Mr.. Daubert
lay, muttering and tossing.
Nothing to be alarmed about"
said, arranging bandage through
which blood had oozed.
She knelt by him, and leaning her
head near him, murmured soothing
ly, while stroking his restless hands.
"Who is she?" l wondered, doing
going for physician and nurse.
When I came back with both 1
learned that the wound was not Sc
rious.
His habits, like all these Bohemian
musicians, are evidently very bad.
"The man is hard drinker. But
he'll be all over it in few days." my
friend Bolton said, writing out n pre-
scription, after giving directions.
'That daughter of his is the most
perfectly beautiful woman I ever 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 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 ever
heard and the grandest woman /
know
The front door closed on Bolton,
morning, and 1 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.
1--WE leave tomorrow" Alma said,
leaning her folded arms on the iron
railing of the balcony that last even
ing l recall so well. 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 I will never forget your kind
ness" she said softly.
"You will come back?" 1 asked
slowly.
"Oh, yes, some day-when we are
married." she added, smiling, while a
radiance swept over her face.
The Erard piano was to be carted
away after they left.
But now IL stands in a corner of
this room and the Cupids and Psyches
in the fresco ceiling look laughingly
down because 1t is never open. :