The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-04-09

w men a was young, i used to hear
the best sort of music in my fathers
house. They're all gone now, the sis
ters and the cousins that sang to me
and bred the love of song in me. Even
the homes gone, but l shall build one
of my own some day, please God. And
somehow, when | heard that voice by
the lake | dreamed that it might sing
to me on many dear and blessed even
ings under my own roof. | croak a tune
myself once in awhile-not as you do,
confound you, but if she loved me
Well, that's all over"
"Scovel, speak out" said I. You're
touching nearer than you know to
sore spot that troubled me all the way
across the Atlantic ocean. She-she
isn't pretty. That's the fact about it,
He paused to light his cigar with a
reSOlute manner
What did you know about this bust
ness when you were on the Atlantic
ocean?' he demanded. I'm this region
of mysteries I'm prepared for any sort
of statement, but that strikes me as
little strong"
1.-The young lady in question" said |,
'twas known to me when she was
child. l gave a great deal of thought
to her when l was returning after my
long absence, and l will confess to you
that l would have been glad to think
of her as-well, as pleasing to the eye,
not to put it more forcibly"
He took a turn or two between the
door and the cold hearth.
Il wouldn't wish to set up my own
standards in such a matter" said he
at last. "Your eye is not mine. But,
frankly. l call her plain; almost dis
tressingly plain, poor child. She has
an air of refinement and-and all that.
her clothes are stunning. Perhaps a
fellow might learn not to mind about
matters that he had previously thought
essential. She sings like seraph, and,
in the twilight, when fellow couldn't
see her very we'll What do you
think?''
81 think 1t might be best to wait I'M
til a lady has shown some sign of pref
erence for a man." said l, before he
worries too much about how she would
look playing the piano for him on
Sunday evening in the parlor of
house he hasn't yet built. |, at least,
am content to wait until l see her face
to face"
Scovel nervously fingered some books
on my table.
well" said he, dropping one of
them heavily, 81 think l won't. It's
time that l was going back to work.
I'm well enough. If my body stood
the rocks on that hill and my nerves
stood the snakes, I'm all right. Terry,
they were awful. l saw only one until
L got lost, and then the real character
of the place slowly revealed itself to
me- 1 must have strayed into their
headquarters. st. Patrick! 1 dread
my dreams tonight"
do I understand that you're going
away?"
"Yes," he replied in a hurried tone.
81 shall leave here this week, perhaps
tomorrow. l hope we may meet in
Chicago Good night. It's done me
good to talk this thing out with you.
But for the love of heaven don't tell
When he had gone, sat in the win
dow long time, holding the rose that
had fallen into my hand.
1t was such a pretty thing to do. l
could not absolutely, l could not pic
ture her kneeling upon the edge of that
rock to look down upon me and let
fall the rose without some touch of
beauty clarifying her in the moonlight.
1t would be a crime of nature. My
heart cried out against it.