Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1906-02-07
HIS FIRST LOVE.

the open window of my study and
watched the smart dog cart drive up that
brought little Godfrey L'Estrange once a
week for his violin lesson. As he alighted
and the groom was handing him down
his violin [ heard him say:
Now, Brown. mind you are back sharp
to time, or I'll just jolly we'll give you
good kicking'
Then he pulled my door bell for all it
maid who showed him in:
L hope Miss Ashton is quite ready for
me-
Godfrey was a sturdy chubby little
| chap of eight summers, with blue eyes
and fair hair. and he wore kits, which
were, | found, a source of great NORTH
cation 10 him-he thought them girlish.
Yes, [ am quite ready, Godfrey [
said as | greeted him. "What is the hur-
ry tUday?"
"Oh, only my pater has given me a
SOW, SO I've arranged to meet some other
chaps at Tilfs (the confectionery and
have Il good tuck-in at 3 O'Clock So
you wont keep ne beyond my time, Will
your he pleaded.
That depends Oh oou, not me- [ an
swered. III You nave practiced properly
YOU Will, o. course. get off in time. Oh,
dear! Here is Z string broken" I ex-
claimed. taking out the fiddle from its
case and commencing to adjust it. Geof-
frey watched me intertly.,
Il say, Miss Ashton he began pres
entity, didn't you teach at Mrs. Tenby's
school once?"
Yes; [ do now Why do you ask"
Because remember seeing you there.
used to 90 there when | was a kid. |
was in the Kindergarten with all the lit
tie girls mixed, you know Don't YOU
remember me?'
NO. [ can't say / 10. Godfrey. You
see, never went into the kindergarten.
or saw the little oneS,' replied
oh, we'll | remember seeing you in the
hall one day = wears ago. Of course; but |
remember YOU quite We'll"
1T must have been years ago. indeed"
said emplatically. ;5eofrey liked to be
thought quite grown W, and so | always
treated hiu aS such with very grave
courtesy.
Did you like being at school there?
Can you remember" / continued.
No, | didn't at ALL he said "The
elder girls were so tresOme-Would come
lovey ducking me about. [ hated it. No
such rot at Mr.. jrazer's''-his present
school-"No girls there at all, thank good
ness"
Girls are stupid sometimes, aren't
| they?" [ condoled. But now come along
to work" placed the fiddle in his little
hands, and the lesson progressed favor
ABBY. rs he was very talented and PLAYED
both sWeetly and snartly. Presently the
string popped again.
Pm afraid it's bad one,' | said, ''but
We'll give it one more try"
took the instrument to put the string
on, and Godfrey stood by the window and
toyed with the blind cord
Il say, Miss Ashton" he began slowly,
edo your pupils like your
Il don't know, Godfrey, Pm sure. They
have never said so, and L don't suppose
they would be SO rude to tell me if they
did not
well, er-' he stammered, with
much confusion; well, don't mind tell
ing you but [ love you very much in
deed" and he hid his face in the curtain.
knew this had cost him a terrible eff
fort, and for moment [ hesitated how to
answer
'Now that is really very nice of you.
Godfrey, dear, to tell me so. l thought
perhaps you liked me 2 little because l
don't ever kiss you, do I?''
No, you don't" he said. "You behave
very decently to a fellow. All the same,
| shouldn't mind SO very much if you did
sometimes"
well, [ think I'd rather you'd kiss
me- | said, ''just when you feel inclined;
then we shall not quarrel
Godfrey left the blind cord and drew
| nearer
Aren't you very lonely sometimes %
he asked 1T must be dreadful to live
alone as you do
ut is rather lonely" L replied, ''but it
cannot be helped"
"Why don't you have some one to live
with your"
mo one would come. They would not
like to hear the fiddling all day.
II would Gomez he said, drawing near
er and putting a little arm round nv
neck
q can't have you, dear, because I
haven't got room for you," replied.
Il could sleep on the dining room
table," he volunteered, stoutly.
What would your poor mother do
without yon?9 ST ggested.
uOE KNOW, lie answered.; 'Sno
might make bit of fuss at first, but
she'd give in-she likes you very much"
You ask her." replied, as handed
him the violin to resume the lesson. He
pressed his rosy lips to my cheek with
resounding smack, then looked at the
clock
1T is half-past 2-time's up. May I
60, please
well, [ excuse you today, but you
must have a longer lesson next time.''
Up drove the dog-cart and away flew
Godfrey.
Good job you were here to time,
Brown | heard him say as he drove off,
1T would have been bad job for you
If you had been late"
Half an hour afterward the groom re-
turned with large box of sweets for me,
with Geoffrey's love.
| don't know which was sweeter-the
sweets or the love.