Middletown transcript., 1906-06-09

voice. "A Sef fNesie WV & ~
was up here.
Mrs. Van Maurice just went.
into the library, and Miss Esther
turned toward him quietly Il.
was very handsome, athletic.
young man she saw. and as their
eyes met, a puzzled expression OF
dawning recognition appeared on
each face.
Thank you. But-excuse me
-hayen't I seen you some
where
Why, on board the Aurora, of
course! cried Miss Esther, sud-
1 denly, as she stepped forward
with outstretched hands. You
are the man who .sprang over
board in a gale to rescue q poor
emigrant's child, and who nearly
lost his life in the attempt. 1t
was the bravest thing I ever saw,
and I have eften wished | could
thank you. The woman belonged
to my own town,
| Oh, come, come; you make too
much Of my share in the matter
he expostulated. But neverthe-
less he took the outstretched
hand, and felt a strange thrill as
he gazed into the upturned,
glowing face. He had never look
into quite such eyes before.
j You are the young lady who
| played the piano~so exquisitely
on the steamer, he said, and to
whom SO many of the passengers
wanted to be introduced. | went
to everybody | knew, but not one
of them could claim the honor of
your acquaintance. I used to
watch you from every point of
vantage ! could find. But sup
pose you play something while !
am waiting for Aunt iLisla.
But as he stepped forward to
lopen the piano she recollected
| herself.
! | am very sorry, she said ; but
forgot myself for the moment.
I am only the househeeper here.
! No; really? But she recog-
nized with a pleasure which sur
prised her that there was more
of incredulity than CONSERVATION
| in his voice.
/ Yes-but here comes your
aunt now. Good d-morning.
The next day the young man
called on his Aunt Lisa again in
the evening. And the next day
and the next and the next, and
after that two or three times
each week. Aunt Lisa was
pleased with his devotion, and
gave him small errrads to exc
cute, and allowed him to turn her
music when she played /; and
Echess-loving Uncle Van Maurice
grew more and more urbane, and
actually told him one evening
that he really played a fair
| game.
The young man went through it
all heroically. and never even by
a change of expression indicated
that he was bored. And for re-
ward he saw Miss Esther several
times in the distance, and once
actually spoke to her as he
passed through the-hall.
Why don't you bring your
friend with you occasionally,
Harold ? asked Mrs. Van Maur-
ice, one morning. He must be a
remarkable young man. Your
mother was telling me about him
the other day.
| He is a remarkable young
man, answered Harold, warmly.
just now he is absorbed in new
invention, and can hardly be
dragged away from it. But per-
haps | can bring him out to NOR
row.
The next evening they were all
gathered in Mrs. Van Maurice,s
cosy MUSHROOM, when the hotess
suddenly turned to her guest.
Would you mind telling us
something about yourself, Mr..
Fitzgerald? !? she asked. Some
thing about your meeting with
Harold, ] mean. It must haye
been very romatic.
The young man looked embar-
rassed.
It was nothing, he demurred.
| just pulled him out Of hole.
Hole! echoed Harold, indig.
nantly. Do you call a crevasse
like that a hole ? And is MY life
nothing? Look here, Fitz, if you
can't tell better story than that,
just keep still. / will do the
EARNING myself Hole, indeed
He settled himself comfortably
in his chair, and then looked