Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-10-04

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One evening toward twilight, when
out in the open lawn bats were whirl-
ing aiulessly and tirelessly, Matlock
dropped in upon the professor to
make him a little call. He had
fetched him his afternoon mail as
pretext. While they were sitting
out on the porch from the shadowy lit
tie parlor came the first chords of Bee
thoven's beautiful Moonlight Soma
ia.
That's Cynthia" said Professor
Thornton in answer TO his guest s
start of surprise. "She is never too
tired, no matter how hard or long the
day has been to play that sonata for
me in the evening. love it above
all other written music, and che new
er forgets. b.
Then while the tree toads droned
their harmonies he told Matlock a
little about his daug hter-how four
years ago he had suffered paralytic
stroke and she had been obliged to
leave school in her graduating year
and nurse him night and day with
untiring sweetness A.; how, when their
slender income was exhausted year
back, she had begun to make use of
musical skill and give lessons on the
piano. And when the professor told
of Cynthia 8 triweekly trips to Adams,
the nearest town, his silvered head
went down on his coat sleeve, and in
the cleaning behind the honeysuck-
les the two men were silent.
Presently they smoked their usual
cigars and INDUCED in their usual
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS topics chop.
ped fine by individual opinion, good
deal of politics, little of art and
science. Last of all, Cynthia came
out.
Delighted !" she said. going pref
tily up to Matlock with outstretched
hands. while you have been Cos
siping I've been remembering your
weakness for tea and have drawn you
a cup. Will you come in, or shall
we have it out here ?"
They went in. Near the little fern
screened fireplace was a tea table,
dainty in It's array of polished silver
and thin china. The hanging lamp
sbed the rich, soft glow of olive oil,
and there was an air ofintimate home.
likeness about everything. Matlock
had been a stranger to that sort OF
thing for 80 long that it sent kind
of thrill shivering through him. AT
ter all, to have coy tea table and a
slim white hand to inclose in yours
Cynthia's hands were slim and white
enough as they moved among the china
in the half light. He pulled chair
close for the professor, and then sat
down himself.
Before Mr.. Horace Matlock went
to bed that night he remembered that
on the morrow Cynthia Thornton was
to drive with him in his champagne
colored trap. How it would harmon.
ize with her soft hair before the am
bilious sun touched it to gold What
a dear, womanly little treasure OF
girlish brightness she was, anyhow J
Cynthia only returned from Adams
the next day half hour before her
drive and was, consequently, a bit
tired. She was not one to make con-
versation, and the quiet and beauty
of the scenes stretched out before her
made her very silent. Matlock, as be
handled the reins, watched both her
and her landscape. There was GER
tain peace about them both. And
peace was, above all things. what ne
wanted.
The next day Miss Warden wrote
to her girl chum again /:
"In the beginning of the summer,
Madge, dear. / wrote you that a GER
tain matrimonial venture would be
easy, plain calling Alasl Pm
afraid / shall never find port-not, at
least. with my bachelor up on the hill.
And in the name of wonders. who Of
all people do you suppose has taken
the wind out of my ssils7 Cynthia
Thornton, the old bookworm's daugh-
ter2 he had her out driving in that
little beauty of trap three times
during the last week to my knowl-
edge I'm afraid Cupid isn't very
kind to me- You'll find I'll die an