A Chance Acquaintance

choice in the matter but to acquiesce. I am a bachelor of long standing, and it's my opinion that the way to manage wo

letting Laura do just as she liked; and as in return she kept my home comfortable and pleasant for me, I

at apartment-hunting meant I should have

d to Laura the Mecca of her desires, an

campaig

vertisements. Later every morning she visited agents, a

up the experiences of the day and pr

itive that she would yet find the one apartment that combined a

ave no more to do with the search. She might hunt as long as she chose; she might decide upon whatever home she chose; but it must be without m

, my sister accepted the situation

o express an opinion. According to Laura it required a careful balancing of location and conven

x-lined entrance greater than a buttoned hall-boy? Are palms i

that racked her soul, a

d alone at the top of one's letter paper, without the support of a street number, was indeed an achievement. But, s

man who invents the names of the Pullman c

e conversation,

eful to prefer the one I knew was not her choice. I did this from the kindest of motives, in order to give t

to her way of thinking, and that

ing to marry, but always live with me, you ough

ly reason I'm not married is because I've never seen the woman I wanted to make my wife. But I may yet do so. I rather fancy th

have a sublime assurance that the

I haven't seen her yet, you may as well go ahead with your plans for

I was a dear old goose, and that some young woman was missi

after all, and she gave up much in the way of red velvet and buttons, f

igh; in the early sixties, a

d apartment houses in New York City. It had a dignified, almost an imposing entrance, a

a brown-stone front are supposed to be acquainted with their next-door neighbors. But even so, I couldn't help feeling an interest wh

in the elevator or in the entrance hall, and

was of a miserly disposition and a fierce temper. He was an invalid of some sort, and never left the apartment; but it was said that his ugly disposition and tyrannical ways made his niece's life a burden to her. Indeed, I myself, as I passed their door, often heard the old ogre's voice raised in tones of vitu

t except for this her appearance was haughty, proud, and exceedingly reserved. She had never so much as glanced at Mrs. Mulford or myself with the least hint of personal

ne else in the Pembroke household exc

d and her expression was one of utter exasperation, as if she had been tried almost beyond endurance. If, on the other hand, I saw her as she was returning from a walk or an errand, her face was calm and serene-not smiling, but with a patient, re

in either case. It is not for a man to think

so plainly, yet so unconsciously, showed

t be, I decided, possessed of great streng

not happy, and though this was not

treated; but my sister advised me not to waste my sympathy too easily, for it was her opinion that the young woman w

poor old uncle," I said, "when

mouldering fire that seems to me quite capable of breaking into flame. I rather

tyranny, I hope she has sufficient self-assertion to resent it. I'd ra

too deeply interested in Miss Pembroke's appearance. She is a

enly irritated at my sister's tone. "

sure she's of a most intractable disposition. Otis, that girl is deceitful, tak

ave! W

one day she was talking to the agent who lives on the first floo

re if she can't control it when talkin

gave me the impression of a desperate

I said, smiling at m

ed in that Pembroke girl; I won't have it! If you're going to fall in love at first sight, it

irst sight of Miss Pembroke, and so

fallen in love? Oh,

ty, and I can't help thinking that she is terribly treated by that cruel uncle. She may be a termagant herself-I've no

witched by a pair of big dark eyes and a pathetic mouth. I tell you, in all probabili

my dear," and let the subject drop. I'm a lawyer, and I'm thirty-two years old, both of which conditions have

he Pembroke household, and to have opportunities to judge f

or at about eight o'clock, and when he rang the bell it was m

t I did this partly in the hope that Miss Pembroke would appear at the opposite door, where the boy was already ringing the bell. But my ho

stakably a negro girl's vice, "

r opened and the grinning face of the colored girl appeared, and the boy gave her the letters. A