Mr. Perkins

Mr. and Mrs. Peregrine Parct, Peregrine junior, and Miss Grace Paret, sat at breakfast in their pleasant diningrooin overlooking the garden, the nvenue, the base-bail ground, and straight across the river to tixe steeples aud high chimneys that loomed throngh the mist hangiog over the great bnsy metropolis. It had been Mrs. Paret's boast that she had the fmest view from her front windows of any houso in Eiyerview, and that not one nnseenily blot rested upsn the landscape. So that it becaine a sore thmg to her when her hüsband leased a big lot in the direction of the water to a man by the name of Perkins, who got a lot of old boards together and reared a ldnd of work-shop there, from whioh lie emerged at vanons times in the day, sometimesin his shirt slee ves, and again in a leather apron and queer cap; if the weather was iuclement, perhaps he wore a woolen jacket, and at this season of the year his pautaloous were generally thrust in his boots. The man, as Mrs. Paret justly observed, evidently belonged to the working class, and she had no objection to Mr, Paret's hiring him to superintend the varions repairs necessary tliat spring in their household, but she did strongly object to the peculiar manner of the man; it was not so mueh that he had dared to use his own judgment about the wall paper, but he had actually appealed to Grace, to her daughter, to support him in his choice, and Grace, in her thoughtless way, hac stood there in the hall talking with thi man Perkins - talking, smiling, blush ing, Why, Graue could not have shown more attention to the Grand Duke him self than she had to this paper-hanger. "The impudence, the unparalleled impertinence," said Mrs. Paret, "of a paper-hanger, an ordinary paper-hanger daring to intrude his choice of material and aotually using a palé gray grounc instead of the shade I ordered !" "But, mamma," said Graee, "yousaic yourself that it was the prettiest, after i was on the wall." " That has nothing to do with it," said Mrs. Paret, wavmg lier hand, and majestically disposing of lier daughter's plea - "nothing whatever to do with it. It's the principie of the thing, Grace ; the idea of an ordinary paper-hanger " "I don 't think he's altogether ordinary, mamma," said Grace. " Yon must allow yourself that he's a little extraordinary, he's a kind of Admirable Orichton. I'm sure I never saw such skill in my life in hanging the curtains ; and hung they would never have been if our people had been left to manage them. He just climbed the ladder. Peregrine," added Grace, turning to her brothcr, "and took the great, elnmsy things in his arms, gave a twist or two here, a tack or two there, a push up and a push down, and tlie whole thing was lovely !" "Hum," said Peregrino junior, tuKging at the few wisps of hair he é&HeSa mustaoke - " lium - a - yes - no doubt ; but there's such a thing as íellows being too confoundcdly brisk, you know. Fellow's good enough, no doubt, in Jiis way - capital niechanic, all tbat gort of thing ; but hang it, you know, fellow raust keep in Iris own groove. Watkins saya to me yesterday, ' See fellow over thero sawing board?' And IsayR, 'Yes.' And says Watkins, ' Fellow wants to join our bont club.' 'No?' says I. Tact,' says Watkins. 'Case of blackball,' says I. And it was ; club conldn't stand that sort of thing, you kill it quicker'n lightning." "That's the reasou yon lose every race," said Grace. "Mr. Perkins is a better oarsman than any one in the club." " Possible," drawled Peregrino. "Plenty clubs glad to get him, no doubt, but we decline the honor. If precedent is 'stablished that sort, no knowing what'll be the consequcnce." "Peregrine is right," said Mrs. Paret. " ' A place for every body, and every body ia his place,' is my motto; and one thing is very certain, that ramshacklc old barn over there is ruining our property. I told yon, Mr. Paret, what would be the result when you leased him the land." Mr. Paret said nothing; his half-shut but keen eyes had at first rested upon ihe face of his daughter, and :n expression of eager anxiety, which was very rare with him, had now given way to the usual grini composure of his 'features. He was a very quiet man, and wculd sit for a whole evcning with his head up against the wnll, never once hazarding a remark of his own, but contenting himsclf apparently witb tlio conversation that went on about him. His extreme reticence had gaiued for him a certaiu reverence when he did happen to speak. A more voluble man might be allowed to run on unnoticed, or he might be contradicted or differed with, but Mr. Paret's words, like everything rare, were held in consideraron. On this pleasant morning of which I speak he said nothing. For a brief moment a keen glance, almost haggard in anxiety, had rested on the sweet face of his daughter; but he did not reply to his wife. Two or threè days later on he, howevcr, made a remark which causea considerable confusión in the little circle about him. This time it was the evening meal, and the subject was again Mr. Perkins. Spring had come, the bitterness of the frost had melted in the order of the sun, and the consequence was mudl ïhe peculiar yellow clay that fornied the upper strata in the geological classification of Iliverview became very noticeable tnat night in the Paret household. The heavy boots of Mr. Paret were clogged with it, the gaiters of Peregrine junior were fleeked here and there, and the natty, arched, high-heeled shoes of Miss Grace, as they snuggled under the dining-table, showed very plainly the amorous designs of this sorcïid clay. "Hum -a - " drawled Peregrine, ;' what's all this about fellow with board ? Watkins home to-day, and says days of chivalry coming back again. Certain lovely lady's progress impeded by mud -along comes knight with board on shoulder - throws it down - lady walks over, smiles sweetly, says pretty words of gratitude ; result, all fellows in Kiveiview hunting for boards." "I hate that Watkins," said Grace, a hot color leaping into her rounded cheekp, her blue eyes flaahing indignantly. "If he knew how I despised him, ho'd stop persecuting me with hia attentions. Nothing could be nicer, mamma, than the way Mr. Perkins helped me over the crossing ; it was the most natural thing in tho world. You know how muddy it is on that corner by the church. I didn't know how to get across ; I was quite in despair, when I eaw Mr. Perkins with a board on his shoulder, and in the twinkle of an eye he had thrown it down and made n bridge of it for the by." "Jfor you, you mean," said Mrs. Parrt, sternly. " If it had beensome poor oíd lame be ggar woman, lie'd have kept liis board immaculate. What right lia this person to offer you auy civility ? What right has he to know of your oxistence - to look at you at all ?" It was at this juncture of the conversation that Mr. Paret spoke. "A cat may look at a King," said Mr. Paret. And theso few words of his had tbe effect of a bomb burstingin the enemy's camp. Mrs. Paret startcd and stared at her husband, Peregrine's fork paused in mid-air, and even Gracie's eyes grew round in wonder. His opinión had not been asked. The little group, in fact, belioved him utterly oblivious and indifferent to the Perkins qnestion, and this singular and trite remark threw constelnation in their midst. But Mrs. Paret rallied sufficiently to stammeront, "A King is not Bupposed tolook at a cit." Aud Mr. Paret, who had by this time fmiehëd lus rneal and reachcd tho door of tho dining-room, turned upon the threshold, and eaid, "That dependa upon the taste and policy of the King and ths cliaraoter of the cat. " With this Parthian arrow he went out and simt the door. The next day Miss Grace went into the parlor to practice the opening piece for the following öunday. Miss Gratie was the soprano in the aristocratie churcu on the inuddy corner below, and it was generally conceded that for richness and conipass the voice of Miss Paret had no peer in Kiverview. Mr. Perkins hirnseif in passing the church the day before had paused, with the board on his shoulder, and listened, with his heart in his mouth, to the clcar, sweet, ringing notes that feil upon the balmy air of that delicious morning. And very thankful he was that he had waited long enough to be of service to her in any way. " No thanks to me," he had said, while sacrificing his board; " I should have been half a mile ohead if your voice hadn't rooted me to the spot. " " I thonglit I could get my part better if I tried it in the church," said Grace; "but it was so big and gloomy there, and it's so hard to praetice alone: the tenor ought to bo there at least." These words of hers - as, indeed, all her words - remained in the memory of Mr. Perkins, and, on the following raorning, while he was superintendinpr the papericg of the reception-room oñ the otter side of the hall, and listening to Miss Paret's voice f rom the paüor, no became more and more oonviuced that she reallv did need tlie assistance of the tenor ; the rest could begot along without, but the tenor was indispensable. He'd been hnmming to himself all the time, but of what service was this to Miss Paret ? On the spur of the moment he waiked across the hall and through the open door into the parlor. He saw that her color rose, and that she turned upon the piano-stool and quickly confronted him, rad for a moment he wished that he had never learned to smg. If this impulse of his should oost this loveliest and best of God's creaturcs the least disappointmünt or even surprise, his epiglottis might as well be the most ordiiiary in the world - he would never sing again. But lier voice held no indignatiou in it, nor lier faoo, which was the purest, the gcntlest, the most t inning of faces. ' ' Shall I cali mamma ?" she said. " Oh, no," he replied ; "the paperiug is going on nicely ; but I thought, if you'd allow me, I'd just supply the tenor f or yon. I can see that tïie absence of it is a great impedinient. If you wouldn't miad, Miss Paret, I think yon could mako out with my voice for the time." And he began, without furthar preamble, to sing the solo. Miss Paret fol[owed him with the piano accompaniDQent, her musical soul in her cars. Oh, !iow vastly, immeasurably superior was liis voioe to the tenor shc had been accustomed toto any tenor, any voice ! Presently he ceased, and trcmbïing, but 3weet, she took up the refriiin. Then lie joined in with lier, and, for about ten minutes or so, the paper-hangers on the other side of the corridors, the maid-servaat in tho kitchen, nnd the man-servant in the hall listened, openmouthed, to these seraphic strains that seemed straight from paradise. Unfortunately, tliey soared up into the sittingroom above, whore Mra, Paret was making up her domestic accounts, and so engrosoed was sho that she did not at, irst realizo that a man's voico was miügling with that of her daughter. AVlicu Khe did, she made np her mind it vas Mr. Barnes, the churcli tenor. But Mrs. Paret was a musical critic, and very soon concluded tlioso ftdl, ricb ïotes did not bclong to Mr. Barnes, ïesides, he had gone to the city ; she saw him go to the train half an hour beorc. Who could it be ? Tho voice ivas eertaiuly a strangc one - wondcrfully ine, but strange. Mrp. Paret dropped ler book, put her pencil behind her iar, and went down into the parlor. magino her horror, her dismay, her inligiiation, to find that wonderfully floc ut strange voice in the possession of tfr. Perkins ! And to find her daugh er, the acknowledgcd (ineen of Riverview society, deigning to mingle her voico with his, and accompany him rhile he sang ! The poor girl hung her head wlien she saw her mamma. She knew tliere wasn't a bit of harin in tlie situatiori; it was only the impulsivo kindness of Mr. Perkins, and the yearning for harmony which besets a musical soul. If she conld only teil her mamma - explain to her Mr. Perkins' motive and her own I But she could see that Mrs. Paret was growing redder and redder; that her usually rubicund complexion was deepening to a rich mahogany; that she was swelling up, so to speak, with rage and indignation. Mr. Perkins could see this for himself, and hastened to apologize. "It was merel y a musical intrusión, madam," he said. "I saw that jour daughter needed a tenor, and, without pausiug to think, offered it to her." " Kind !" echoed the exisperated matron. "I'm about sick of Mr. Perkins and his kindness. He'd obiige me by taking it and himself out of the house, and never entering its doors again in any capacity or under any circumstanceg." Mr. Perkins bowed his head meekly, went over to Grace, and took her trernbling hands in both his own for a half second, bent his kead again reverently to the haughty staro of Mrs. Paret, then wet across the hall, gave a few direotions to the workmcn there, and walked out. That night Mrs. Paret bcamed rcfulgontly at the Lead of tho table. She was glad now that it happened as it did. She was lid of that intolerable Mr. Perkins at once and forever. " The impudence of your man Perkins," she said to her husband, " overreached itself to-day. I ordered him out of the house." " ïou did !" said Mr. Paret, putting clown his knifo and fork, and looking at the partner of his bosom. " And what did he say ?" " Say 1 What eould he say 1" " What did he do ?" " Do ? What eould he do ? Ho went out aa he wae ordcrcd, nnd I've forbidden his entering the doors again in any capacity." A grim smile dititorted ihc features of Mr. Paret. Ho had not smiled much of late, so that this working of the musoles wat really a distortion. ' ' I suppose he'd oblige you if he eould," said Mr. Paret. "I've found him a very kind and aceommodating f ellow; but he can't help himself ia this case." "In what case, Mr. Paret? What do you mean?" said liis wife, who s.iw that his chin was shaking painfully, aml his hands trembled on the arms of his chair. " A man can't very well stay out of his own house," said Mr. Pnret. " Every thing here belongs to Mr. Perkins - house, furniture, and all. He thought, perhaps, if it was kept quiet I might tide over ; but it's no use, Maria, l'm broken up hand and foöt. We'll have to go back to the farm." Then Mr. Paret's head feil baek powerless. He was carried to bed. Shortly af ter, Peregrine junior carne in, with that draggled look that characterizes a cock that has been beaten upon his own dunghill. "Here's a go," he said. "Perkins black-balled at the club, and turns out that he owns the whole concern - boathouse, front, and all." But nobody minded Peregrine junior. To do Mrs. Paret justice, she was a truo, staunoh woman in time of trouble. "We'll go back to the farm, dearie," sho said to the poor, distracted broker. " Thank God, that's mine ! Nobody can touch that. Only get well nnd strong, Peregrine, and I'll be content to spend the rest of our days there. Of course, it will be a blow to Grace to leave Riverview ; but she's a good girl. " "Yes. God bless her!" said Mr. Paret. But I don't believe that Grace will leave Biverview witli the oldfolks. That niglit as Rhe sat alone in the parlor, her tears falÜDg fast upon tho keys, sau thoughts and heayy f ears distracting lier thoughts from the melody, all at once a big broad-shouldered shadow loomcd up between her and the moonlight. " I had to come in at the window,"he said, " for you know I've been forbidden the doors. I came to beg you to forgive my blundering idiocy of to-day." "It doesn't matter," said Grace, with a sweet, sad dignity that made Mr. Perkins feel as if ho'd like to get down on his knees to her. "We know now that everythiug here is yours - papa has told us. We are going back to the farm, and then you can como and go as you like." J "That's all nonsense," said Mr. Perkins, devouring with his oyes the sweet, sad free beneath bis oto; " your father will pull throuerli vet, and. as for the rost, there's only onc thing in the house of any valua to me, and that's so prieeIcks and precious and unspeakably dcar that I caji't get courage to plead for it. " But I think lie did, for 1 met Watkins myself tbe other day, and he said he was going to Mexico, the country was going to the dogs, and the franchise wasn't worth a cont. ïoo much power was given to monopolies. In Riverview alone was a case where one fellow, and an ordinary fellow at that, had gobbkd up every thing - boat-club cliampionsliip, a woman that was nest doorto an nngel, and all. "You knew her," pursucd Watkins - " Paret's sister Grace; aud you kuew him, that masqiierading chap with board. What's his name ?- Perkins !"