Detective Bob Bridger — page 59: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A> egies DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. of seeing the graceful form of the little maiden I longed to meet descend to the platform from the ladies’ car steps. “Looking neither right nor left, she emerged from the throng of passengers and hastened past the depot to the near by-street. “An hour later I sauntered by the widow’s home, and heard those peculiar noises which unmistakably denote that a young lady is receiving a lesson upon the piano. “The evening previous I had received from a New York publishing house a new and popular plantation melody, and to the amusement of those in the ladies’ parlor at the hotel, I had sung and played it over until I could render it very creditably. “Without ceremony I bounced into the hall way, and opened the door of the widow’s parlor directly upon the sprightly lady and her fair pupil. ‘“ Never in my life did I behold so fair a sight. “It seemed to me as the bright blue eyes of Annette ~ Godot turned toward me in a bewildered stare—so much fairer than all womankind did she appear to me, that I should not have been more astonished had I beheld seated at the piano a veritable angel, angel-clad, wings and all. “Perceiving that she turned shyly from my glance with a look and manner as wild as that of the forest fawn, I bowed, with assumed composure, to the widow. ‘She had arisen to her feet. ~ “And I may say, from her terrified and angry appear- ance, she would not have been more astounded nor cha- erined if the chief of all that’s bad from his fiery-home in sulphur flame, had as suddenly entered her presence. ““Why, Sam—that is, Mr. Josalyn,’ she almost shrieked, ‘I thought you had gone last night to Buffalo for a week.’ ‘“*T missed the train, Iam sorry—that is, glad—to say,’ IT replied. ‘And receiving last night a new song which all New York is singing, I could not resist the temptation to bring it to you at once. But I trust I do not interfere with your piano exercise? I sincerely beg the young lady’s pardon and yours if I have intruded.’ “Oh, not at all; so glad you’ve come,’ quoth the widow, and being in politeness bound to introduce her fair pupil, she added : “Miss Bolard, this is Mr. Josalyn, a friend of mine, who — is acting in Corydon as agent for pianos, music, and musi- cal instruments.’ “I feared from the glance she had bestowed uponme ‘ that day at the switch that the little beauty would Tecoge as 7 > wx AGS = comicboo See com