HomeMy WebLinkAboutLucknow Sentinel, 1891-09-18, Page 2•
•
1440 a shirt
More' yyears ago t si I shall name.
T sQugiit to win a good wife'o fame.
Iknew not how- tbt}t all the same
Made a shirt.
1 out,, Zc stitched, vrith many a tear ; -
Bellowed it out, both front and. rear ;
I carved thin arm -holes wide, for fear
There Wenld;n't fist,
John's neck°I measured to be true.
The hand must fit --that much I knew,
I'd heard so oft. All else I drew
And. puckered in,
At last twas Bono. 4 world of art,
Complete;d:`hoped inevery_part.
1!.(.1emeB,�Junn y' I colie-d wan qua; lug heart,
".Try off). your shirt,
: musteonfesedthulged:aoutawlmt__-_.
,In places where I thought"t should not,
But Sohn, the brutel yelled out, "Great Scott,
And such behavior, language, welt;
Re uttered things I'll never tell -
may torrggei thein whoa i dwell
In higher spheres.
0 woman of the present day
• Te you's inscribed this little lay ;;
9u Little know theman
you ay.
li:fd.�..:_
M �. �'i7tai:.:,NYlilitu�j�1✓`i.Ef�.rty3•
If his "•tree lnward»ess.' know,
IIave him. your idol Yt'd ova w
t ,And sentiments to four winds blow,
bLakg him a shirt ! AmVHamilton.
-4
SISTERS
But they had._ -no. sooner alighted and
shaken out their skirts than down from the
terrace stepped Mr. Westmoreland, the first
and most substantial instalment of expected
cavaliers, to • assist the major to convoy his
party to the field. Mr. Westmoreland was
unusually alert and animated, and he
pounced . upon Eleanor, after hurriedly
saluting the other ladies, with such an open
preference that Mrs. Duf Scott re -adjusted
lier schemes upon the spot. If the young
man insisted upon choosing the youngest
instead of the middle one, he must be
allowed to do so, was the matron's prompt
conclusion. She would rather have begun
at the top and worked downwards, leaving
fair Eleanor to be disposed of after the elder
sisters were -settled:.;. but she recognized the
wisdom of taking the goods the gods pro-
vited as she could get them.
" I do declare," said Mr. Westmoreland,
�_..-looking. straight at the girl's face, framed in
the soft little bonnet, and the pale blue disc
of her parasol, " I: do declare I. never saw
anybody look so-so-"
` Come, come," interrupted the chaperon,
" I don't allow speeches of that sort." She
spoke quite sharply, this astute diplo-
matist, so that the young man who was
used to being allowed, and even encouraged,
-tomake speeches of that sort, experienced
the strange sensation of being snubbed, and
was half inclined to be sulky -over it ; and
at the same moment she quietly seconded
his menceuvres to get to Eleanor's side, and
took care that he hadhis chances generally
for the rest of the day.
Meanwhile Mrs. Duff -Scott, in the care
--- of Mr.-Westmoreland,--awaited-theit_ret
on the lawn, slowly sweeping to and fro,
with her tram rustling over the grass be -
.hind her, and feeling that she had never
enjoyed a Cup Day half so much before.
Her girls were admired to her heart's con-
tent,and-she literally basked in the radiance
of their success. , ;, he regarded them,in-
deed, with an enthusiasm of affection and
interest that her' husband felt to be the
most substantial safeguard against pro-
•zniscnous philanthropy that had yet been
afforded her. How hungrily she had longed
for children of her own-! How she had
envied other women their grown=up
daughters t --always withthe sense that hers
would have been, like her cabinets of china,
so much more choice and so much better
"arranged"' than theirs. And now
-that she had discovered these charming
orphans, who had beauty, and breeding,
and culture, and not a relative or connec-
tion in the world, she did not know how
to restrain the extravagance of her satis-
faction. As she rustled majestically up
and down the lawn, with one fair girl on
one side of her and one on the other, while
men and women turned at every step to
stare at them, her heart swelled and
throbbed with the long -latent pride of
motherhood, and a sense that she had at
length stumbled upon the particular
" specimen " that she had all her life been
, bunting for. The only drawback to her
enjoyment in them was the consciousness
that, though they were nobody else's, they
were not altogether hers. She would have
given half her fortune to be able to buy
them, as ` she would buy three bits of
precious crockery, for her- absolute posses
cion, body and soul -to dress, to manage, to
marry as she liked. .
The major kept Elizabeth Walking about
with him until the hour appreached for the
Maiden Plate race and luncheon. And when
at lash they joined their party they found
' that Ars. Duff;Scott was already getting
= /_together -her guests-forethelatteraentettai -
'merit. She was seated on a bench, between
Eleanor and rattly, and before her stood a
group of men, in variousl attitudes of ani -
ley his side. And. not only by his side, but,
ss .thou. who- -could not -gain. a .f a ' ' ' upon
the stand ooegre gated upo' he ter
elevation, gradually wedged against him
almost as tightly as on the former.memor-
able occasion. Below ,them stood Mrs.
Duff -Scot, protected by Mr. Westmore-
land, and Patty and F,,leenor, guarded
'vigilantly by the little -major. It was Mr..
Yelverton himself who had quietly 'seen and
seized upon his chance of renewing his
original relations with Elizabeth.
"Miss King," he said, in a low tone of
authority, "take my arm -it will steady.
:You."' •
She took his atm, and felt .ai once that
she was in' shelter and safety. Strong as
she -was, her- impulse•.-ts--lean..-on,
almost irresistible.
"Now, give mo your Reread," he said.
The noonday sun was pouring down, but at
this critical juncture the convenience of the
greatest number had to be considered, and
unselfish women were patiently exposing
their best cd'mplexions to destruction. Of
o
course Elizabeth declared she should . d
-yqr well until the race was over.
W
h
ere
-
fon her ccim.pshfoYto-ok`iu�-idi�•kV
from
her hand, opened it, and held it -as
from his great height he was able to do -
so that it shaded her without incommoding
other people. And so they stood, in silent,.
enjoyment, botlethinking of where and how'
something like this -and yet something so
different -had happened.before, but neither
of •:;them saying a word to betray their
as run, an.
e exci amen Orli 'OM
r r►
they were summoned' by Mrs. Dtiff-Scott
to follow her to the carriage -paddock for
lunch.
Down on the lawn again they sauntered
side by side, finding themselves tete-a-tete
without listeners for the firsttime since they
had been introduced to each other. Eliza-
beth made a tremendous effort , to ignore
the secret intimacy between them. " It is
a lovely day, is it not ?" she lightly re-
marked, from under the dome of her straw-
colored parasol. " I don't think there has
been such a fine Cup Dayy for years."
" Lovely," he assented. " Have you
often been here before?"
" I ?-Oh, no. I have never been here
before." -
He was silent a moment, while he looked
intently at what he could see of her. She
had no air of rustic inexperience of the
world today. "You are beginning to un-
deretand crowds," he said, -
"Yes -I am, a little." Then, glancing
up at him, she said, " How does thia crowd
affect you? Do you find it all interesting?"
He met her eyes gravely, and then lifttd
his own towards the hill above the grand
stand, which was now literally black with
human beings, like a swarming ant -hill.
" I think it might be more interesting up
yonder," he said ; and then added, after a
pause-" if we could be there." -'
Eleanor was walking just in front of
them, chatting airily with her admirer, Mr.,
Westmoreland, who certainly was making
no secret of his admiration ; and she turned
round when she heard .this. " Ah, Mr.
Yelverton," she said, lightly, " you are
very disappointing Yon don't- care --for- our -
great Flemington show. You are not a
connoisseur in ladies' dresses, I suppose."
" I know when a lady's dress is becoming,
Miss Eleanor," he promptly responded, with
a smile and bow. At which she blushed
and laughed, and turned her back again.
For the moment he was a man like other
men who enjoy social success and favor-
ready to be all things to all women ; but it
was -only for a moment. Elizabeth , noted,
with a swelling sense of pride and pleasure,
that he was not like that to her.
" I am out of my element in an affair of
this kind," he said, in the undertone that
was meant for her ear alone.
" What is your element ?"
" Perhaps i oughtn't to call it my element
-the groove I have got into --my 'walk of
life,' so to speak."
" Yes ?"
I'll tell you about it some day -if I ever
get the chance. I can't here." -
` I should like to know. And I can
guess a little. You don't spend life wholly
in getting pleasure for yourself -you help
his teeth, and walked on silently, not see-
ing where hewwent. For a moment he felt
stunned withthe shook: Then he was
bre ` : iib'tohimself by a harsh laugh from
Mrs. Aaron. " Dear men, said. she, in a
high tome, " the Miss Kings have become
so grand that we are `beneath their notice.
You and I are not good enough for them
now, Mr. Brion. We umet hide our dimin-
ished heads."
" I see," he assented, with savage quiet-
ness. " Very well. I am quite ready to
hide mine."
Meanwhile. Patty, at. the -farther end of
the lawn, was• ..overwhelmed with ren gree.
for what she. had done. At the firet sight
of him, in close intercourse with that
woman, who Mrs. Duff again re-
minded her, was not nidewho,-though
a wife and mother, liked men to "dangle"
round -her-she had arraigned and judged
and sentenced him with the swift severity
of youth, that knows nothing of the com-
plex trials and suffer Lge-which teach elder
people to bear and forbear with one
another. But when it was over, and she
had seen his shocked and bewildered
tesehaenallesehessesaitenseset59.#ettirviRa
him revived, and she would .have
given anything to be able to make
reparation for her cruelty. The whole after-
noon she was looking for huh, hoping for a
chance to ehow him somehow that she did
not altogether " mean it," but, though she
saw him several times -eating his lunch
with Mrs. Aaroms under the refreshment
shed close by the Duff -Scott carriage,
others." •
" What makes you think that.?"
" I am sure of it." • -
" Thank you."
Elizabeth blushed, and could not think of
a remark to make, thou she tried hard.
".Just at present," h went on, " I am
on pleasure bent entirely. I am taking
several months' holiday -doing nothing but
amusing myself."
" A holiday implies work." -"MY t'
" I suppose we alt work, more or less."
" Oh, no, we don't. Not voluntarily -
not disinterestedly -in that way."
" You mean in my way ?" -
" Yes."
" Ah, I see that Westmoreland has been
,p
romancing.".:,..., .:• ,.,.., .
" I have not heard a word from Mr.
Westmoreland -he has never spoken of 'you
to me."
L- "-Who-then 1" -
" Nobody.'-'- . -
" These are your own conjectures ?"
Later in the afternoon, when the great.
of hisshalf-dozen successive victories from,
the same point of view as that taken by the
Duff -Scott party -he never turned his head
again in her direction or seemed to have the
faintest consciousness that she. was there:-
.And
here:And next day, when no longer in her
glorious apparel, but walking quietly home
from the Library with Eleanor, she met -
him unexpectedly, face to face, in the Fitz-
roy Gardens. And then he cut her -dead.
- CHAPTER XXIII.
MR. YELVERTON'S MISSION
On a Thursday evening in the race week
-two days after the "Cup," Mrs. Duff -
Scott took her girls to the Town Hall to
one of a series of concerts that were given
at that time by Henri Ketten, the Hun-
garian pianist, and the Austrian band that
had come out to Melbourne to give eclat to
the exhibition.
It was a fine, clear night, and the great
hall was full when they -arrived, notwith-
standing the fact that half -a -dozen theatres
were open and displaying their most attrac-
tive novelties, for music -loving souls are,
pretty numerous -in this part of the world,
taking all things into consideration. Aus-
tralians may not have such an enlightened
appreciation of high-class music as, say, the
educated Viennese, who live - and breathe
and have their being in it. There are,
indeed, sad instances on record of a great
artist, or a choice combination •of artists,
having appealed in vain for sympathy to
the Melbourne public -that is to say,
having found not numbers of paying and
applauding listeners, but only a select
and fervent few. But such instances are
rare, and to be accounted for at the result;'
not of indifference, but of inexperience.
The rule is -as I think most of our dis-
tinguished musical visitors will testify -
that we are a people peculiarly ready to
recognize whatever is good that conies to
us, and to acknowledge and appreciate it
With ungrudging generosity. And so the
Austrian band, though it had many critics,
never played to a thin audience or to inat-
tentive ears ; and 'no city in Europe (ac-
cording to his own death -bed• testimony)
ever offered such incense of loving enthu-
siasm to Ketten's genius as burnt steadily
in Melbourne from the moment that he laid
his fingers on the keyboard, at the Opera
House, until he took his reluctant de-
parture. This, I hasten to etpl'ain (lest I
should be accused of blowing"), is not due
to any exceptional virtue of discrimination
on our part, but to our good fortune in
having inherited an enterprising and active
intelligence from the ` brave men who had
the courage and energy to make a new
country, and to that country being such a
land of plenty that those who live in it have
easy times and abundant leisure to enjoy
themselves.
Mrs. Duff -Scott sailed into the hall, with
her girls around her, and many eyes were
turned to look at them and to watch their
progress to their seats. By. this time " the
pretty Miss Kings " had become well
known and much talked about, and the
public interest in what they wore, and
what gentlemen were in attendance en
them, was apt to be keen on these occasions.
To -night theounger girls, with their
lovely hair lifted from their white necks
and coiled high at the back of their heads,
wore picturesque flowered gowns of blue
and white stuff, while the elder sister was
characteristically dignified in black. And
thegentlemen in attendance upon them
were,Ir. Westmoreland, still devoted to
Eleanddr, and the portly widower whom
Mrs. Duff -Scott had intended for Elizabeth,
-but wile was perversely ad-di'cfeil to Patty.
The little party took their places . in the
body of the hall, in preference to the
gallery, and seated themselves in two rows
of three -the widower behind Mrs. Duff -
Scott, Patty next him behind Eleanor, and
Elizabeth behind Mr. Westmoreland. And
i when the concert began there was an empty
� chair beside Elizabeth.
By -and -bye, when the overture was at an
' end-whenthe sonorous tinkling and
trumpeting of 'the orchestra had ceased,
arid she was listening, in soft rapture, to
Ketten's delicate improvisation, at once
echo andre u e, reminiscentofthe idea
particularly handsome in his evening dress
(but she always thought him handsome ;
big nose, -leather-cheeks, -red mouetaohe-and
'all), and that his well -out coat and trousetif
were not in their first freshness. Then the
conc€rt went on as before -but not as
before -and they sat side by side and lis-
tened. Elizabeth's programme lay on her
knee, and he took it up to study it,, and laid
it lightly on her knee again. Presently she
pointed to one and another of the selections
on the list, about which she had her own
strong musical feelings, and he looked down
at them and nodded, understanding what
she meant. .And egsJ_in they sit baric in
their chairs and gazed serenely at, the stage
under the great organ, at Herr .Wildner
cutting the air with his baton, or at poor
Ketten, -with his long, -white solemn face,
sitting at the piano in a bower of, votive
-wreaths and . -bouquets, raining his
magic finger-tips like a sparkling
cascade upon the key -board, and wrink-
ling the shin of his forehead up and down.
But they had no audible conversation
throughout the whole performance. When
between the two divisions of the programme,
he relaxa-
tion
for t
lli n i situ o
anci'ref es`.-hinenr of"thee lier'i`ori`ilei's=aiti`3"r
their audience, Mr. Westmoreland turned
round with his elbow over, the back of his
chair, and appropriated an opportunity to
which they had been secretly looking forward.
"So you've got bank ? ", he remarked for the
second time. "I thought you were going
to make a round of the country ? "
"I shall do it in instalments," replied
- !nation and repose, conspicuous . amongst Cu race and all the excitement of the day
'Who was the tall f rm of Mr. 'Kin scote i
iii�i t! gi was over, Mrs. Duff -Scott gathered her
'!%;demon, '.Elizabeth,'had only had distant
brood together and took leave of tier casual
' limp; ase; him• during the four weeks that ,male guests. "Good-bye, Mr. Yelverton,"
lice he was introduced to her, r she said cordially, when his turn came to
et having seemed inclined ; bid her adieu "you will come and see me
at "',41114 acquaintance probably ' at my own house, I hope?"
i}se she had' not sought it for herself ;
but`ntiyitCrhe" girl saw, with a uickened � Elizabeth looked up at him when she
t q ; heard the words. She could not hells it --
pulse, dint1the happiness of speaking to him she did not know what she did. And in her
again was an thig're for her. He seemed to eyes he read the invitation that he declared 1 d d
' • be aware of her. approach as soon as she was gravely he would do himself the' honor to
within sight, and lifted his head and turned accept. that the and had been elaborating, and
to watch her -still sustaining his dialogue p CHAPTER XXII, prophetic of the thusbetenderly
sonata
with Mrs. Duff -Scott, who lid singled him j that he was tenderly approaching,
CROS PURPOSES. I Elizabeth was award that the empty chair
out to talk to ; and Elizabeth, feeling his _ p y
eyes upon her, had a sudden sense Of dis- Paul, who Was a good talker, was giving was taken, and knew, without ' turning her
comfort in hddr beautiful dress and cl.t;ed his companion an animated account. of the • head, by whom. She tried not to blush
surroundings. She was sure that he would French plays going oil at one of the theatres.' and feel fluttered -she was too old, she
draw comparisons, and she did not feel her- just then -which • she had not yet been to' told herself, for that nonsense -but for
self elevated by the new dignities that had see -and describing with great warmth the half a minute or so it tvas an effort to
been conferred upon her. graceful and finished acting of charming control these sentimental tendencies. He
Coming up to her party, she was intro- Madame Andree, when he was suddenly laid his light overcoat over the back of his
duced to several strangers -amongst others, aware of PattyKingpassingclose besidehim. chair, and sat down quietly. Mrs. Duff -
to the husband Mrs. Duff -Scott had aelectd Patty was walking at her chaperon's side, Scott looked over lr shoulder, and gave
for her, a portly widower with a grey beard with her head erect, and her white parasol, him a pleasant Mid. Mr. Westmoreland
-and in the conversation that ensued she with its pink lining, held well back over said, " Hullo 1 Got back again ?" And
quite ignored the only person in the group her shoulder, a vision of loveliness in her then Elizabeth felt sufficiently composed
of whose presence she was distinctly con- diaphanous dress. He caught his breath at to turn and hold out her hand,
scious. ' She neither looked at him nor sight of her, looking SQ different from her which he took in a strong clasp that
spoke to him, though aware of every word ordinary self, and was about to raise bishat, was ' not far removed from a -squeeze.
and glance and movement of his until pre- when -to his deep disritaly and surprise- They did not speak to each other ;
all standing upon the slope she awe t haughtily ant him, mootin his nor did they look at each other, though Mr.
.,>,. ,
�- t —ems — _ _..
" You won't have time to do much a
way, if yon are going home again next month.'
Will you?"
" I can extend my time a little, if neces-
sary."
Can you? Oh, I thought there was
some awfully urgent business that you had
to go back for -anew costermonger's theatre
to open, or a street Arab's public -house -
eh?"
Mr. Westmoreland laughed, as at good
joke that he had got hold of, but Mr.
Yelverton was imperturbable. " I have
business 'in Australia just now," he said,
" and I'm going to finish that first."
" No," said Mr. Westmoreland, with-
drawing his eyes from the contemplation of
Eleanor and her aesthetic gown, " he's not a
society man. He don't go much into clubs,
Yelverton. He's one of . the richest com-
moners in Great Britain -give you my
word, sir, he's got a princely fortune, all to
his own check -and he lets his places and
lives in chambers in Piccadilly,' and spends
nearly all his time when he's at home in the
slums and gutters of Whitechapel • He's got
a mania for philanthropy, unfortunately.
It's an awful pity, for he really would be
a good fellow."
At the word " philanthropy," the major
made• a clandestine grimace to Elizabeth,
but composed his face immediately, seeing
that she was not regarding him, but gazing
with serious eyes at the narrator of Mr.
Yelverton's peculiarities.
" He's been poking into every hole and
corner," continued Mr. Westmoreland,
" since he came here, overhauling the
factory pleces, and finding out the prices of
things, and the land regulations, - and"t
don't know what. He's • just been to
Sandhurst, to look at the mines -doing a
little amateur emigration business, I expect.
Seems a strange thing," concluded the
young man, thoughtfully, " for a rich
swell of his class to be bothering himself
about things of that sort."
Mrs. Duff -Scott• had been listening at-
tentively, and at this she roused herself
and sat up in her chair. " It is the rich
who should do it," said she with energy.
"And I .admire him -I admire him, that he
has given up his own selfish ease to help
those whose lives are hard and miserable. t
believe the squalid wretchedness of places
like Whitechapel -though I have never
been there -is something dreadful -dread-
ful 1 I admire him," she repeated defiantly.
"I think it is a pity a few more. of us are
not like him. I shall talk to him about it.
I -I shall see if I can't help him."
This time Elizabeth did look at the major,
who was making a feint of putting his
handkerchief to his eyes. She smiled at
him sweetly, and then she walked over; -to
Mrs. Duff -Scott, put her strong arms round
the matr o n's shoal dere, nd kisedhe fer-
vently.
three other stringed, inti utn.ents and their
human complement. Patty at the piano, •
Eleanor, Mrs. Duil-_Scott, &nd half -a -dozen
more ,enthifsiasts-with a_ mixed audiences
around them. In the dim, hig room beyond,
the majoe entertained the inartistic, out-
lawed fewho did not care, nor pretend to
care,, for aught but the sensual comfort of
downy chairs and after dinner chit-chat.
And, at the farthest end, in a recess of cur-
tained window that had no lamps about it,
sat Elizabeth and Mr. Yeiverton, side by
side on a low settee -not indifferent to the
pathetic wail of the far -distant violins, but
finding more entertainment in. their own
talk than the finest music could have
afforded them.
" I had a friend, who gave up everything
toga and.worl amongtkthe London poor- -
in the usual clerical way, you know, with
schools and guilds and. all the right and
proper things. hie used to ask •-meti for
money, and insist on my helping '
hire with
a lecture or a. reading now and then, `land I
got drawn in. I had always had an uses or
doing something -taking a line of some
sort- somehow omehow thus
got
hold
of me. I
couldn't see all that misry-you've no ides.
=ii1311',; t'V.14ig 1i'%iti ,. R .. • v , ws a . see;, r't.:- nse ,. `.ssese�ies
" I have read of it," she said.
" You would have to see it to realize it
in the least. After I saw it I couldn't turn.
my back and go home and enjoy myself as
if nothing had happened. An I had no
family to consider. I got drawn in."
"-And that is your work ?"said Elizabeth.
" I knew it."
" No. M friend talks of ' his work '-
sentry they wGtV p gg
of grass connectingthe terrace with the eyes fairly, with a col disdain, but ma zing Yelverton was speedily informed of all the
lawn to see the frst race as bests they no sign of recognition. details of his neighbor's appearance, and to -night a little company of the elect -
could, and then she found herself once more The blood rushed into his face, and he set she took no time to ascertain that he looked TTnrr WullneV and his violin, together with
CHAPTER XXIVV -
AN OLD STORY.
Mrs. Duff -Scott's drawing -room, at 9'` -or
10 o'clock on Friday evening, was a pleasant
sight. Very spacious, very voluptuous, in
a subdued, majestic, high-toned way ; very
dim -with splashes of richness -as to. walls
and ceilings ; very glowing and splendid--
with
plendid-
with folds of velvety darkness -as to win-
dow curtains and portieres. The coloring
of it was such as required a strong light; to
show how beautiful it was, but with a proud
reserve,' and to mark its unostentatious
superiority over the glittering salons of the
uneducated nouveaux riches, it was always
more or less in a warm and mellow twilight,
veiling its sombre magnificence from. the
vulgar Jast-crow -its muffs coxnpart
ment was lit by wax candles in archaic -
candlesticks amongst the flowers and bric-a-
brac of an etagere over the niantlepiece, and
by seven shaded and colored lamps, of
Various artistic devices, judiciously distri-
buted over the abundant table -space so as to
suffuse with a soft illumination the occupants
of tweet of the wonderfully stuffed and rotund
chairs and'lounges grouped about the floor ;
and yet the side -of the room was decidedly
bad for reading. in. "'It does not light! up
well,'! was the consolation of women of
Mrs. Duff -Scott's acquaintance, who still
clung to pale walls and primary colors and
cut -glass chandeliers, either from necessity
or choice. " Pooh !" rvlrs. Duff -Scott used
to. retort, hearing of this just criticism ;
"as if I wanted it to light up !" But she
had compromised with her principles in the
arrangement of the smaller division of the
room, where, between and beyond a pair of
vaguely tinted portieres, stood the' piano,
and all other material appliances for height-
ening the spiritual enjoyment of musical
people. here she had grudgingly retained
the gas -burner of utilitarian Philistinism.
It hung down from the ceiling straight over
the piano, a circlet of gaudy yellow flames,
that made the fr e of Ivory plaque upon the
wall to glitter. But the brilliant corona
was borne in no gas -fitter's vehicle ; its
shrine was of dulbrass, medieval and
precious, said to have been manufactured,
in the first instance, for 'either papal or im-
perial purposes --it didn't matter which.
In this bright music -room was gathered
splendid, too -but they don't.allow. me to
use that word, and I don't want it. What
I do is all wrong, they say -not only use-
less, but mischievous." ..
" I don't believe it," said Elizabeth.
"-Nor I, of course -though ey may be
right. We can only judge ac ding to our
lights. To me, it seems that hen things
are as bad as possible. a well-meaning per-
son can't make them worse and may make
them better. They say ' no,' and argue it all
out as plainly as possible. Yet I stick to
...y view -I go on in myown line. It doesn't
interfere with theirs, though they say it
does."
" And what is it ?" she naked, with her
sympathetic eyes.
" Well, you'll hardly understand, for you
don't know the class -the lowest deep of
all -those who can't be dealt with by the
societies -the poor wretches whom nothing
will raise, and who are abandoned as hope-
less, outside the pale of everything. They
are my line." _
" Can there be any abandoned as hope-
less ?"
" Yes. They really are so, you know.
Neither religion nor -political economy can
do anything for them, though efforts are
made for the children. sodden, sense-
less, vicious lumps of misery,. with the last
spark of soul bred out of of them -a sort of
animated garbage that cumbers the ground
and makes the air stink -given up as a bad
job, and only wanted out of the way -from
the first they were on my mind more than
all the others: And when I saw them left
to rot like that, I felt I might have a free
" And can you succeed where so many
have failed ?"
" Oh, what I do doesn't involve' success
or failure. . It's outside all that, just ea
they are. They're only brutes in human
shape=hardlyhuman shape either ; but I
have a feeling for brutes. I love horses and
dogs -I can't bear to see things suffer. So
that's all I do -just comfort them where I.
can, in their own way ; not the parson's
way -that's no use, I wouldn't mock them
by speaking of religion -I suppose religion,
as we know it, has had a large hand in
making them what' they are ; and to go and
tell them that God ordained their miserable
pariah -dog lot would be rank blasphemy.
I leave all that. I don't bother about
their souls, because I know they haven't
got any ; I' see their wretched bodies, and
that's enough for me. It's something not
to let them go out of the world without ever
knowing what it is to be physically com-
fortable. It eases my conscience, as a man
who has never been hungry, except for the
pleasure of it."
" And do they blame yon for that ?"
" They say I pauperize them and
demoralize them," he answered, with a
sudden laugh ; " that I disorganize the
schemes of the legitimate workers -that I
outrage every principle of political economy.
Well, I do that, certainly. But that I make
things worse -.that I retard the legitimate
workers -I won't believe. " If I do," he
concluded, " I can't help it."
"No," breathed Elizabeth, softly.
" There's only one thing in . which I and
the legitimate workers arealiko-everybody
is alike in that, I suppose -the want of
money. - Only in the matter of beer and
tobacco, what interest I'could get on a few
hundred pounds ! What I could do in the
way of filling empty stomachs and easing
aches and pains if I had control of large
means ! What a good word ` means' is, ..
n_t.it?—We_ vant-_means' fox all the
ends we seek -no matter what they are." -
"I thought," said Elizabeth, "that you
were rich. Mr. Westmoreland told us so."
(To bo continued.)
Children
s.1r.
Enjoy IL
Is
ON
est
of pure Cod' L ver 011 1th Hypo -
phosphites of Lime rind Soda Is
almost as palatable as milk.
A MARVELLOUS FLESH PRODUCER
It 19 Indeed, and the Tittle lads and
lassies who stake cold easily, may be
fortified against a cough that might
prove serious, by taking Scott's
Emulsion after their meals during
the winter season.
Beware of subntitutiona and imitation.
SCOTT & BOWIE, Belleville.