HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1888-11-30, Page 6IngI a . e
ER,IAA.Y, NOY, .30, 1888.
Tit TURD OF 11R4,
OR
"STJ TS$INE and
"No," Hugh b'urted flack; "ter.
tainly not, She'll have great pleasure
;is unite good enough for tie, so I stip
ipose it's geed ,enough for you too ;
isn't it?" die was getting positive.
ly cruel now. "1f you can write so
'wail," he rnnttered between his
eIenched teeth, "writeit yourself:
Great pleasure in acct -pins; your hind
invitatiuu fur T'hurisday next,"
"Tbunks. I think 1.11 put St my
own way. And will bring tlae dah-
lies she promised."----
''Who
romised."
"Who promised ?—Lady . Mort
maple ?"
"Oh, bother 1 I mean, the daltl,ies,
• .I promised, whish 1 wonlu hive'
ibrougbt before; but I was uufortun
ately prevented by my gardener .hav-
ing quite inadvertently" -e—
'For Heaven's sake split it; =up into
short sentences; Hugh cried, on
tenter: frocks,' 'I couldn't let such a
cote as that go out of,..,my house—It
mean, our house,:, Winifred--Itf my
.life depended `upon it. A. manof let
ters allow his ,wife to make. -snot_ an
exhibition of impossible Eitellish l'
'I wish I was e1ever,',.Wtnifreed said,
growing red, 'and the .1 could, write
my ownletterawitilorrt•yos,'
"'Be good, my child, and let 'who
will be clever :' Charles Kingsley,"
Hugh answered ,prtevokingly. "'An
honest, ntan's =:the, lathiest work of
God:' Alexander Pape. (I think it
was Pope ; or• was it -Saar Johnson ?
• A placid woman rues him close., eood :'
Hugh Massiner. Ecod's a powerful
weak rhyme, L admit, but what can
you expect front a mere irnprontptu'1
I only. wished ail women were placid °
Well, the mor,,I of these three . in -
mortal lines, seiectecL.,fr!t'ei• the works
of three poets; in three different ages'
born (Dryden),. is sin p:y,this--you do
very wog as you are 1'Yinifred. Don't"
seek to be clever. It doesn't suit you.
Take nig adviee.. Leave it, alone. --
Por if you do, you"ll find it +pia the end'
a, complete failure."
'Hugh! You insult me.'
'Very well then my dear.: You
will be able to exercise U1n istian
%' patience and.resigna�tion in pocketing
the insult—as I have, to do from you
very often.' -
Winifred shut down her writing ease
with a bang acid burst, not into tears;
but into an uncontrallable fit of violent
coughing. She coughed and coughed
till ]ter face was purple and livid with
the effort. Hugh watcirod her silently;
as hard as adamant. She had often
coughed this way of late. The habit
was growing on her.. Hugs thought
ilia ought to cure herself;. of it.
I slum go up next week again to
consult Sir Anthony Waxed!, the said
at last, when she recovered her breath
gasping and choking. Wiil you go
with roe. Hugh?
We've no cash now to waste ou
junketing tied gadditig about in town,
!high answered cluomily, A, pretty
time to talk abatis riotous living, with
the servants wages all overdue, ate!
duns bothering at, the coir for their
wretched money 1 My presenep could
hardly give you any appreciable
pleasure. 'You eau stop at the dingy
o14 lodgings in Albert Dow, and Ales
:Bouverie Barton will help gad about
with you. You can tratpes together
over half London.'
Wiutfred hawed her poor head down
in silence. Her heart was sick. It
was full to bursting. This was all
she had bought with the, fee•siuiplo of
'4'l'hiteetrand,
CIHAPTERXX�}+Ii,:•Abt'Attrts,rto
.t:Jv IT.
*Mr, Warren Ralf,' eaid the aaittti.ly
etched invitation card, 'requests the
pleasure of a visit from Mr. and Mrs,
Bouverie Barton and friends to a
Private View of his Painting and
Water-oolor Sketches,, on Saturday,
October the 3rti, from 2.30 to a p, m.,
at 128 Bletohingly Road, South liew.
singtorl.'
Stick a graceful little invitation card
never vas Seen, neatly designedby
the artist himself, with a bold flight
of sell gulls engaged in winging- their
way moots the upper ]eft•haud
earner ; and a stretch of .stormy waves
bestridden by a flshingsralick in full
°lrrea . before the brisk breeze oee tp r-
ing the large' part of fts, broad foe in
very aeliotate aria exquisite outline.
When, Winifred lirtesiirler elm it
carelessly stuck aside :'mous a heap of out cards, 1 think, ,for a pour trifle of
othere ou Mrs, Bouverie i3artau'e three hundre.: and twenty,'
occasional table on South Audley ':No,' Warren corrected .gravely.
Street, she took it up with a start an
examined it closely. 'Mr. Ware
Relf 1' site cried, in a toiltt •sof sotu
surprise. 'Then you know him, Mr
Barton' 1 .didn't remomber he w
one of your circle, But thea,
course, you, know everbody. -What
sweet little etching 1'
'What '1 M. Warren Rel£t-O ye
I know hire. Not flit afraid, a vet
successful artist as yet ; but they ea
he has merit—in his own wa,y, zneri
I'm going to see these new pictures
his on Saturday, if 1 can sandwie
him in-edgeways•betweeu the Soeiet
for the 1•Iigher. Education of Wens
and tlte'R,ichter concert or .tea at. tl
t1.lacltianou's. 1lve only. five •engeg
tneitts for Katerd:ty. Quite an inept
day.
'Have you got a.erard for,theiprivat
view,yaurself, dear'?
'No;' Winifred answered teitli
slight blush.
'Well, then, would .you 'like to g
with us, dear 1' Mrs, Bouverie Bar
ton asked kindly.
Winifred turned over the card wit
a wistful look. 'it says, 'Mr. an
Mrs, Bouverie Barton and friends,'slt
repeated with emphasis. 'So o
course you can take whoever you lik
with you, can't . you, Airs, Barton l—
Satterday the 81 from 2 30 .to t;: P. i
--d think I might.—I'll risk it anybo
--That'd suit me admirably. M
agpointtnent with Sir Anthony's fo
two .precisely." `'
lour appointment with Sit; .An
timely 4' Mrs Marton echoed ill .
grieved ltudertone.
Winifred coughed—smelt "a_, nast
dry little hacking cough. 'Why, yes
Sir. Anthony Wraxall,' she answers
checking herself ,Waith, some diflicattyr
from a brief parv'sitt of her usua
trouble. terve come tip this week, it
faet, „oil. purpoee.:tto consult hint
titipli made me.coma my lungs ,flay
been so iiwfully;odd+htteiy'.'
t.aiv deer,'. Mrs. B,,tuverite, Barton
put ix ..tenierly--env rybody. know
i3ouverie Barton, the mos
charming arid•; synpa!thetic hostess in
literai;y London—'you hardly..seen• fi
to.go running About sightseeing a
preeteet., , Does Mr,: Masciuger serious
ly realize how extremely weak and it
you are?—la scarcely peals to ire you
ought to be troubling yocutipoor Litt!
head about private vietvs.;or :tvy,thin
of the sore with a couol,t like that up
on you.'
'Olt, it isn;t muclr,1 assure y'otl,deter
Mrs. Barton,,' Winifred. answered', the
tears corning up into her. eyes ;as,. she
spoke: at . the touch of sympathy
'Hugh. ‘doesn't „think its at all serious.
A.t .128 Bletchingley, Road, the
ancestral home of : all the Belfs—for
sae ;;.eneration---a tiny „eight reamed
Loudon house ie a side: street . of in
tense Seuth Kensington—all was bus
tle and flutter and feverish excitement.
Wylie Reif today was absolutely. in
her,.elentent. Iy was her joy in life,
indeed, t, eonnpltss the linpussiliie.
And,the 1tnposeilile now ,stated her
frankly in the face . in the concrete
shape of a geoinetrical, tnbsurdity.
She had -undertaken to, make the leas
contain the greater, all the axioms. of.
Euclid to the contrary itotivithstancle
ing. What are space and time to a
clever woman.. of no more. anipor
twice in hcr,,soltpme of things than
to Emtnautte! Kant or Sattdwish
Hodgson. The Belfs had issued no
fewer than three hundred and twenty
separate •iuvitation cards, each with
that extensiirle; india rubber clause,
'and lriende',so capable of indefinite
and incalcuabte ex aneion.- Now, the
little front drawing roam at Bletching.
ley Road could just be induced, when
the furniture was abolished by: Act
of Parlimeut,. and the photo retnoved
up stairs to .the back bedroom to
accommodate at -a pinch some thirty.
live persons, mostly °hairless. 4lily
dear Eclie,' Mrs. lielf „ cried in a voice
ol` despair, 'we can never, never,
never pack theta in anyhow,'
'Herrings in a box would find them.
selves comparatively roomy and
comfortable,' Warren murmured, with
a glance of black despondency round
the four scanty. walls of the tiny
drawing -repel.. Wow on earth could
you think of asking, so ntany?'
'N'Onaense, my dears!' !idle it?iswer•
ed with a canldertt senile that presaged
victory. ',Leave that, to rte. ft's my
proper business. 1 see it .all. The
comnnanding;oflicer, should never be
hampered by futile predictions e.f
defeat and dishonour. Of coursiiithey
won't eome, the greater part of thein
They Hever do rush, lr regret to say
to inspect works, immortal works,
Warren. But still wo must arrange,
for all that, as if we expected the
whole united I3ritisli people-4.in
Three hundred sand twenty ca, you
omen, for six irptudred and forty' Wives.
and husbands.'
,,Some of thea are bachelors, pry
dear,' Edie answered with a sagacious
nod ; 'and .some old maids, ee who
never by any ,chimes buyanything.
And what's two ihwndrea ? A mere.
trifle! I ,declare it affords no•soope at
all for a girl's ingenuity. Like our
respected anceator, Warren I•lastings,
I stand aghast at .my awn moderation.
--11 really wish, mother, now 1, tonne'
•tq thine; of it we'd sent out .invite ions;
•fox a thousand.':
�Six;hrfndred's tltiiteenougttfot .me,
I'm sure,'; Warren replied, glancing,
round the room once more in palpable,.
doubt. How do youmean can to arrange
for. them, Edie?'
'Oh easy enough. Nothing could'
be simpler... I'll tell; you how. First
of all you throw open the folding doors
—or rather, to save the room at. the
sides, you .lift them bodily . off, their
binges and stick. them - out of the
dining room window into the • bask.
gardeu,'
'They •wati'.t go through.' Warren
objected, measuring with his eye.
'Rubbish, my dear! Won't go
$through, indeed! Yon men hpve no,
imagination and no invention, 'You
manufacture difficulties out, of.�pure
ot,structivetioss. If they woit't, go
through whole, why, just take out the
panels and-tinglue the. weod-work,
that's all. --Very well, then.; . that
elfrows the big reception room, from
wjticlt of course we remove all the
furniture, Next, we range the Chairs
in a long row round the sides folt the
old ladies—the old ladies are very
important ; keep 'em down stairs, lir
else they'll prevent their husbands
from buying --and let the men and the
able-bodied girls stand up and ,group
thetnsplvee,n ,picturesque clusters hero
and there about ,the vacant centre.
What could be easier), simpler or more
effective? A room treated so furnish,
es itself automatieally with ;human
properties. . With tact and caret we.,
could easily.squeeze ht some seventy
or eighty.
4 We co►ald,•'. Warren,.anewered.,-after
ty,mentel calculation of z squareeeree,.
"But ltovs� aboutthe pictures.' •
'Hear him, motbert Oh, but then are
helpless? Where should the pictures
be -but up in the studio, stupid? We
wouldn't take all the people up to see
them at once, • of course. You and I
would go around, took iig very affable
with a :professional. 'smile—so, you
know—perpetual y playing about the
centers of our, mouths., and carry off
the men with the most purchasing
faces in constant relays up to, Admire,
the immortal. rt aaster•pieces..,1llemel
white, mother. and 11f r. ilatherley, down
below here, would rio.the polite lathe
old ladies and undertake the deport
inert business. :Or perhaps Mr.,
Hatherlh'.y'd better, be stationed on
guard up stairs, to re ;off;' some of Itis
gushing critical remarks, from time to
tiu►t;'.atiout.tlie aerial perspective and
Ilse twiddle distances, Mr.. Hatherley
always„knows just what to say, • to
weigh down the balance for hesitating
purolinaers.'
'Edit,' Warren cried; flinging him
self down with a, disgusted face upon
the diaiugroorn sofa, '1 hate. all this t v
horrid aalvertisirg and . touting, for i
all the world as it one . were the e
catchpenny proprietor of a patent p
medicine, instead of an honest, hard.
writing British artist!' w
'1 know you do, my dear boy,' Edie
answered imperturbably ; and that's t
alt the more reason why those who v
have the charge of you should under.
take to push you and tout for you u
against your will, till they. positively y
make you achieve the success yon and d
yourself will never have the tneaness- W
to try fotr. --But thank goodness, I L
don't mind puffing,. I'm intriguer w
enough myself for the whole family. t
If it hadn't been for sty egging you 0
on, and pestering you, bullying yon
and keeping you up to it, we should
never have got up this private view o
of your things at all.—And now, hate
ing started and arranged the entire R
show, 1 mean to work it my own way a
Without interference. If there's f3
anything on earth 1 love, it's a jolly e
good muddle.' ly
And jolly as the muddle undoubted. a
ly was, Edie Ralf did pull theta
through itt the end with triumphant i
strategy. Saturday the 3rd was a al
brilliant suooeas. Eletchingly Road, 1
that mere surburban byway, had never Cl
before int its checkered career beheld b
00 many real live carriages together. av
The six hundred, or at least a very fair s
proportion of them, boldly they (trove 1[
and well, down that narrow side street, ! 1+a
All the world wondered. The neigh.
raised in 1•drei social scale by their c:o
p; ixineity to so iashiooable a gathe
ing. Number 128 itself was a than
ed •character; it hardly k w its ow
ground plan, Elle(me lea
reigned supreme, Awl as .two of til
clocks clotted from Kensington ,clinic
tower on that eventful afternoon, eh
murmured .aside to her mother, wit
an enraptured gaze at the scarlet a,
green ; Icalcenunws on the wall of th
staircase ; 'My dear, th not a
speck of duct in this hous ,,*`a.bone
in ney body that isn't .aching.'
'When the hired. man , from the
ws behind filing o .en.,the drawing -
mom door, it !ilii Corly way and ""an-
noctnued in a very loud• voice,. "'Mrs.
Bouverie. ` Barton and Mrs, , Hugh
Messinger' Neither Worrell . nor Edie
was iu lite. front remit to hear the
startling announcement, which would
certainly for tete moment have taken
!their breath away. , Per eemtnunica-
tions between the 1?otises of Reif and
Messinger head lett& since , ceased,
But Warren and Edie were both ups.
stairs, . So Winifred and her , costes
passed idlyin (just shaking hands
the doorway with good old Mrs. Rol
Bisie,' he said with a quiet inc natiotit
r• 'and site was to rtainly a Giriot: girl ;
g. but.1 hardly tl,ittic she can be the
n same you mention. I sl'wuld imagine,
d indeed, she's a good dual too young a
e girl to have been your governess.
,Ct.. was innocently said, but Willi.
fred'a face was one vivid alt of
it mingled shame and Iturniliat „,',t.'allc
an about Beata,/ ' tt die a
d GI I (1ec�' elle
e never knew before she had: grown so
very plait and ancient. "Fin - not
quite so bad as 1 look, perbaps,�” she
answered hastily. . "I'Ve hid a, great
deal` to break ine.down.. at flit glad
to learn whterekllsiois, itnybow. YOU
said she was slit ing at Sam. Remo, I
fancy 4"
• "At San,Rero.� Yes.., Slie ,spends
her winters there i, Por the sumtners,
she always goes up to, St. Meriiu."
"Thank., yo>i,",,3t''naifred answered
liewide f tliroi,bing host"t, " frit ,glnd,to
our d 40:4 lest ltat.'s , heeoiite
of Barton,her,--=i41ra..if you can tear
yourself , away from ,Dr. and Mrs.
Tyaette, evho.are always act alluring,
$ suppose we go tela -stairs now and look
by at that piotores "
f, In the studo Warren Reif recognized,
- her at once, acid with touch trepidations
came up totpeak,to her. It would all
be out now, he greatly feared : and
lfngh'Would learn at last that Elsie was•
11Ve p. Per Winitred's oin.sake—she
looked•so pale find ill—he would fain
have kept the secret to himself .a. few
months longer,.
Winifred Ileld.ont leer hand.fratikly.
She liked Warren ; she Inld _always•
liked liiin; and besides;,` Hugh had
forbidden her to see him. Her lips
trembled, but she was bold, and spoke.
"l1r, Ralf," she said with a ,quiet,
earnestness, "I'm so glad to ;meet yeti,
here today again -glad on more the
one account. You 6'o to Stix Retritt
often, I believe. Pan you tell itis,
Elsio Chalionerislivin there 1"
Warren Reif looked tack. at her in
undisenised astoniehinetit, "She
he answered.. "Dict my sister tell you,
so?"
"No," . Winifred 'cried `with bitter
truthfulness. "I found it out. Awl
with that afte elicit incisive.sentcettce,
she .moved ` on coldly, as if elle wogld.
fain lot.k at the pictures.
"Does -.-does Alasain;er know it?""
Warren asked alt aghast, taken aback.
by surprise acid unwittingly trampling,
t n iter tenderest feelings.
Winifred turned around upon 'NM
with an angry flash. Tltie was.oie-
thanatihe could bear. The tears wet'e -
struggling hard to rise to icer :.yes;.
she kept them back with a au ieuie
effort, "How should I know, pry :?"-
she !answered fiercely, batt very low,
"Duca be make me the conjidan of
all his loves, do You suppose 11ir, ' elf
---He said she dries in Australia: 'He•
told ire a lie. --Everybody's coin nevi
and caballed to deceive me _ ow
should I know ,whether he. know ow
nota 1 know nothing. 13ut one t ng
1 know : from illy mouth Ise s 11
never, never, never' hear it."
She turned away stern, and bar s
iron, . Etigh bad deceived her; het
luta deceived her. The two souls
had loved the best- on eartlt'l „F'rc
that moment forward the joy of :11
life, whatever had been left of it, we
all gene, from her. She went fort:,
front tlte_'room a crushed creature.
Flow varied in light and shade th
world iii 1 While Winifred wa
driving giuoreily back to her owl
lodgings—solitary and betrt-broken,
lit Aire. Bouverie Barton's comfortable
carriage_ -revolving in her own wetted.
ed soul anis incredible -conspiracy of
ldugit's and Elsie's—» Ldie Bel rind
her mother and brother were joyfully
discussing their great triumph, in thee•
now dismantled and empty ftont
drawing -room at 128 Bletohingly
lioad, South Kensington.
"Have you totted up the total Of
the sales, Warren ?" Edie Reif it-
quir"ed with a bright light in her eyes
and a. smile on her lips;; for the
private view—her own inception—had
been more than successful front ilii
very beginning.
(To IiE coNTI.Tttfln.)
Amnon wo atori,,,n,._Are you disturbed at night.
and broken of your rest bya aiak child suffering and
crying with pain of Cutting Teeth? It so send at
Once and get a bottle of "Airs. Wlnsrow's Soothing -
Syrup"
for Children teething. Ile value 1s incaisu
ante, it will relieve the poor little stutterer
Immediately. Depend upon it, mothers; theca Is no
mistake about It. It tura, Dysentery anti Diarrhea,
reurtiates the Stomach and Rowels, care, Vindt:olie,
softone the Gums, reduces Inflammation. and gives
tone and energy to the whole system. Airs. Win-
slow's Soothing Syrup'" for children teething i.;
the eldest andobest Ie ale9pbys aens acrid nurses in
fn
the United States, and is for sate by all druggists
throughout the world. Price twenty-five cents a
bottle. ire sure and ask lot "Mks. Winanow's
Sofinnno Sunt;' and take no other kind.
eelltophereou auudd C e, the shot put-
ters, the former of whom beat in the recent
competition at Toronto, are to have
another match at Parkhill ou the 2l:ith
lust., for !IMO a side.
Ants you nude miserable by Indigestion,
Constipation, Maslow, Lose of Appetite,
Yellow Skin? l3hiloh's Vladimir is a poet.
nye care, Por sale by C. El, Willta las.
who Bever by any chance caught any
body's name) and mingled shortly
with the moss of the visitors. Wini-
,flied was very glad indeed of that, for
she , wanted to escape observation.
Sir Anthony's report bad been far
from reassuring. She preferred to re-
mafii as much, in the background as,
possible, that 'afternoon ; all she
wished was merely tie observe, and to
listen.
As Rhe stood there .mingling with
the general crowd and talking to some
ohattee acquaintance of old London
days she' happened to overbear. two
scrops.of conversation going on be-
hind her. The first • was ' one that
mentioned no names : .and yet,' by
settle , strange feminine instinct she
wnnsrsure Amite Of herself, the speakers
were talking.
'Oh yes,' one voice succi in e. low
tone, with the. intonation that betrays
a furtive sideglasree;,`She's far from
strong—in fact,' very delicate, He
ntit fried her for her money—of coarse;
that'$ clear. :ills .budu't much else,
,poor, little thing, except a certain
short-lived beafate of it dipb1e, to recent -
men/ her, And site has no go in her;
she won't live long. You remember
what Chalton remarks about heireasea ?
They are generally • the last decadent
members, he says, of 'a moribund
stoek whose strength is,failing. They
bear no children, or if any, weaklings:
most of them break down with;.. their
firstinfaut ; and they die at last. pre-.
ntatitrely of organic feettieness, Why,
he jnst sold himself outright for the
poor girl'$ property ; that's the plain,
1 nglish of it ; and' now Z hear,, with
his extravaegant.hglfits,. he's got him..
self after alt into irronetary. litiieulties.
'Agricultural • depression ?' the
Aeeond voice inquired ---an old man's
and louder.
'Worse than that, 1 fear t agricul-
tural repression and „an ecuroaching
sea. , Besides which. he spends too
freetely.-- ttit excuse me, Dr. Montrie,
in a very low tone : '1',n afraid the
lady's rather n tar us.'
Winifred strained her eyes to the
t#twost to hear the rest ;• but the voices
had sunk too low now to oatclh a
sound. , Even as she did.so, another
owe, fa more distinct, front tb lady
n front,, caught her attentiou with the
acne 'Miss Challoner.' Winifred
ricked up. Jier ears incontinently.
Uould it be, o£ her Elsie that those two
ere talking'{
'Oh, yes,' the seeond Iady addressed
nude answer cheerfully;; 'she was
(try well when we last saw her iu
April at San Remo ..We had the
ext villa to the Eelfa on the hillside,
ou know. But . Miss Ohatorier
oesn't come to Enelaud now ; she
as going es usual to lit Martin de
antosque to spend the summer, when
e left the !.Riviera. She, always goes
here as soon as the San Remo season's
ver.'
'Row dial the Eelfs first corns to
pick her up ?' the other speaker tasked
uriously.
'Oh, 1 fancy it was Mr. Warren
elfhitneelf who made her acquaint;
nen somewhere unearthly down in
ulfolk, where the used to be a goy.
.nese. He's always there, 1 believe
ing on is mudbank, yatshing and
ketching.'
Winifted could restrain her curios•
it DO longer. '1 beg your pardon
,'
to said, leaning forward eagerly, 'but
thick you mentioned a certain Miss
halloner. May I ask, does it happen
y any chanue to be Elsie Ohallotter,
ho was once at Girton 1 llecause, if
o, the was a goeternees of mine, and
haven't heard of her for a long time
st. Governesses drop out of one's
World so fast. 1 ehould be glad to
k::ow where she's living at present.'
The Indy nodded. '!ler I,aaa3e'e 1
oa53o of tV rush, don't you how, t hors Looked oil and admired ,vitlt
mother, Let inc tee, We've only sent) vicarione pride, They feltthemseIvcss