HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Signal, 1881-02-25, Page 22
THE HURON SIGNAL,
RUAILY 24. 1881.
1 Lin Folk LIR.
SY VI=
itto Be woo aver,
Weskit
Mil iodised Mao to Imam-
Osa bin 111 awl
or ht. *mot no ifitio.
•IfOrMy to hia wok?
amapiug that I.
oith Tniaorno
ow bet white sea and
as le girder, and mat Me
y tefshela he I left I heard hat
say As bed sent her to ask W Mgt
Greaten bad sees Dr. Urquhart lately,
"Oh, yes; Celia saw hem • few days
sines. He is quite well and very busy."
"And where is het Will be be here
this week! Augustin waats to know."
"I have not the slightest idea. He
did not say a weird *boot "
Umbel inquired no farther, but beim
showing bar velvet dr..a and her beauti-
ful point -lace rues, Lady Treherne's
present --a far more interesting subject.
Verily, gratitude n not the moot lasting
of human enotiosis m young women who
have homes, and husbands, and every-
thing they can desire.
Quite well and very busy, though not
too busy to write to Colin Grantoa. 1
am glad. I have sometimes thought he
might be ill.
The dinner -party was the largest since
we have been here. Twolong rowsof faces
in not one of whom I took the slightest
interest save Mrs. Granton's and Colin's.
I tried to sit next the former, and the
latter to mit next to me; but both designs
failed, and we fell among strangers,
which is sometimes as had as falling
among thieves. 1 did not enjoy my
evening as much as I expected; but I
hope I behaved well; that, as Mrs. Tre-
herne's sister, I tried to be attentive and
courteous to the people, that no one
need have been ashamed of poor Theo-
dor&
And it waa some comfort when, by the
merest chance, 1 overheard Mrs. Granton
say to Lisabel "that she never saw a girl
so much improved as Miss Dona"
Improved! Yee, I ought to be. There
was room for it. Oh, that I may go on
improving, growing better every day!
Too good I cannot be.
"Quite well and very busy." Again
runs in my head that sweet, eid dity:
"men must work, and women must weep.
Fair there's little to earn and many to keep."
Oh! to think of any one's e er working
for me,
Tuesday. Nothing at all happened.
No lettere, no news. Colin drove out
his mother and me toward the Welsh
hills, which I had expressed a wish to
see; and, after lunch, asked if I would
gowith him to the riverside in search of
a boat, for he thought we may still have
a row, though it is still December, the
weather being so mild. He remembered
how I used to like his pulling Lisibel
and me up and down the ponds in the
moorland -we won't say how many years
ago. I think Colin also is "improved.'
He is so exceedingly attentive and kind.
Wednesday. A real event happened
to -day -quite a surmise. Let me make
the most of it, for this journal seems
very uninteresting.
I was standing, "flattening my nose,"
as children say, against the great iron
gates of the avenue, peering through
them at the two lines of bare trees,
planted three deep, and the broad gravel
drive, straight as an arrow, narrowing
in perspective almost to a point; the
lodge plainly visible at the end of the
two miles, which Meets no distance at
all; but when you have to walk it, it's
"awfu' lang," as says the old Scotch
gardener, who is my very particular friend
and my informant on all subjects, ani-
mal, vegetable, and historical, pertaining
to Treherne Court. And looking at it
from these gates, the road does seem
"awfu' Lang," like life. I was thinking
so when some one touched me, and said,
"Dora."
Francis startled me so; I am sure I
must have blushed as much as if I had
been Penelope -that is, as Penelope
used to blush in former days. And next
minute I thought of her, and felt alarm-
ed.
"Oh, Francis, nothing is the matter
-nothing has happened to Penelope?"
"You silly girl, what should happen?
I do not know anything about Rock -
mount; was not aware but that you were
all at home till I saw you here, and knew
by the sentimental attitude it could be
nobody but Dora. Tell me, when did
you comer
"When did you come? I understood
it wee impossible for you to leave Lon-
don."
"I had business with my uncle, Sir
William. Besides, if Penelope is here
Nall "Mr.
Is the find tiuseliheL ibis that.
have eased myealito ery. Winn pe-
t:el bigamy ineadesely, it is maid to be
that the joy cannot last. that there
kirrerrow coming. 8o, on the other
hand, it may be a geed dorm te feel
oae'i heart aching without mese. Yet
e tear er twe seems to relieve it and do
to good. Inettgle now.
I was &beadle denciribe ?relines. Court
Had any o1 iirag-iiikne
ding, ill-asitured people nighttime� said
that Mies Umbel Johnston ivied the
Court sadist the !neater --ADO zwingaificient
is it Estate extending goodases knows
where; park with deer; avenuej taro miles
long; plantations eloping to the river - -
one of the "principal rivers of England,"
as we need te learn in Pterioek's Geo.
grapby-the broad, quiet, and yet fast
running Dee. Hew lovely it west look
in summer, with those great trees dip-
ping greealy into it, and those 'meadows
dotted with levy cows
There are gardens, too, and an iron
bridge, and statues, and a lawn with a
isun-dial, though not half b0 pretty as
that one at the °Wars; and a quadran-
gular stable, almost as grand as the
house, and which Augustus thinks, of
quite as much important*. He has made
Lisa a first-rate horsewoman, and they
used to go careering half over the ooun-
try, until la.tely. Certainly, those two
have the most thorough enjoyment of
life, fresh, young, sullies] life and spirits,
as is possible te conceive. Their whole
existence, present and future, seems to
be one blaze of sunshine.
I broke off here to write to Penelope.
I wish Penelope were with us. She will
find her Christmas very dull without us
oll; and, consequently, without Francis;
though ho could not have come to Rock -
mount under any circumstances, he said,
Important business." This " busi-
'less," alack, is often hard to brook.
Well
•lifen must work, and women inust weep."
No, they ought not to weep; they are
cowards if they do. They ought tocheer
and enceurage tho men, never to bemoan
and blame them. Yet I wish -I wish
Penelope could get a sight uf Francis
this Christmas time. It is such a holy
t:rne, when hearts seem "knit together
in love" -when one would like to have
all one's best -beloved about hine. And
she loves Francis -has loved him for so
long.
Dr. Urquhart said to me once, the on-
ly time he ever referred to the matter -
for he is too delicate to gossip about
family love affairs; "that he wished sin-
, erely my sister and Mr. Charteris
had been married -it would have been
the best thing which could have happen-
ed to him -and to her, if she loved
him." I smiled; little doubt about that
"if." In truth, though I once thought
Efferently, it is one of the chief founds. -
tions of the esteem and sympathy which
I take shame to myself for not having
hitherto given to my elder sister. I
:hhall do better, please God, in time to
h:ozne; better in every way.
And to begin: In order to shake off a
ertain half-fretfuldreamineesthat creeps
ever me, it may be partly in consequence
.4 the breaking up of home habits, and
the sudden plunge into a life so totally
new, I mean to write regularly at my
journal, to put down everything that
happens from this time; so that it may
ne a complete history of this visit at Tre-
herne Court, if, at a future time, I or
any one ever do so 1 Will any one ever
have the right t No; rights enforced are
ugly things. Will any one overcome
and say to me, "Dora," or "Theodora"
a I think I like my full name best -"I
should like to read your journal."
Let me see: to -night is Sunday:I seem
always to choose Sunday for these en-
tries, because we usually retire early,
and it is such a peaceful family -day et
Rockmount; which indeed is the case
here. We only went to church once,
and dined as usual at seven, No that I
had a long afternoon's wander about the
grounds; first with papa, and then by
myself. 1 hope it was a truly Sunday
walk; that I was content and thankful,
as I ought to be.
So ended Sunday. Let us nee what
Monday will bring.
Monday. It brought an instalment
of visitors; the first for our Christmas
week.
At church -time a By drove up to the
.1.4*, and who should leap out of it, with
the brightest face in the world, but
Oolin Oranton and his mother. 1weal
SO surprised -- startled indeed, for I hap-
pened to be standing at the hall -door
when the fiy appeared; that 1 hardly
could find two wordstosayte either. Only
say eyes might have shoern--1 trust they
tid--that, after the first minute, 1 was
eery glad to see them.
I tucked the dear old lady under my
aria, and marched her through all the
earnsista int the dining room. leaving
Oats to tale care of himself, a duty of
Adak the young man u quite capable
Tkiss I had a great hunt after paps and
Lisa; finally waylaying the shy lady An
gust", and begging te introdeoe te her
my dear (44 friend ;very friends fare
ugh
ika I was
elan
ilos
bit prowl
euniseurid A biota ea
ho proud of all the gaud clamp her bin -
and' Wye eadewe her will"; only they
saight he better things than hour* and
lases, clothes and furniture. When
Lim has said sometimes, "My dear, I
am the hismisiet girl in the world. Dont
ig ow r
hand the least diffleoky is replying.
Yet, she is happy. There is a look of
contented nuitronhood gnawing in her
face day by day, far sweeter than any-
thing her girlhood oould boast. Elbe is
very fond of her husband too. It was
charming to see the bright blush with
which she started up from lira Gran-
tee's &reside, the instant Augustus was
heard galling outside. "Lis ! Lis ! Mrs.
?reborn. ! Where's Mrs Trtherne?"
"1R -un away to your husband, iny dear.
I see he ain't do without you. How
well she loeks and bow happy she
seems !" added the old lady, who has
apparently forgotten the slight of "my
Colin."
By the way, 1 do not suppose Colin
ever actually proposed to our Lisa; only
it was • sort of received notion in our
family that he would. If he had, his moth-
er never would have brought him here,
to be • daily witness of Mrs. Treherne's
beauty and oontentment; which he bears
with a stoicism most remarkable in a
young man who has ever been in love
with her. Do men so easily forget 1
Some, perhaps; not all. it is oftentimes
honorable and generous to conquer an
unfortunate love; but there is something
disereditable in totally ignoring and for-
getting it. I doubt, I should rather de-
spise a man who despised his first love,
even for me.
Let me see: where did I leave myself?
Oh, sitting by Mrs. Granton's fire; or
helping her to take off her things -a
sinecure office, for her "things"- no
other word befits them -are popped
off and on with the ease and untidiness
of fifteen, instead of the preciseneis of
skty-five: order and regularity being
omitted by Providence in the manu-
facture of this dear old lady. Also
listening, which is no sinecure; for she
always has plenty to say about every-
thing and everybody, except herself.,
I may never have said it in so many
words, but I love Mrs. Granton. Every
line in her nice old withered face is
pleasant to me! every creak of her quick
footstep; every angular fold in her ever-
lasting black silk gown- a very shabby
gown often, for she does not care how
she dresses. She is by no mama one of
your picturesque ancient gentlewomen,
looking as if they had just stepped out
of a gilt -frame -she is only &little, active
bright old lady. As a girl, she might
have been pretty -1 am not sure, though
she has still a delicate expressive mouth,
and soft gray eyes; but I am very sure
that she often looks beautiful now.
And why? for, guessing what all the
grand people at dinner to night will
think of her and myself, I cannot help
smiling at this application of the wont
Because she has one of the must beauti-
ful natures that can adorn an old
woman -or a young one, either; • all
loving -kindness, energy, cheerfulness.
Because age has failed to sour her;
affliction to harden her hgeri. Of all
people I know, she is the quickest to
praise, the slowest to judge, the gentlest
to condemn. A living homily on the
text which, specifying the trinity of
Christian virtues, narne-"these three -
but the greatest of these is charity."
Long familiarity made me unmindful
of those qualities in her, till, taught by
the observations of others, and by my
own comparison of the people 1 meet nut
in the world, which may be supposed to
mean Treherne Court, with my good old
riend.
"Have you much company, then'?"
asked she, while I was trying to persuade
her to let me twat into a little more
form the ahapelees "bob" et her dear old
gray hair, and put her cap not quite so
much on one side. "And do you enjoy
it, nay dear? Have you seen anybody you
liked very lima?"
"None that I liked better than my-
self, be sure. How should IT'
A true saying, though she did not un-
derstand its under -meaning. I have
set more value on myself of late, and
taken pains to be pleasant to every one.
It would not (10 to have people laying,
What • disagreeable girl is that Theo-
dora Johnston' I wonder how anybody
clan like hert" Has Mr. Oranton an idea
that anybody nay, let n come out ' that
anybody dem lake me?
Her eyes were very sharp, and her
questions keen, as I entertained her with
our doings at Treherne Court, and the
acquaintances we had mads --a large
number -from county nobility to dermal
dignitaries and py young effiesne from
Whitehassier, 'which moms made up en-
tirely of barna/is and cathedral Rut
she. gals ma no news in return. areal*
that Cohn firmed the Coders so dull that
he had never rested till he had got his
mothm sway hero which fart slid not
LAL
"You niust know quits well, Francis,
that Penelope is not here."
I never scruple to speak my mind to
Francis Charter's. We do not much
like one another, and are both aware of
it His soft, silken pentanes often
strikes me as insincere, and any "want
of refinement," as he terms it, may he
quite as distasteful to him. We do Dm
suit, and were we wee so food of one
another. this ineompatibility wield be
apparent People may like and respect
one another extremely, yet not suit, even
M two gond tunes are not always capable
of being harmonised I moo heard an
ingenions performer try to play s nes
"The last Rose of Rummer' and "awry
(mete The result resembled men, •
rosuation tootwoim Proaeis end
presumed to be one of then, so
eaa preventiye measure, 1 seggelited
lenobeen-tinas.
"Oho umiak you, I am not hungry I
linee4 at Birmingham."
Mtlflit might bare streak hawks that,
Wier perig• bolt not
We frogniffite *edam tetras! %ha
deer, 'odor the groat Portugal lours*
odd& bo stood to admire.
"I have Imbibed their growth over
since I was a boy. You know, Dora,
once this place was to have been mina"
"It would have given you a vast deal
of trouble, and you don't like trouble,
You will enjoy it much more as a visi-
tor."
Francis made no reply, and when I
asked the reason of his sudden change of
plans, and if Penelope were acquainted
with it, he seemed vexed.
"Of mune Penelope knows; I wrote
to -day, and told her my purpose in com-
ing here was to see Sir/William Cannot &
man pay his respects to his uncle with-
out being questioned and suspected?"
"I never suspected you, Francis --
until now, when youlook as if you were
afraid I should. Whet is the matter!
Do tell me."
For truly, I felt alarmed. He was so
extremely nervous and irritable, and his
sensitive features, betrayed so much in-
ward disoomfiture, that I dreaded some
ill, threatening him or Penelope. If
one, of course both.
"L o tell me, Francis. Forgive my
rudeness. We are almost brother and
sister."
"Which tie is supposed to excuse my
rudeness. Bat really I have nothing to
tell -except that your ladyship is grow-
ing blunter than ever, under the instruc-
tion, no doubt, of your friend, Dr.
Urquhart. Pray, is he here?"
oNooh
"Is he expected?"
"You hal better ask Captain Tre-
herne."
"Pahaw! what do men care for one
another? I thought a young lady was
the likeliest person to take an interest in
the proceedings of a young -I beg his
pardon -a middle-agee gentleman.
If Francis thought either to irritate or
confuse rue, he was dissapointed. A
month ago it might have been. Not
now. But probably -and I have since
felt sure of it -he was merely pursiiing
his own adds without heeding me.
"Now, Dora, seriously, I want to
know something of Dr. Urquhart's pro-
ceedings, and where a letter might reach
him. Do find out for me, there's a good
girl."
And he put his arm round me, in an
elder -brotherly careseing manner which
he sometimes adopted with Lisa and me,
and which I never used to mind. Now,
I felt,as if I could not endure it, and
slipped away.
"I don't gee, Francis, why you should
not ask such a simple question yourself.
It is no business of mine."
"Then you really know nothing of Dr.
Urmahares whereabouts lately? He has
not been to Rockmount?"
'No. h
"Nor written?"
"I believe not. Why do you want to
know? Have you been quarrelinlg with
him?"
For, aware they two were not over
fond of one another, a sudden idea- so
ridiculously romaptic that I laughed at it
the next minute -made me, for one
second turn quite sick and +mkt
"Quarrelling, my dear child -young
lady, I mean -am 1 ever se silly, so un-
gentlemanly, se to quarrel with any-
body? I assure you not. There is the
Dee! What a beautiful view this
He began to expatiate on its beauties,
with that delicate appreciatiit taste
which he has in such perfection, and in
the expression crf which he never fails.
Under such circumstances, when he real-
ly seems pleased -not languidly, but ac-
tively, and tries to please others, I grant
all Franeisni claims as a charming com-
panion -for an hour's walk. For life- -
ahl that is • different matter! When
with him, I often think of "Beatrioe's
answer when Don Perim asks if she
will have him as a husband?" "No, my
lord, unless I might have another for
working -day& Your Grace is too costly
to wear every day.'
Love -fit for oonstant wear and tear,
able to sink safely down
-t°
Moat quiet nend: bribes% lir andel "tesenvarri•-yliandat.ylf
must be a rare thing, and precious at
rare.
"I think I never RAW such • Christ-
mas -see. Lnok Dora, the sky is as blue
as June. How sharp and clear the re-
Anstion of those branches in the rives,.
Height,' thia is s lovely place. that $
difference it would hare lassie to me if
flit WIU,aa, bad waver married, and I
lad bean heir to Treherne Coat.
"No difference to you in yourself,atid I, moistly -Penelope would not
have loved goo ossi *Mt the more, only
you wooed hare twain *serried • little
sooner, which might have been better!
for both parties,"
"Heaven knows yes, "metered he,
is sash owlish .4 regret, that 1 felt
sorry for hilts Then. soddenly De
roo think rem sister is tired waiting
Would she wish the- out enengeauent
broken r
"Not at all. Indeed, I meant to.,t tU
fez yoo, Posiolopo wombs* so mg*
"11 she did," ..a4 he looked Were vel
"it would be gams natural"
I. Wield, La souse endigtastion, "it
as/ be quite natural. Do you
suppries we weans are in sueli • friglattla
beery to be married, that love promised
and sure, such as Penelope hoo--ur
ought to have ---i. not sulkiest% to Ingle
us happy for any number of years? If
you doubt it, you ought to be ashamed
of yourself. You don't know women;
last of all such as my sister Penelope."
"Ay, she has been • good, faithful
girl," said he. again niggling. "Poor
Penelope.'
And then he recurred to the beautiful
sonery, which 1, feeling that extreme
want of topics of conversation which al-
ways apposls me to in tcte-e-tetes with
Francis Charteris- -gladly accepted. It
lasted 011 we re-entered the house,
and, not unwillingly, parted company.
After luncheon --being unable to find
anybody in this great, wide house-- 1 sat
in my own room awhile; till, finding it
was not good to be Lay and dreaming, 1
went to Mrs. Granton's and listened to
her pleasant gossip about people with
whom .he had been mixed up during her
long life. Who have every one this re-
markable eharacteristic, that they are all
the very best people that ever lived.
The burden of her talk is, of course "my
Colin," whom she makes out to be the
most angelic babe, the sweetest schoolboy
the noblest youth, and the 'resat perfect
man upon this poor earth. One sonnet
smile at the fond old mother. Besides,
I am fond of Colin myself. Was he not
my first love?
Hush! let nae not, even in jest, pro-
fane thet holy word.
I sat with Mrs. Granton a long time -
sometimes hearing, sometimes nut; pro-
bebly sayiug, "yes, ' and "no," and
"certainly," to many things which now
I have nut the least ides of. My
thoughts wandered -lulled by the wind,
Otto which began to rise to a regular Christ-
mas blast.
Yee, to -night was Christmas -eve, and
all the Christmas guesta were now
gathering in in country houses. Ours,
too; there wore rings at the resonant
door -bell, and feet passing upend down
.the corridor. I like to recall -just for a
moment's delusion -the sensations of
that hour, between the lights, resting by
Mrs. Granton's fire, lazy, warm, tam -
tent. The only drawback to my content
was the thought of Penelope. poor girl,
all alone at Rockmount, and expecting
nobody.
At the dressing -bell, 1 slipped through
the long, half -dark etaircases to my room.
As it was to be a large party at dinner,
I thought 1 would put on my new dress
-Augustuis present ; black velvet; "hor-
ridly old -womanish" Linshad protested.
Yet it looked well -1 stood before the
glass and admired myself in it; just a
little. I was so glad to look well.
Foolish vanity -only lasting a minute.
Yet that minute was pleassnt. Lisabel,
who came into my room, with her hus-
band following her to the very door,
must have realpleasure in her splendors.
I told, her so.
"Oh, nonsense, child! Why I am as
vexed and cross as possible. So inany
disappointments to -night. People with
colds, and rheumatism, and dead rola-
tive& "
"Oh, Lisa..'
"Well, but is it not aanoying? Every-
body wanted does not come; those not
wanted, do. For inert*: Dr. Urqu-
hart, who always keeps bott-Mid
Sir William in the best of humors, is
not here. And Fra.ncis, who fidgets
them both to death, and Who I ,was so
thankful was not coming -he is just
come. You stupid girl, yon seem not
the least bit sorry; you are thinking of
something else the whole time."
I said was sorry, and was not think-
ing of anything elae.
"Augustus wanted to see him par-
ticularly; but I forgot, you don't know
-however, you will soon, child. Still,
isn't it a downright Amite of Dr. Urqu-
hart neither to come nor Pend?"
I suggested something might have
happened.
"A railway ascident. Dear me, I
never thought of that.
"Nor I." Heaven knows, no'
I had a time table, and searched
through it for the last train stopping et
Whitchester, then °ousted how long it
would take to drive to Treherne Court,
and looked at my watch. No, he could
not be bore tonight.
"And af there had been any western,
there wail time for us to have heard of
it," said Lisa, and she took np her fan
and gloves to go down staim "So,
&ad, we must math. the best we can of
rear friend's behavior lire you ready
few dinner?'
"In two minutes.
I shot the door after am sister, and
steed still Infer* tin g/ses. fastening a
torrinele or something
m
Mine, y friend. He wae. that.
When/rem they were vexed with hum. all
• • family neually coiled kiwi en
It was very wtranee his not enveing
having promised niuguetus for some
reason which 1 did not know of Also,
there seat another emenvi - which they
did not know of-ekdinfl Ise
He ono. said to toe, positively, that
kilta, the hist Christmas' he luta kept 111
Illagland for wiaay years, should be kepi
with us, with Inc.
NOW, a lb/915100 is • promos. 1 tio
mit would Imp une si all 'costs that in
volved no wives to any one else. He is
of the suns mind. Then something
mull bare hepponal.
For moment 1 bad been angry, thsough
scarcely with bins; wherever be was be
wield be doing his duty. Yet, why
ahuuld he tie always doing his duty to
every haus, except mei Had I no right!
I, to whom even Lisa, who kuew nothing
called him my frissult
Yea, liUtie! Of a sudden I seemed to
feel all that the word meant, and t..
take all the burden of it It quieted me.
1 went down stairs. There were the
usual two lines of diumer-table faces,
the usual murmur of dinner -table talk,
but all was dim and uncertain, like
picture, or the sound of people chatter-
ing very far off. Colin beside Inv kept
talking about how well I looked in my
new gown -how he would like to see use
dressed as foie as a queen- -end how he
hoped we should spend many • Christ-
mas as merry as this- till something
seemed tempting use to start up and
SCreaAtildeue. rt, the butler brought in A
large letter to Sir Williaiu. It was •
telegraph message I recognised the
look of the thing; we had several during
papas illness Easy to sit dill now. I
seemed to know quite well what was
coming, but the only clear thought was
stiliSir.‘"NlYineill-iiiin-mi.nt"
reai"I, folded up the
message, and passed it on to Augustus,
then rose.
''Friends, till your glasses. 1 have
just had good news. Ladies and gentle-
men, I have the honor to give you the
health of my uephew, Francis Cherteris,
Esquire, Governor elect of—."
In the cheering, confusion, and con-
gratulationui that followed, Liaa passed
the telegram to me, and 1 maw it was
from "Max Urquhart, Loudon.'
As soon as we got into a corner ey
eurselves, my sister burst out with the
whole mystery.
"Thank goodness it s over; 1 never
kept • secret before, and Augustus was
so frightened lest I shonld tell, and then
what would Dr. Urquhart have saidt Its
Dr. Urquharts planning, and lie was t"
have brought the good news to -day; and
I'm very Ferry I abused him, for he has
been working like a horse for Francis a
interest, and -did you ever see a young
fellow take a piece of good fortune so
coolly? -a lovely West Indian Island,
with geyerninent house, and salary large
enough to make Penelope a must mag-
nificent governor's wife, yet he is no
more thankful for it -I declare I am
ashamed of Francis Charter*. '•
She wennen a good.dead more in this
faahion, but I had nothing to may -I felt
so strange and confused-- till at last I
leaned my head on her shoulder, and
cried softly, which brought me into great
opprobrium, and subjected me to the
accusation of always weeping when there
was the least prospect of a marriage in
the family.
Marriage! just at that moment there
might not have been such a thing as
marriage in the world. I never thought
of it. I only thought of life-- a life still
kept safe, laboring busily to make every-
body happy, true to itself and to
its promises, forgetting nothing and no
I one, kind to the thankful and unthank-
ful alike. Compared to it my own
insignificant life, with ite small hopes
and petty plins all ertunhled down into
n°4hi'ngill,egL
"iateare yen glad, Dora?"
Ay, I was; very glad -very oontent.
Papa CAMS in soon, and he and I
walked up anddown, arm-in-arrn, talking
the matter over, till, seeing Francs
sitting alone in a recess, we went np to
him, and papa again wished him all
happiness. He merely said, "Thank
you," and nuttered something about
"wishing to explain by and by.'
"Which moms, I suppose, that I am'
shortly to be left with only one girl to
take care of me -eh' Francis.'' said papa
did not mean he actually
stammered. "I hope, Mr. Johnston.
you understand that this appointment is
not yet acoepted---indeml, I tan uncer-
tain if I shall accept it."
Papa looked exceedingly ohirprised •
and remembering some of Pranets's
sayings te me this morning, I was rather
more than eurprased- indignant But
no remark was made, and just then
Augustus called the whole party to go
down into the great kit -hen and see the
Christmas mummers-- or guizers, as they
are called in that county.
We looked at them for a long half
hour, and then everybody, great and
small got into the full whirl of Christmas
merriment. Colin, in particular, grew
so lively that be wanted to load me under
tho:mistletoe; but when 1 deelmaids first
gayly, and thee serinualy, he assisted,
saying he would not offend me for *le
world. Nevertheless, he and id.e or two
sane hissed Lisabel Hew *mild a,e
adore it? when 1--! new tionetunee feel
jesl.u. over even a strange touch of this
my hand.
The revels ended earlyand, as I sit
writing, the house is all stall I have
ittst drawn up my hlind and looked out
The wiled has mink; snow ts falling. 1
hke snow on a Christina% morning.
Whom have I onto whonnito wish throe
good wines which always he, mares be
one's heart? My own family, of (.00NIS
peps end Leis and Penelope. far away.
Poor, dear Pesseikpe? May sae find
h.rselIyearliAteh&Pth"em7allun trees. "slant
Clinstrres Nut I sin ocher now- rich
et, at often IMPRWAII 1.4) WO. than anybody
in the whole WOrki.
Good-nighta merry se, for "often
in mirth the heart a ead•• - a happy
Cheltenham and • gond new year
on se catnermonni 1