HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1885-11-27, Page 62
'Trri Blarisii6 POST.
NOV. 27, 19L
DICK'S SWEETHEART.
Hy the Author of "Mmesze Teem:lox,"
LOTH, Lou» Beasesroan," "Pirruts,"
MOLLY 13AWN," ETC.
auikerouan, you snow.
" Hear, hoar I" says Mr. Vyner, with
open approbation.
"Aud you can't change a inan's mode
of life all ie a moment," goes on Sir
Chicksy earnestly. 'You can't make a
tinker into au archbishop in five min.
ntes, can you 1.10T.T.?"
This is soothe? incontrovertible fact,
and no one seeks to dispute it either,
" He is getting so deep," rentarks Mr.
Vyner to his vest neighbour, "that if
some one doesn't give him a helping
hand soon, he'll drosvn."
"You might have shown him some
sympathy," says Audrey, still address-
ing Sir Chicksy.
',I did. I don't think I ever felt
more sorry for any one," answers Sir
Chicksy, almost in tears.
" What I mean is," exclaims Audrey,
losing her patieuce mil therefore Min-
ing bluntly to her real meaning, "that,
instead of feeling so much, you might
have given him seine money I"
" Why, of course I tatve him money I"
says Sir Chicksy indiguantly. • and
gracious! Ho W118 just the sect one
couldn't look at witliont givi 111
money I I Rave him five ••Ial
He blushes over this confession, At
the time of giving, live shillings had
seemed ,mite enough ; now lie f,e's a
sovereign would have beau + tee
altogether slvlbhy."
" Then why didn't you say • 0 1"
Audrey, naturally
pleased too that her suspicions v. re
unfounded.
"1 didn't know that that was what
you wanted me to say," repli8 he ie.
genuously. "1 thought you would have
known I"
At this everybody smiles, and Mr.
Vyner, breaking off a little rose•buil
from the wall near hire, throws it into
Audrey's lap,
"Ib took time, didn't it?" he says
carelessly, but with a sparkle of sup.
pressed amusement in his eyes.
" Even if so, it was worth waiting,
for," returns she quickly. Then -not
angrily, not even unsmilingly, yet with
a cold decision -she throws the rose-
bud back to him.
Mr. Vyner, catching it, sits down and
commences placidly to devour it leaf by
leaf, speaking no word to any one uutil
potores xem ner Immo au 0010'agone
but a fond remembrance of the river
checked hor desire for the more noble
Belt, and, taming aside, be sought the
sylvan shade o1 treats aud the quaint
musical murmur of the rippling water,
gliding over rugged stones and past soft
bending mosses.
Now, stooping over its brink, sho
notes her own sweet image in its quiver.
ing depths, and wonders vaguely if it is
bearing it away to the limitless ocean
Layout The 111011(1810 ocean of life -
what has that hi store for her ? Whi-
ther is it hurrying her ? To what un-
known 80/1,8, what tempests? She
draws her breath quickly, and laughs at
her own dismal imagiuings. Nay, then,
into what calm depths and pleasant
harbours is it carrying her, with Dielt
for guide and lover and guardian ?
Does the thought of him bring him ?
His voice, far off as yet, pierces
the soft air and mules to her, faintly,
but unmistakably. it is the await
dearest to her on earth, and she time
gladly in its direetiou, and waits with
eager longing the coning of its owner.
Evidently he is not alone. Hifi vOiCti
is suggestive of 1J01011011 and answer
it rises, fades away into nothingness, tie
if awaiting a reply, and then rimes ag,ain.
A. little feeling that is scarcely jeelousy,
but is perhaps uncertainty, chills the
smile upon 1)0100105 lips. Aud now
therevr
is no fading aly of the voice; it
bolds its own, without interruption,
until it is made plain to the listener
that Melt has the conversation all so
himself. It is rather lb mixed discourse,
and has appareutly-from the little she
eau hear of it -a good deal to do with
people of another aud au airier clime
than this. There are, for example,
51005 made to an ancient dense whose
chief p irpose in life it seemed to be to
b
clear ,e sky of euperfluous cobwebs,
aud to an elderly geutleman-an elderly
reprobate would be utterer the mark -
whose only joy 00118151(181 iu the pOSSOS-
8108 of '' his pipe and his glass and his
fiddlers three."
Then all at once the comer is turned,
and Dick comes towards her, smiling
the fond eager smile that belones to
her alone, bearing in his arms a little
(miens 'bundle pressed kindly to his
breast. Across the dewy grasses he conies
to her, his unwonted burden clinging;
closely to him.
" Why, it is a little child I" cries Do-
lores, going up to him, and turtling A
frightened, brown, half.tearlul face to-
wards her with a gentle palm.
" Yes, and such a little child I" says
Dick, laughing. " I found her in the
very depths of the wood, like another
its last petal is consumed. • babe,' lost, crying her poor little eyes
" Somebody is coming," says Mrs. out. Aud no wonder too "-looking in
Vi erayss suddenly-" I. feel it. Soule- friendly wise at the little mite he is
body is in the drawing.roons. Look,
one of you, and say who 11( 15."
Bruuo, liftiug the lace -curtain of tbe
opeu window near hini, glances care-
lessly iuto the drawing•rooto. Not so
careless, however, is his glance as he
once more faces his friends.
" My mother!" be exclaims; and a
general rout is the result.
Consternation sits on every face;
every one at once iiods it is very late,
and quite time to hid their hostess
adieu. Mr. Vyuer alone rises grace-
fully to the occasion anti itis feet. He
-welcomes Lady Bouverie amongst them
with a subdued effusiveness that
creates admiration in the breast of
Mrs. Wemyss and brings the word
" Hypocrite!" to Audrey's scornful
lips.
'No. Would you really call me
that ?" asks he, with grieved surprise,
overhearing her. '' Odd, if true, be.
cause in reality 1 am the most straight.
forward person alive 1 But these little
complications of character— Going
now? Well, I shall walk home with
you, theu, and explain to you my hypo.
critical honesty and the honesty of my
hypocrisy as we go.''
" Sir Chicksy can take care of me,"
says Audrey icily.
"Aud so can 1,' Mr. Vyner assures
her cheerfully. " Two escorts are bet.
ter than none. Can you deny that?
And, besides, Sir Chiasy-though
quite the most intelligent and ohatiniug
person I know -might, in ono of his
erudite reveries, lose his way and lead
you into the next twenty, and then
what should I-1 mean what would
dad' do 1"
He laughs. She turns impatiently
a0llo; but the little soft light that
always creeps into her eyes when
name is mentioned 0001 08
there now ; and without making any
further objection, she beckons to Sir
Chieksy, and, bidding Mrs. Wetuyss
good- bye, goes down the avenue escort.
ed by the two young men.
CHA.PT.Plli XII.
" Sometimes too hot thrieye of beevrn
Ahem." mit net 1 0.(liVr. Tea),
el -stoned measure in its btiguAin, a
I
11 001011)110)18 tremulous subiliiing of its inighsy
08101' tbiti (8110) 1(100 NV11 1( 11 010118
,".+8.If in paler sunbeams and in the
.igning of the dainty winds that linger
ne lawn and woodway. Ilp from the
sea they come, scented With salted
spray, laying cool tonches upon all they
pass ; the great calre of the day is ren.
dered even calmer by them, so gentle
are they ; the constant roar of the
waves is hushed to silence. Peace 1110
on land and water.
'1410 whela with wonder whist,
iinothiv the wstoi last,
81 11501111(4 (.13)11 lays to (.110 lnhI,1 ocean,
how bath quits forgot to rave
5)11e hirem of calla aft brooding on the
c,.nrindil wave."
Tho world is a day, older; the sun is
mounted high in his blue kingdom ; the
roses are a few hours nearer their
doath-happy death, coming with glow
of yellow warmth arid rushing of mighty
880,181
With half a mind to cle to the
eay vreen 1)0 saw her -tranquil,
nueonscions, full of a beauty indeecrib.
able that savored more of heaven than
earth. Even then -how long ago anew
BOOM I -all his soul must have gone out
to her, 13uti how quiet she is now -how
pale ber breath ecareely seems to
part ber lips I A, sudden terror seises
him ; he lays his hand upon her arm.
Slowly her white lids updraw them-
selves, and a gleam from the tender
dark gray eyes falls upon his anxious
face. First there is a little shrinking,
born of uncertainty, in her glance, and
then an unutterable sweetness, as she
realises the fact that 11( 10 indeed her
heart's lover who is betiding over her.
"Al), it is you!" she says, with a
little sigh of deepest aatisfaction, and,
with a movement full of childish
grace and pleasure, she lifts one arm
and slips it round his neck. " I was
titer' of waiting. I fall asleop-I
dreamed "
'01 me?"
" No -of something vague, shadowy,
unhappy. I was in a darkness, a ter-
rible darkness, out of which no ono
could rescue me. I was groping in a
blind fashion where there was nothing
to lay hold of -no hope!" She shud,
ders violently. "I was glad when I
woke," she says, with a quiolt sigh and
an involuntary gesture that draws him
nearer to her. " Yon were not there,"
she murmurs sadly -"You didnot come
to help me I"
" Which shows how unstable arc all
each vapoury things as dreams.
Where could you bo, my beloved, that
woad not come to your assistance?
Your griefs, your fears, are now all
Mille."
"There is one thing," saye Dolores,
borsclf on her elbow, and look-
ing at"him with a grave sweet smile,
that I 1.1698 never yet told you. It is
how much I love you. Do you know
how much 1 With my whole, whole
heart."
"And I -how do I love yon ?" asks
he, with passionate fondness, tightening
his arms around her lissom figure. Lis-
ten I"
'• Just RS 1 love you I" interrupts she,
hastily-" not less -not more. Why
should one of us ontdo the other? No;
our love is equal in its strength. I
could not be dearer to you, Dick, than
you are to me ?"
" I wonder if you know to what avast
amount you aro pledging yourself ?"
says he, smiling.
"Yesterday' -raising shy but unfal-
tering eyes to his-" I was reading a
love story, and I was wondering if it
'really was so sweet to have someone
who -who loved one better than all the
world beside. And it was a had hour
with me as I thought of all this, and I
doubted; but now -now—'
" Yes -now ?" interrogates Bouverie
eagerly.
" Ah, now I know I" she says sweet-
ly, laying her soft head, with a little sigh
of content, upon his arm.
" Do you know what you remind me
of ?" asks Dick presently. " Of white
violets. You are not like a rose or a
MY, but a frail pure violet. I
don't know how it is, but you always
make me think of that sweetest of
dowers."
'1)0 I?" She smiles at him as if
greatly pleased. " Shall 1 wear violets
111 my gown at Mrs. Drummond's ball
to night? Do you know I really think
no flowers are so nice as violets? I am
so glad you think me like them. I am
wearing white as usual. Shall I put
purple violets in the folds? They
would not bo real of conrse; but I think
they would look pretty. Yes?" She
raises earnest eyes to his. It is an im-
portant question, this arrangement of
the colouring that is to render her fair
to -night. "Should I look nice so ?" she
asks, with pretty anxiety.
'018, love, how is it you would not
look nice ?" exclaims ho; and then,
with sudden sharp fear-" Oh, darling,
why do you look so pale, so fragile?
am afraid for you 1 A terrible dread
that some day you will fade away
from me altogether kills half the hap-
piness your sweet presence yields me."
"Nay," says she, laughing, and ten.
derly pushing back the hair from his
forehead. " What a silly boy I Atu
snow, that I should melt? And all this
ie because my cheeks are a little pale
to -day. Well, I shall punish them."
She raises hor hands playfully, and
pinches her cheeks until perforce the
laggard blood rushes into them. "Now
shall I fade?' she says, rubbing her
lovely flushed face againsthis.
"Poor little face 1" Struggling still
with a nameless depression, he draws
her closer to him. ' I shall not allow
you so to ilbuse it."
She is smiling at him now -with parted
lips and happy eyes, aud with two soft
001 035011 spots upon bor cheeks brought
there by the unkindly touch of ber slen.
der fingers. She is sitting on the mossy
bank, and has taken her knees into her
embrace, and is bonding towards hini.
" Let us talk of somothiug else," she
says.
" How 0011 WS It seems to me that
there is nothing in all the wort i but
you."
" There you aro wrong," says sho
lightly, laying her fingers with a cmielt
fond gesture on his lips, " because there
is ou I"
At this they laugh with a soft light-
ness, not because of the excellence of
their small joke, but jnst for the very
love of langhter, they being young and
fond and happy withal.
" Oh. Doloree I" says Dick, gently but
suddenly taking her face between both
his bands -stud' a beautiful face, cou-
stant and trustful as an angel's 1 'Phe
laughter 11 RH died from him now, and
there is an intensity of love and passion
in his voice, and always too that under-
current of fear. Having looked at her
tor a long mieute, he lifts the hand that
lips toothed his lies, and, dinning it
carrying, who is gazing back at him
with trustful but distended eyes-
" when we remember about poor Red
Riding -hood and the wolf she met, and
all the pixies and gbiuts and—"
" An' bogies 1" says the child sudden-
ly, with breathless awe.
She tightens her arms round his nook.
There is plainly a fearful joy to her in
this recounting of woodland horrors.
After one swift glance at Dolores, she
has turned from her and clung afresh to
her preserver. She is a singularly
pretty child, beautiful. with all the
charm of undeveloped yonth.
'Isn't she liko a woodland elf 'her-
self ?" says Dick admiringly,
" And wasn't it well she met you?
Poor little thing! Where does she
live ?" asks Dolores.
" Somewhere in the village, as far as
I can make out. But my small captive
is exceedingly vague in her replies,
Shall I take her tip to the house and
get one of the servants to restore her
to her mother -whosoever she may
be ?"
" Yes, yes; and Ill come with you.
Her mother -oh, perhaps she is 111 mis-
ery about her all this time
"10 is a long walk there and back.
Better stay where you are, darling, and
let me dispose of the little One. Rest
here upon the bank, and think of mo"
-laughing-" until I return to you; I
sha'n't be long."
" Well, hurry then I" she says reIrm
tantly; and, as she raises hor face to
kiss the child in his arms, he stoops and
kisses her as a brief farewell.
She watches him as ho moves with
quick strong step towards Greylands,
and then, seating herself upon the mossy
turf, prepares to wait for his return,
The day is warm, seductive, langurous.
-wooing to slumber; sho leans her
head npou the scented bank and fall
into a profound slumber.
1.: 5
Bending over Dolores, fearful of roue.
ing her from her happy sleep, Diell
notes with a sudden sense of pain the
etran,,ee sweet delicaoy of her face. One
little hand is under her white chin, him
rounded cheek is buried in velvety
mosses ; over her head, trailins
downward e from the gnarled old oak
above her, a fragrant branch of the
"lush eglantine " is swaying to and fro,
its Hob scents strewing the air and
blowing soft into her dainty dreams.
How young, how sweet, how guileless
elle appears -and, alas, how trail 1 How
easily too sleep comes to her, as though
it is in truth a necessity to her, as il
the happy spirit, too strongfor the wed:
body, has wearied it and driven 01intc
the arms of slumber, there to regain its
strength!
Kneeling beside her, he puts back
with loving careful fingers the little
Gamy rings of hair, wital•tossecl, that
.4pen ner tranquil brow, He wodlrt
like to take her in hie arme and feel
her head against his breast, but the
fear of wakening her is all too strong
within him.
How well he remembers that first day
they met, when his eyes had seen her
lying in her silken hammock with the
seal of death's twin.sister resting on
. her as it reef& now 1 Itie but as voider.
BRUSSELS PUMP WORKS.
WILSON .4. PELTO'
Take much pleasure in annouuc-
ing to the people of Brussels and
surrounding country that having
Purchased the Business of Mr. 0.
Eike, on Mill Street, opposite Mr.
P. Scott's Blacksmith Shop, they
will keep a Good Supply of
PUMPS ON .11,AND
And are prepared to fill all orders
at Reasonable Prices. Repairing
neatly and promptly done.
Please call and examine
stock before purchasing elsewhere.
WILSON & PELTON.
our
MONEY
TOLOAN.
Aft.ney to loan 0(8 5,010 property et
LOWEST RATES.
mRIVATE AND COMPANY
FUNDS
W. B. DICHSON,
Solicitor,
Brussels, Ont.
Money to Loan.
PRIVATE FUJVDS.
$20,000
of Pr.vate Funds have jest been placed in
my hands for Investment
AT 7 PER CENT. ,
Borrowers can have their loans complete
e three de,' s if title ie satisfactory.
Apply to E. E. WADE.
T
VES.
NOW IN STOCK
The Famous ROYAL
PARLOR COAL,
The Famous ROM
WITI'I OVEN,
The UNIVERSAL
COAL STOVE,
Cook Stoves,
Parlor Stoves,
Box Stoves.
Stove Stands,
Stove Piping.
TIN WARE.
STOVE COAL
At Coal House or delivered as re-
quired. Call or send your orders.
B. 'GERRY,
GUELPH
.BUSINESS COLLEGE.
GUELPH, 0?i1'.
ripHE SECOND SCHOLASTIC YEAR
1 commenced Sept, 1st, Rauh department
Is In charge 0(8 specialiet, To Impart a WW1-
tioai training for the onleient conduct 01 bud.
num a [fella is the sphere and work of the insti-
tution, lte reduates aro already holding re•
eponsiblo positions In the connourolal contras
ot the Dominion, Energetio young men and
1805100 000 thoroughly nroparue for positions
as Book-keepers, Short -band Writers. Corre-
spondents, or Telegraph operators. Students
received at any tinie, Pox circular and cata•
1 oguo, glying full information, address
13-0100 111, 111,ao00RMI01O, Principal
MONEY TO LEND.
Any amount of Money to Loan on
Farm or Village property at
6 & 6i PER CENT. 'YEARLY.
Straight Loans with privilege of re-
paying whop required. Apply to
A. HUNTER,
Div. Court Clerk, Brussels.
FARMERS ATTENTION
The undersigned has the following
goods for sale :
THE DUNDAS CORD BINDER.
Harvest Queen Reaper,
Front and Rear Cut Mower,
Hay Rakes, Hay Tenders, Wiener
Seed Drill, the Bain Wagon, The
Guelph Bell Organ,Raymoud Sec ing
Machine, General Purpose Plowp,
Sulky Plows, three kinds of Soufflere,
HMO Powers, Grain Grinders, Mow-
er Knife Grinders, Harrieton Fanning
Mill, 1 second hand Buggy, 1 second
hand Wagon and other implements
too numerous to mention. We would
just say that our Binder 01 100511110511
by competent Judges to be the
Best in the Market,
being simple in construction and ens.
ily worked by one span of horses.
I'Farmers will do well to Give Us
a Call before investing elsewhere.
G -MO.
BRUSSELS, ONT.
BRUSSELS WOOLEN MILLS.
I beg to inform the farming com-
munity that I am now prepared to
take in
Carding, Spinning,
And W eaving ,
at my New Brick Woolen Mill,
and promise to give Satisfaction
to those favoring us with their
trade. I have on hand and will
keep constantly in stock a full as-
sortment of
Cloths,
FlannelS,
Blankets,
Tweeds.
Oruggets,
Varns,
knitted Goods, Dress 4: Soda ,
Cotton Shirtings, Grey Cotton', &e.
Also Fine Canadian Tweeds,
PANTINGS & SERGES
for Suits which we will get made
up on short notice and ti good lit
warranted every time.
Highest Market Price
PAID POP,
BUTTER EGGS, 6-e.
GIVE ME A CALL
at my New Mills before going
elsewhere.
Geo. Howe.
Iwo