HomeMy WebLinkAboutLucknow Sentinel, 1887-08-12, Page 2•
titc.r'rto
•
•
—
Bede Sal alt. •
(A,r,aioetio wail .over the .4iittape 'Of • Slippety
Doodler McGarigle citifInicag04!
• . t
(nice there. was abraidleri
Who tliOuglit he'd Mete atina011"
Be he told the litate'ge,7,orney •
'Nd talked to Others ageoddeal;
But all he eiiir told:thew, • '
They 'greedy knew &beet..
0k, a boodiet will fool ye,. •
.
You
'Don't " •
_
Watolt
Outtl
„
, . • . • , •
• Andene. day he told the sheriff'
.That belonged to take a wasno
And lila own liamobittli,tub
/levee Oral old-fiuilibine;dplaph2_
But when. theenetiff'abeek wraiterriek
. Re up and hooked It rait. , • •
!`or a boOdlet Will frail ye
Yon-
• • • 1?"eteb, '
Thentbeglieniffraised the: neighbors,
•
And seeks& bird up and-dOwn, -
la the bare,in tube and:
And everywhere'bOovne. .
But they couldn't fiMhis 'Meadow.,
• Northe-holothathOleanteut, •
ler a bOOdlet fools yeM%htrbad,
When • • . , •
tfebV,
**sten'
. But there's a dozen otberboodlerri
.liooking pale and -far from gay.
That come int,o court and sit there •
• Nice and regular every day:.
'But whetitheitedale nearer done •
And iieneM0a;sieomstiiOre sure.
•Theyint)t ondly „
• At,tbir opt • '•
And some day
They could do t: n ."
FOX thebOodler's raig tyre
, When .
You
•. Dont
Watch
Out.
• Sothis.' hi Say:, ,
to say, 47 daufait,ort. Nethin' aura
• r fr., 4,4
itIS''tbak's in leve,,I'Ve•noticedig• inatiyhasthelr
•t erdid; rife" ta Yon; Witeri•-•berlelits 'obf
Tithe et- ,",,anti here yettairl andyernioth'er
•
' '-whete , • • •
-
• youtlooklots like your mother,;,tantv re4on
same in sixe;
prkmbiftit441re,..(stene4thin:r_kcileglit.ttp,4q.ft,py,
ebotittbenee. • ,
Wills ?",11.9".,aelred, smiling ;," have ;you alio: surprised, him by making; e. perfect
ibrisbed riur graps,--aM I s'ireePieg you little IMAM, and never seemed too Mit to
`Waiting? " : . :,,•• • i Chat in her prettykmoclest manner to his
-4.0h II jam in no **To" she „returned; 'gum* All' Sir Hugh's nuteenline• friends
egini7' ..1 I Oritthing$0 -enjoy my grave! fell in love with her, and the ladies petted
bee; ,i0.1119 dilliga ''ai °other end of the 1 and med.° Much other.
t'elge r' And 11441_ :91ka:', *A uisrrilY to •him, I, Fs/ was Very grateful to 'them flit their
While Ifughl„ drank itie coffee,. and then -kindness, but she,liked bent to be alone. in
1
.00,asedhifn uP_In_to the"'bblo Pestle -- thekoldliall'. • . •
Thigh took annerlirenkevery graoloruilY. ' She had a- hundred sources of amuse.
Ha Was pleated that her :innocent- teats's- mut ; ehe- would follow Mrs. Herrin frept
should he gratified; he imaghled,' for room to room; liatennag to her Aeries , of.
a moment that, she thought he had ;chosen many a deed Redmondi- or •coax her to
alithe pretty nick -looks round them. shovi the Old treaeuree &tapestry and lam;
He had mild everything Suitable to a or she would wander through the gardens
lady's. boudoir Wits to be provided, and the and woods with her favorite' Nero. and Sir
people hid, done it very Wen. He lied given Hugh's: toble.St. Bernard, Pierre.
them carte blanche, and it was certainly She ' Made aoquaintarica With everyman,
a :-very pretty.' little room; and then he women, and 'child about the ' place, • and all
'Watched, Fay presiding over her tea -table, the anipmbibesides ; when the spring came
and listened. placidly • to her ecstasy over she' knew all the calves and lambs by made,.
the lovely oia; china cups, And the dear little all the broods of &idioms, and duoldinga ;
antiquated siker oream:jngt and the tiny 1 she • vipited; the Btables and the poultry
sPoona ; ma for a little while- her bright: yarde till every helper and boy about • the
nem infected him.- But preaently, wkien premises know her 'bright •faoe ' well, and
she mine and heeded against him and told were ready to. vow_ that a sweeter.ipeken_
him how happy she. was; and how dead creature never livedihan the young Lady
1010-11106100-love-her-ne*-homer --the-bl. ' , • Mend, • -
look of paincameback on his face; and And she Would prattle to Hugh all
telling her that he knew his Wee Wifie was through the long dinner; begnilin&him by
tiredand mist go to bed, hekiseed her tivioe, her __quaint bright_ storms ; and when he
andthen putting her hurriedly, from him, went into the library -she never could coax
went'downsteire. , him after that first evening into her" blue
And when he got into his library and nestie "-Lelia would'f011oW him and sit ber-
eave the lamp lighted, and the fire burning' aelf at his • feet with, her Work or book,
brightly, he gave a sigh of relief at finding perfectly contenta he sometimes stroked
himself alone, and threw himself down in her hair,- or with ,a Budden feeling of OM -
his easy -chair. ' : -, punotion stooped over her and kissed her
And, that night, long after 'FaY had brow, for he was alwaye very gentle with
prayed that she might be weirdly. of Hugh's her, and Fay Adored him from the depths
love; and infikahim ham; snit:bite' I WI= ' of her innMent heart. '
asleep in the old oak bed .with ti., child's ° ' CHAPTER XIII.
utter weariness, dia 'Hugh lit with his
THAT ROOM OF MHO. WATKINS%
irtelatOme-7-..•
11175,tiacirzlt sgitigiigKIAMakOgiliOnS120.
''',11•!--`14'0' - ,•9:its iteetstay; -,,,,,-.. ,.• .- - .ts-"Atisa-
` Itrili'mostiseem Ilse you was dead like ner !-but
fham t got notnin' to i :
Shetaiset Jim, her little Bible—writ yet name
'itkitost the page- Y ' : • •
And shelett her or -bob for you, of over you
come of age.. ' . •
• I'voallue kep' "ein and gyaurded !ern,. but if Yer
., • • gate away• . _ - :
Nothbe to say„my 'daughter t.' Nothin• at ' all to
,YOU don't ,, riltelleot 'her, 'i recitie ?. No; you
wasn't a year.oldthent . _
,And now yer-how old alr you,- 'Why, child, not,
._ "twentyr ' When?.
And yer . nes birthday's in Aprils ?end you want
•'', togitinerried that day?
, I wisht yer mother was slivin' !,-but
-I hein't got notbin' tosay I-
' TnentYieart and as goad t gyri as n , t • ver
. Annuli, • • ,,P,4-01;,•.ii
or 0,
, • rnhitieh it oft -turn round.
:A • :IP,' "
There's e, straw ketohed onto yer ere-
. (Ipr mother was jest twenty when tig two run
away!) _
othint to say, my daughter i• ,Atiithlie at all
to aayp
Rigstb
•,Ontelde. the Garden
. Pm° torms out sidethe gate,"
__..,..Whnhour_by helm in patience Welt ;
•• Afro= wistful eyes as bright aa stars •
Feaping with wonder through the bare:
our littbe handethat long to hold • ,
Brlght flowers, or applesred and gold;
o voices that would say:*
:-.'"*"`Gilire,na,some dowers or fruit today 1'
Only -what little tiongue could dare 4
Asic such &brain from lady fair?• , •
She comet and down the velvet walk
•' Moves gently. and with silver talk
Beguiles the time; her comrades glide '
• Di pleasant converse by her side.
:They do not see the eager eyes _
Wbo watob,them with glad surprise.
, o ninth judgmentrthey ninist.seem--.
Like whlto-robud angels in 'dream.
" lie'fair, BO graceful, ands() West
In ouch sweettarden bowers to Kest.
And no doubtRucking many a gem
Wbich serails so fat away from them! ,
Alati thow Oft our mortal fate
' Keens us outside the garden gate
. Almost we „feel we might be there,
Wandering amid those scenes so air;f
• Almost our lingers seem to clasp ,
Bright flowers, that still °bide our grasp;
. Some adverse fortune seems to.say, .•
fOrthee;:so„go thy,wayrt •: „ •
.`,-ohanzbers' Jeurina.
.• '
•
•
aching head buri'ail on his Arms, thinking
how he shotild bear it, and what he would Soft hair on which light drops a diadem:,
do with his life 1 . • . • • Genera) MMISE'r.
Andecethe home life hwi, WKS ;. hanhdte stonintrt-hlike,aoft and fel; •
tai More tolerable, 'M. SirrHugh 'Then , Asealliritg valets. "rdli all 17"
continentelfwendkingiOnid been';. whente At • ••,• 1, .
rode `; fila• `,estate 1'113°,87-.14e _....Noiit•was•nOta boa room, that room of
,VOngetelands ,adjoiningn, /min., morning, DIFIlfiNVIAIIIIISTI,Sean iRSt nowin theNovem-
nittitlete'efterittotinrplanningibuildinili'Atr• her belt 'with .ite ,•bright.fire and ',imat
or went into;Fierrepqnro'nrittigitc- Vierith`,"-Witlirtholrettlegoisiipingdidicioutily lournt,iy and an hour or two s ramble in
terielkinsgnese;:haPPY, if it might he vitiate' to itself ;there was at once etimething Ohre.' the rarkof*Kensing,ton Garden,. a cOeyehat
weary With eierehte 1:44 testlras ai10s49r. farteble and home -like aboit 'especially With her ,m9ther the',.eveningd, eoMe-
'and his wife's - 'Innnititilittionik'n?ftalt• adthered otirtithis Were 'drawn •aoroes. the times, On grand oficesions,. a shilling Seat
'AllttliwpurrOnntling " 4Wwatailows(thret Olksd4fictilMistO:14Ilighti f.atctuagoistfluictvfltur4P5.110u_1#- •
came tope)" at the; , Were lond ,kn 'trait and the gra';:perts, that .liati.been -Fern loved pretty thin eAutishadeeme
adiciropriisitobt.tha 0-4 Inniblinggiallemst:thAliciii-efindaJdaylircel• taatielleattOloikat ettillirettglftilifte
,
the 'Ferrero. Were `---.411; hid given plum te the 'tilting of lighter glass.; a now drop, 4 few flowers, or a new
those winter , Mayer saw' vehicles which ,paSsita' and. .repassed book were .events in ' her life: She Would
Margaret •the „ 41.*)tal' intervals. • . ' • . • • - 'Sing over her work as Bhagat sewingby the
the Hell Were,' ' • The room was large, 'though a little low, , window, the gay young voice meat! peppy!
nett' Met • thringli , and Wits-plainlilint comfortably furnished; look up, but. they seldom °might .a glimnse
h *tilde horse inWsothei • =JO : lane, an old-fashioned crime= . couch ' stood in of the golden -brown head behind the'cnntaiii.
11POIM6 ploughed •field, Means one. corner; some stained booksheleee,cOn- Fern had her dreams, like other 'girls;
,Werit to -and ro: WHOM the Way- tained a few. weltbound books; and one or sometimes; she hardly kilo*. Whit • would
- • • :;" ;two -simple engravings • in: cheap:frantis happen. to her some day, There was
:•Seitlier . did they :meet' at the veriouti adorned the will. In spite Ofthe siniplieity always a 'prince ' •fairy stories that
entertaiiimentadinter *ties and danced of the whole there were bylaw:tees of refined
that were inhonor of thebride. That taste -there Were 'growing fermi it tall
winter Margaret detained iniitations, ;.•• baskets; some red 'leaves and autumn
her brother needed:her-mad She had never berriew, arranged in'. old • china whit; a
bored much for gaiety -this was her only beautiful head of Olyte, though it was only
*use.. But Sir Hugh knew why he never in plaster of Paris, On the mantelpiece.,
met her -her high !Muse of himorkept them -Tho pretty tea service -on the.. •rotincr table
•apart -neither • of thein • had lived down Wag Only White OiiiHK, hand -painted; and
their.pein ; in the future it might be pes;. some more red loaves with dark
Bible for her to bo his friend; and the friend santhemume were tastefully iirrahgea in a
touched with conipaesion for her child
She 'wished, it poitsible, to suffer alone; if
it were in her power she Would, prevent the
faintest shadow touching thetbright Piing
n
life60 she sPoire.to he; in beg. aenslbie
way, for Nia was always -winds whit her
children, and Fern was very !lair to her -
she had her father's eyes, and llanxice's
pure upright nature pernea transmitted to
his yoring,dangiiter.
" Fern, ' she said, one evening when they
were sitting togetherin the twilight, "you
Must not add to mibUrthens it makesmo
still more unhappy to see you fretting ; •I
Mies my little,' de'iighter's brightness that
used to ,sitoli-a comfort to me." -
" Am I a comfort to y911, mother ?"
asked Fern, Wistfully, and something . in `
those earnest;grey eyes thrilled thawidow's
heart with,fresh pangs, of memory:
"You are my one bit of stinehine," she
answered, fondly, taking the girl's face
between her . hands and Itiseing it almost
passionately.; "Keep bright for your poet
mother's sake, '
Fern never forgot this liftle.epeeblf.''-Sho-
nnaeretooa, then, that her mission was to
.6e -her niothet's cemforter-'-oine-With•-the-
Utinest 'sweetness and unselfishness. She put
aside her own longings for her brother,,and
strove to make. up for his lose. So Ferri
.bloonied in her poor home like SOMA lovely
Ii0Wer ins cottage garden,' growing up to
,virwoamtkinenhao,:el in those rooms, over
' Fern had king since finished her odium,
tion,,and now gave Morning lessons to the
vicar's little daughters. In her leisure
hours. slaw made her siniple gowns and
Fluff's frocks; and. taught the child the'
little she could be pursuaderl to learn, for
Fluff was a spoilt child and very backward
for her age; and one. or two people,
Watkins among them, had given Was their
opinion that little Florence was not all
there, rather add and uncanny in fact. .
• Fern Was 'quite contented in ' her life.
She wee fond of, teaohing and *pry. fond of
her little pupils. Her pleasures were .few
and•simple ; .4 walk with Crystal or. Fluff,
,te lobknt the phops, perhaps. an omnibua.
of his wife; but now it ortuld hardly be;
and yet ' Margaret was longing, ' craving
intensely to Me the lovely. young creature
of whom every one witepeaking, endwhom
"greedy. she Toyed by report: : • .
Strange to day, no . One spoke about the
Ferrets to Fay; people. were, too well ac-
quainted With the etory . of Sit „Hugh's comparison.. •• There were only; two people
engagement to Margaret ••to • venture on •a on this November • evening -a . girl lying
hint. Once Fay, asked* with :WhOrn back in a rooking-chair, with her eyes fixed:
she was driving, ;Who lived . that. quaint thoughtfully en the dancing denies,: and :
old . hens° on the SaodYeliffe road. ?...and 'ahild Of 10,:. though. looking two. Or three
was told that the viper, 'Mr,' years YOMegers: sitting on stool before the
Ferrers, lived thete•With his sister.' ' fire, with & black kitten asleep on her lap,
Faywindaliatteput some Mote questions,. • and her arms clasped around her knees
but flindidr turned thedubject rather An odd; weird sort of ohila;.With a head
quickly' ; ,liVeleiremirred.te it that even- running; over with little '.dark :•Ourls, and
ing.• • ' • . ' large: wondering eye -not lin;.Ordihary,
'"Why ha-rehortbe'Terfera Wig child, and Mitainly notTa pretty one, and
Hugh ?" ; she., Mired; iiiiddenlY,. When she ; looking, •: at the Present moment; with her
was keepinglifm companyiirthelibreryz-1*tinkled eyebrows and buadle.tip ',,figttre,
Sir Hugh Matted, and then .j.utnPed uP likaalittle Old witCh in a fairy tole.: ••
to rePleMsh the fire." . , "1 am that tired" observed the 41hild,.
"Who ,toldt/ourabout them ?" he 'asked; apparently apostrophising , the %kettle,
is he tried to brealea refraotor.y coal, 144 that not ;all the monkeys in thaZoolOgical
Mon %Adair. I Was driving with her i•Gardena could Make me. laugh; no, not if
this eftirliMn, mull asked,. her who • lived , they had the old father baboon. at their
in, that .rea, brick ' house With the curious head. . I Wish I -Were a jaguar 1" , , .• •
,garliles*on. the- Saudyclifte road; tixid ,9443. Why,', Fluff 2" :exoleimed .4. „pleatiarit
said itwastAA blind vicar,14:•V'errere; and 1 voiae' frOni-the . 'reeking:411dr. '" Why,
hisphiterf theani fingli i Plat `, • : • , • ; •••" , •
iverY . 'rine 'OM. half Ottlledr'''Ainft-lt ',103011i9,11 flagnarif!, 4iiiieeteil -the
rather strange that.''theY deflaittly'sonOt ,•4 because , of
nOtice.!' • " • • its IniMpit,' nor adailiel 'either! . Why; theso,
yett pee,' it is githiVapolited cattrhad theirtilltilor-ittrinse
retiiited her husband, stiff 'Wrestling „ with ,theni•and ' polished: moil bones air well;
'the' coal, While 'Fay' Watched: ;the.',proMett and tlie heown:. bear gib:Abed his pole, and,
with interest;' "they rifled belriends of -, ate buns one's mother; left in the dnrh;
mine, but We have had a mititinderatending, before the flre, with iiii one to tell its •tales,
and now, of dontse; there is 6 .0091000*". land only a kettle to talk to& pettier' ;"' and
"t•Andthey are ,hice people:" ; ' :Ping curled •herself Op On her etted with an
" Very nice people; he is a v‘ery oielier, affronted nii•• • • "' • . r's• ' • only
thenbut we do not agreA-that ;" and I The elder erl me& no answer,' but only
then Hugh disposed of the coal and took nit' stooped down and Smilingly lifted child
his paper, and Fay did not like .to dieturb and kitten on her lap -she was very light
'hint with anymOre ,,questions.', It • seemed for bet agewhereupon Fluff left off sigh.
a great pity, she ',thought; it was 'suet ft, 'file, and rubbed her curly head against ,her
lbv,ely hems° : and it Mr. Ferrero were a '•itister'welionlaer With cOliterited air..
arms her,
• • innl soh tint all:her: 'strangeness; and now
an Ogre' in' the 'shape of the •grey-htured
britler• had shut her upihe greet, brilliantly...
lighted MOM, where the tiny, white women
saw herself reflected long Mirrors.
. ' ray, attending 'dejected and pale in the
centro of the room, felt like BeentY in the
Bemire Palace, and was' dreaming Out the
aterYin her old childish way, when th,e
,door was fiimg isuddenly , open, and, 'the
-win* in the person Of Sir •Hugh, matle
1510 nPlx4rens;nv • .
• She ran towards: him with a little ory ;
huteomething in ' his look checked her, and
;fthe stood hesitating and coloring Mho came
-Op to ,her and offered his arm. ,
44_ Elleiton has announced .dinnet, he
said, quietly; 44 drat0-•,/our-;-soarf .round
•• you, for the Half is , Odd. You • look Very
sude, dear,".he continued, kindly, looking
M the dainty. little bit of loveliness beside
• hini with critically approving eyes; "you
eikultild always wear white in 'the evening,
Fay ;" and then, at the3r entered the
'dining -room, he placed her at ,the head of
: &he table, ' •
' Poor child, it scorned all Very solemn and
• Btately, with Ellerton and two other foot-
• Mien to welt Oh them; to be devided . from
•'ter husband by silver epergnes and':ohoicil
; dowers; te have to peep between the Immo
and flowers for ft sight of the golden -brown
• beard. . Wonder lier little talk died
" away, and she stammered in her replies;
• enid tliett blushed inid felt discomposed.
• She thought she was playing het part very
•awkwardly, and was ashamed, of herself,
P lOr Erighhpiiake, never dreaming that • the
wary 'Servants Who welted On her were
wondering at the radiant ycisting creature.
• • Javerything,e0mes to an end in this World,
eiba eo .aia this ordeal'; for after what
seemed to her endless cm:trees, the 'doer
"Yes, dear ; them is a children's party
dosed on the taint% 'servants, and she and
't id little. NOra's birth
. .
• ter hatiband Were left alone together and When Sir Hugh, 'would have • shooting trouble Of her life. The girl nearly" broke at the Nortorts , .
Oir Hugit,f ivehe, Irem., A brief "parties, she alWativcinagkritehdrothueghlunthchteownootao her heart When Percy left them. Elbe grew and nothing v!,7,,uhiv;Itiety the, child
thin andlOale and lar(49,43Yed; as 'Orb will, Until PrYstal promised to 0 and Play *with
°Mail* fit he l'itk3r at hit°of 916', tiahehsePr6rptaBanlye.nes` ma& her ,hushand
low Wicker biektitin themonitre., •
• One glance would have convinced eVeli• a
stranger that this room was inhabited by
peciple of cultured taste and aniall anemia ;
and it was se pleasant, so so
warm with ,ruddy firelight, that grinder
rooms , would have looked comfortless , in
nice clever inan--'----and then she 1
'. The sistere were certainly , very unlike,*
wondered what his sister was like ; and as , and dark, while Fern
she sat at Hugh's feet basking in the 'fire. . bwealangtajvieLri diefaairl,l;
light ale had no idea that Hugh's forehead without being Meetly
gifted with her inOther'w beauty, she had, a
was derided and puckered with pain. Fay's charming few, scat grey eyes, and hair of
innocent onestionit had raised a Storni m .thst golden -brown that one emit so Often
his breast. Would' she ' speak, of them in English gids. , , :
again? WM there any danger •that.•people . There Were few people Who did not think
would gossip toiler ?ono day he, might ba I'
• Fern TaffOrd decidedly pretty ;her features
obliged to tell ,her hiniself, but not HOW, vvere.not'exitotly regelo; but her celoring
'she seemed' so happy, so pe,erastjy cot
t- ' Was lOttelit " and there was air:loneness mid
tented, and she 'wets stioh•a ebild. I
! brightness' about her that ' atteacted old
Yes, Hugh's Wee Wide was WHY )1613133r and young; every one hived Fern, and
'
At first, to be sure; her poeition was it, spoke.well of her, she was so simple, eo un -
little difficult and irksome: The rittmher eelfleh, So . altogether, 'charming, as their
of servaiiiii bewildered her ; she 'wished ti • • ,,,1 • , , .
Mrs. 'Heron would not interlard her call , Fah never oomptiaiiia.-6f lice narrow.
tvhermatautirghwitwholuit 1.114rnidY•e"'w1h litierY°0'"f'ts'annc! ',nees of her lifp, never fretted hoCause, their
1 povertY'exeldded her from the ilettetties
ingteed of that tiresome groom. ' , • girls of her age generally enjoyed. :From
'Bet by ' and by she got used , to bet ,: ..
r childhood she had known no other Mo.
dignity; and Would' drive her grey .portiew ,
nere Were times •when • she remembered
through? the country roads, stepping to ' , ,
twit •ene had .gone to bed hungry, times
speak*, any old villager she knew t or she ,when her Mother's face looked pinehed and
would mount Bonnie Beits at the fumy she , _.--, _ ,
mieerulne-aten, ' her father was dying,
thought Hugh *oil& he returning froth, • and they tbought Baby Florence would die
Pierrepoint; Mid gallop throngh the lanes too. • Somehow Fern never cared to think
to meet him and reign itti at 'his Side. start-, " f tho days.
ling !Ain. from his abstraction with that Fern ,wixs devoted to het mother, oho
ringing latigh of hers. , , .. dove to her with innocent rove and. loyalty.
' • She was selcioni idle, and never ao. ,. Percy's Wooden •had been the bitterest
• n • , • ,
she told Fl
"What is
childish ith
;itilie never described hint.
it' Fluff would , ask ' with
tie, but Fern would only
bite* and tivandsity-she did not know.
Ifisonietidea,,a handsome boyish face, not
clerk like •Peroy, but with fair, budding
onstatihe and laughing. eyes,, seemed to
Ise out of the niiet and look at her with
Odd wistfulness, Fern never spoke of it;
4 sort of golden haze. pervaded it. Seine-
times:those eyes were eloquent, and deemed
appealing to her; a strange meaning per-
vaded the silence; that poor room
blossOnied all sorts of sweet fancies and
wonderful dreanis is Fern's ,needle flew.
through the stiff.
will bo be be eoon, fm Fluff and I Are whit-
ing tea fo her." • •
"Yon leek 'tory' Ming hem, 'Mies Tref-
ford,"" Observed the other young man, whona
Fluff had called Mr.. 'ETA 43y tacit oott.: ;
sent hie other name was or uttered"
that house ; it would rhette, hien too pelsiftd,
for Mrs. Trafford to hear • addrelalea.111
fdr. Huntingdon. "
Tho young men, were; ohre eW -00
to each:other.. • Percy Treff
regnlar featnrek-and.,:w0004
etiMe yottlig•man; hieface w
almoetperfeCt,ramept for the
lute niouth, hardly hidden, ,
'momiterilia*•,and a uomewhe4 hoe,
moulded 'ohin. rthat ,,exprassod todlenn
and zierliat*, il4overnedpneeione, . •
• The bogbt.teaea boy,. Neit's first-born
tma darling, had sadly .deteriorated during
the years that ho,hadliveduuder his grentl:
father's root. His, .0elitsbeese had :taken
deeper rent ;'hAliad become: idle- and -BOW
indulgent ; his one thought was how to
_amtnitanniself hoot,.Inhit heart he had •
nOltiVii-forthartildniiii,7Who- had given him •
the, shelter of. hie roof, and losdedrhim with .
liindneini-Hiut,ctlf-theiaee he•-waCeporefit
As Fluff rubbed her rough head confid-
ingly against her shoulder, Fern gave a
musical little laugh that Was delicious' to
hear. " You absurd child;"' she said, in an
&ranged tone, " I really must telt Mr. Erle
not to take you again to the Zoological
Gardena; you „talk of nothing but bears
and jaguars. So you went a story, you are
positively insatiable, Fluff; how am I' to
think of one with my wits'all wool-gather-
ing and gone a...wandering like., ,Bopeep's
sheep? itmust be an old one. Winch is
it to bo?'The Choclate Reuse,' or Prin-
cess Dove and the Palace of the Hundred
Humid:1,1 returned F,Itiff; musingly;
"well, I hardly know. 'The Chocolate
House 'is very nice, With its pathway paved
with white and pink sugar plume, and its
barley -sugar chairs; and don't you remem-
ber that when Hans was hungry he ,broke
&Attie brown bit off the roof; but after all,
-I-think 1 like Princess Dore and the Pokers
of the Hundred Boys' best. Let us go on
Where you left off.'
•
"Where we left off I" repeated Fern )in,
her cleat voioo. ".Yes, 1 recollect. Well;
When Prince Idappy•Thotight,"'
Bierrydew," corrected the Ohm:
• Ali:--truewell, When it eameto Prince
Merrydew's turn to throw the golden ball,
it went right over the moon and came down
the other sides eo Princess Dciye proole.ined
him vibtor;' and gave himthe Sapphire
crown; and the hundred boys -and --where
was I, Fluff ' .•
"In the emerald Meade*, where the ruby
flowere grew," returned Fluff. "Go on,
1-4
--
jealous of his cousin Erre, Who, as he tol '
himself bitterly,,hadeupplanted him..
Perey's---consoienee-reproaolied--him--at
times for tie desertion pi his widowed
mother. He knew that it was a shabbi
thing for him to be living in luxury, while
elle worked for her daily • bread; but alter
all, he thought it was more her fault than •
his: t She would have hone Of his gifts ; she
would not bend her proud spirit, to" seek 4
reconciliation with her father, though Percy
felt sure that the Old Man had long ago re-
pented hisharshness ; and yet, when he had
hinted this to his mother, she had abso-
lutely refused to listen to hint. '
nosw, issh1e0ohaladter,eruernroyea nfiornifutsabl •
voice, and her face, had looked marble an
she epoke. •
Percy was rather in awe of his grand -
tether. Mr. Huntingdon had grOwhharder
and more tryininical: as the •yeare passed
on. Neither'of the young mon ventured te
9Ppase his iron will. He was f0Ha of his .
grandson, proud of : his good : looks Mid" -
aristocratic sir, and hot disposed tit:parrot
wii, ythouhsimmeben wcaofiusie4bh90 y ,Wpma las g an 77wmild.; •
littifritenartfig of hm,116.4artorsite,fle
beforein the esse-ef EOM Ronald thiwer:7-:-7-,,,,•,.•
But his nephew Erie war; really dearei to
the old man's heart But then every one
liked -Erie Huntingdon,. he Was so sweet
temycered and lull of life, 'BO honeat and •
fran , and sothoroughly tinselfieb.
He was somewhat short, :at least beside
Percy, and his pleasant boyish fete had no,
claims to good looks. He had the ruddy'
youthful air of a young David; and there
was :Something of an Anncicence...of the
sheep -fold about him.•
All Women liked Erle Huntingdon. He ,
was so gentle and chivalrous in his manner
to them.; he never seemed to think of him-
eelf when he was talking to them; and his •
bonhomie' and :gay good, humor made him a •
charming companion. ', •
• Erle neverunderstood himself how cares-
sing his manners mild be at timea, • He. -
liked all. women, old and young, but only
one had really touched his heart. • It Was
strange, then, that more than One •hoped
that she had found favor in hieeyes. Erle'l
sunshiny . nature made him a universal
fairer*, but it mey be doubted whether any
of his friends roe* read him correotly.,
Now and then an older man told him he
wanted ballast, and warned him not to
carry that easygood nature too far or it
might lead him --into- mischief ;Lbtit the -
spoilt child of fortune only shook his head
with a laugh. ' „,- •
,- But in reality Erle Huntingdon's:charm-
ter wantedblackbone ; his will, not a strong
one, • was likely to be. dominated •• by a
stronger. With all his pleasantness and
natural good qualities he , was -vacillating
and weak; if any ,pressure or difficulty
should tome into his life, it would belikel
for him to be weighed in the balance and
puha wanting.' •
' At, present his life had been smooth and
uneventful; he had yet to taste the hollow -
miss of human happiness, te•learn that the
highest sort of life is not Merely to be
cradled- in luxury end to fare sumptuously
.every day. The purple and ilne linen are
good enough in their way, and the myrrh
and the aloes and the cassia, but What does
the 'wise 'man esy-41 Rejoice.'0 yew* Men.
in thy youth; And let thy heart cheer thee
in the days of thy youth, and Walk inthe
ways of thirie. heart, .and in the: eight of ,
thine oyes; but know thou; that for allthese
things God will bring „thee into judgnent
. ' . . forchildhood and youth
vanity." • ,
'Erie knew that a new interest had lately
conlit into his life; that it certain, shabby
room, that wawyet Morehoine-like to him
than any room in BalgravO. House, , wall
always'before his eyes: that , a , girl hi a
brown dress; with swept wistful eyes, WIIM
never absent from his memory. '
"So PrInceas Dove put on the •crown,
and • it Was •so, heavy that poor Prince
Merrydew's head began to ache, and the
wicket 'old fairy Do-nothing, who was look-
ing on, hobbled ,on her golden crutches to
the thrquoise.pavilion, and-7-hush•1 I ,hear
footsteps. Jump off my lap, Fluffy, dear,
and let me light the cand1e-147nd sheliad
scarcely done so before there Was a quick
tap at the door, and the next moment two
young men entered the Mem.
Fluff ran to them at once With a pleased
exclamation. • , ' ,
"Why, it is Percy and Mr. ErleT-olr
dear, how glad I am. •
"How do you do, Toddleldes'observed
her brother, stooping to kiss the chiltbi
cheek, and patting her kindly on the head;
t,.how' are you, you dark -eyed witch," but
as he spoke, his eircie glanced anxiously
rounailie room. '
" We never expectedto see you id -night,
Percy, dear," observed Fern, as she greeted
hifn affectionately, and then gave her hand
with a slight blush to the young man who
was following 'him. " Mother will be so
sorry to rides you; she was obliged tlY go
out 'again. One of the girls tit MissMartin-
gale's is ill, and MiseTheresa satins fidgety
about her, so mother said she would sit
with the invalid for ,an hour or
, 44 I SUPpOSO Miss DaYOHPOrt is outtoo "-
walking to the fireplace to warm his hands.
table Wetehtiig hin14 began to return 'his ne,igh•bor,0 hOtwitalityi , when theyarefiettieg and gkswiiiii, st•• the thethe it.:03 au eatiy affair, atict ehe
" Why t what ;:hringa yOU, here, Wee . . same time. Nett's, 'Motherly heart wait
‘.
L,
0: Neither Fern nor he 'Owned the truth to •
themselves; they were ignorant no yetthat
they were commencing•the first chapter of
their life -idyll. Fern had"a vague sense :
that the room was brighter When Erle was ,
theie ' looking at her with . ,those kindly
gland* , •She never owneatir herself that
he was her 'prince, and that she had found •
favor in his eyes She was lar, too humble'
for that tint' she knew the days were'ome-
how F,lorified ' and transfigired wli e
had seen himi:, and Erie knew that ' o la
was so lovely to hini• as this girl's fa e, no i, -
voice half So sweet in his ears, and yet
-people werebeginning tieOnnect hie name :
with Miss Selby, Lady MaltraVers' beauti-
ful file& '
He was thinking of Miss Selby now SO he •
lookedncroes at Fern.. She had taken up ,
her work again, ' and Percy'had • thrown: -----•••:------
himself into the rocking -chair beside her
with it discontented expression' on his face.
He Was telling himself that Miss Selby was
handsome, of course strikingly handsome; '
but soniehow •she lacked this.„IgirrEll,:aiwiet,
graciousness, Jiat then Fern raised' her
-
eyes, and a quick, sensitive color came into
her faM as she 'encountered his fixed'
Ah, do you know, Mies Trafford," he
said quickly, to put her at her ease, "I
116F0 promised to spina Chrititinas With
my cousin; Sir Hugh Redmond, ' I itai
rather anxious to see his wife,. Report
says he it; rather it pretty girl"
"1 did not know Sir Hugh Itecleiond-
wasyour cousin," returned Fern, without
raising her eyes from her work.
• (To be continued.)
• .
•