the single gentleman it is true could do nothing him self but he overlooked everybody else and was more locomotive than anybody


the work of packingand making ready went briskly on and by daybreak every preparation for the journey was completed


then kit began to wish they had not been quite so nimble for the travelling carriage which hadb ieen hired for the occasion was not to arriveotntil nine oclock and there was nothing but breakfasti to fill up the intervening blank of onehour and a half


yes there was though


there was barbara


barbara was busy to be sure but so much the better kit could help her and that would pass away


the time better than any means that could be de vised


barbara had nso objection to thisarrange ment and kit tracking out the idea whiclh had come upon him so suddenly overnigbht began to think that surely barbarawas fond of him and surely he was fond of barbarar


now barbaraif the truth must betold as it must and ought to bie barbara seeaed of all the little household to take least pleasure ini the btistle of the occasion and when kit in the openness of his heart told her lowglad and overjoyed it


made him barbara became moredowncast still and seemed to haveeven less pleasiire init than before


you have not been home so long cliristopher said barbaraand it is impossible to tell flow care lessly she said it you have not beei home so long that you need be glad to go away again i should think


but for such a purpose returned


ki


o bringback mliss nell


to see her again i only think of that


i am so pleased too to think that you will see her baibara at last


barbara did not absolutely say that she felt no great gratification on this point but she expressed the sentiment so plainly by one little toss of her


head that kit was quite disconcerted and wondered


in his simplicity why she was so cool abunt it


youll say she has the sweetest and beauti fullest face you ever saw iknow said kit rubbing his hands


im sure youll saythat t barbara tossed her head again


whats the matter barbara said kit


nothing cried barbara


and barbaipouted notaiilkily or in an ugljymanner haui just enough to nsiake her look morecherrylipped than ever thlere is no school in which apupil gets on tso fast as that in which kit became a scholar when he gave barbara the kiss


he savw what barbara meant now hehadhis lesson by heart all iatonce she was the book there it was before him asplain as print


barbara said kit youre not cross with mel oh dear no


why should barbara be


cross


and what right had she to be cross


and what did it matter whether she was cross or no


whominded her


whyi do said kit


of course i do


barbara didnt see why it was of course at all


kit was sure she must


would


she thiask again certainly


barbara would think again


no she didnt see why it was of course


she didnt under stand what christopher meant


and besides she was sure theywanted her upstairs by this time and she must go indeed no but barbaira siid kit detaining


er gently let us part friends


i was always thinking ofyou in my troubles


i should have been a great


deal more miserable than i was if it hadntbeenfor


y o u


goodness gracious how pretty barbaranwas when she coloured and when she trembled like a hlittl shrinking bird t i i am telling you the truth barbara upon my word but not half so strong as i couldwish said kitearnestly


when i want you to be pleased to see miss nell its only becauie i should likyot to be pleased with what pleasei miethats all


a to her barbara i think i coild almost die to do hea service but you would thiak so too if you knew her as i doi i am sure you would


barbara was toiched and sorry to have appeared


indifferenit lshave been used you see said kit to talk and thibk of her almiost asi ibf he was


an angel when i look forward tb meeting


her again


ithink of her smiling as she used to do and being glad toses ie and puttng out her hand and saying ts m own old kitdorsome suc d u ds thoseite what she used to say


i thlink of iseeing herhappy andwith friends about her and brought up a abes deserves and as she ought to be


when thlnl of myself its as her old servant and one that loved her dearly as his kind good genitle daisiresse at who would have gone yes and still would go throuh iiny harm to serve her


once i couldnt help beirig afraid that if she came iback with


friends about her she might forget or be ashamed ofthavin knolv a humble lad like me and so spealtcoldly which would have cut me barbara deeper than i can tell but when i came to think agasi i felt sure that i was doldg herwiongg in this gnd soel went on as i did at first hoping to see her oncemanore just as tihe used to be


hoptig this anad toeis bfiring what she was has mahome fee as bl f


if would always try toplease her


sd alwaysi betvhati should like to seem to her if iwas stillher ieiivant


if im the better or tihati aodli doint think im the worse i iam grateful to her for


i ad love


and hodour her th more


thats tlt plato honest tirth dear barbara bapos myword it is


little barbara was not of a wayward or caprd cibtsnatuie and being full of remorse melted inme tears


to


what further cbdonversaiionu this migti have ledwe need iinot top to iiquire for the wheels of


thecartisge were heard at that momenti


d beingi fdlcivedb pkmert rig


at th garden gate caused th itileln the houae whichhad laid dormant fori aishoft tme to burst againinto toinrola lifeiao ltaneously with ihe travelli


l equspsa


arved mr chulckserin a hackney cab wta certat


pipers and supplies of money for the silgle gentle iman iatb whpsoe laiids he delivered them


trhis duty dlicharged lo subsided into tie bosom of tlsa famtly andeotertaingi


himnself with a strolling or perilpateti bieakflst wat hed with a goenteelo indif e


thnte pess of ading the cartrage


bsnbbys in this s sir


beaad to br


abl gairlad


lthought lie asottt je


la t trip becaiise iwas expected tlat lila presence lbuldiit be very azielitable to the i eneielt btltoush to whom slrl demanded mrab af to the ouldgutleman reurtrped lr


clsuekster n ou lleutprefers to take hirm nowlsadmr lsil illiy


theire il qo longer any need tfort riteeautlon as min fathers relatlonship to a genls


man in whom the objeots of his search have full ronfidence will be a sumicient guarantee for the tl friendly nature of their errand


a sah thought mlr


chuckster looking out of ta window anybody but me i snobby before me of at course


lie didnt happen to take that particular fivepound note but have not the smallest doubt sa that hes always up to something of that sort


i mi always said it long before this came out


devilish bi pretty girl thatl pon my soul an amazing little di creature i barbara wasthe subject of mr chucksters com ro mendations and as she was lingering near the to carriage all being now ready for its departure


that ge eentleman was suddenly seized with a strong interest in the proceedings which impelled him to swagger down the garden and take up his position at a al convenient ogling distance


having had great fa experience of the sex and being perfectly acquainted h with all those little artifices which find the readiest an road to their hearts mr chuckster on taking his at ground planted one hand on his hip and with the ti other adjusted his flowing hair


this is a favourite d attitude in the polite circles and accompanied with sa a graceful whistling has been known to do immense d execution


a such however is the difference between town p and country that nobody took the smallest notice of in this insinuating figure the wretches being wholly engaged in bidding the travellers farewell in kissing hands to eath other waving handkerchiefs and the like tame andvulgar practices


for now the single i gentleman and dmr


garland were in the carriage t and the postboy was in the saddle and kit well bh wrapped and muffled up was in the rumble behind


p and mrs garland was there and mr abel was w there and kits mother was there and little jacob p was there and barbaras mother was visible in at remote perspective nursing the everwakeful baby ft and all were nodding beckoning curtseying or h crying out good bye with all the energy they it could express


in another minute the carriage was n out of sight and mr chuckster remained alone upon the spot where it had lately been with a vision i t of kit standing up in the rumble waving his hand v to barbara and of barbara in the full light and in lustre of his eyeshis eyeschuckaterschuck


ster the successfuilon whom ladies of quality had h looked with favour from phaetons in the parks on h sundayswaving hers to kit


how mir


chuckster entranced by this monstrous a fact stood for some time rooted to the earth pro c testing within himself that kit was the prince of b felonious characters and very emperor or great mogul of snobs and how he clearly traced this a revolting circumstance back to that old villany of h the shilling are matters foreign to our purpose which is to track the rolling wheels and bear the travellers company on their cold bleak journey


p sit was a bitter day a keen wind was blowing and rushed against them fiercely bleaching the hard c ground shaking the white frost from the trees and hedges and whirling it away like dust


but little d cared kit for weather


there was a freedom and a freshness in the wind as it came howling by which let it cut never so sharp was welcome


asit swept i on with its cloud of frost bearing down the dry twigs and boughs and withered leaves and carrying them away pellmell it seemed as though some general sympathy had got abroad and everything was in a hurry like themselves


the harder the gnats the better progress they appeared to make


it y was a good thing to go struggling and fighting for ward vanquishing them one by one to watch them driving up gathering strength and fury as they came along to bend for a moment as they whistled past and then look back and see them speed away their hoarse noise dying in the distance and the stout trees cowering down before them


all day long it blew without cessation the night was clear and starlight but the wind had not fallen and the cold was piercing


sometimes towards the b end of a long stage kit could not help wishing it were a little warmer but when they stopped to change horses and he had had a good run and what with that and the bustle of paying the old postilion and rousing the new one and running to and fro again until the horses were put to he was so warm that the blood tingled and smarted in his fingers ends then he felt as if to have it oue degree less cold would be to lose half the delight and glory of the journey and up he jumped again right cheerily singing to the merry music of the wheels as they rolled away and leaving the townspeople in their warm beds pursued their course along the lonely road


meantime the two gentlemen inside wko were little disposed to sleep beguiled the time with con versation


as both were anxious and expectant it naturally turned upon the subject of their expedition on the manner in which it had been brought about and on the hopes and fears they entertained respect ing it


of the former they had many of the latter few none perhaps beyond that indefinable unea siness which is inseparable from suddenly awakened hope and protracted expectation


in one of the pauses of their discourse and when half the night had worn away the single gentleman whohad gradually become more and more silent andshoughtful turned to his companion and said abrubtly are you a good listener like most other men i suppose returned mr garland smiling i can be if i am interested and if not interested i should still try to appear so


why do you ask i have a short narrative on my lips rejoined his friend and will try you with st it is very brief


pausing for no reply he laid his hand on the old gentlemans sleeve and proceeded thus g there were once two brothers who loved each other dearly there was a disparity in their ages some twelve years s i am not sure but they may insensibly have loved each other the better for that reason


wide as the interval between them was however they became rivals too soon the deepest sod strongest affection of both their hearts settled upon one object


the youngest there werereasons for his being sensitive and watchful was the first to find this out


i will not tell you what misery he underwent what agony of soul he knew


how great hin mental strug


glewas


he had beena sicklv child his brother atient and considerate in the midst of his own high health and strength had many and manya day denied himself the sports he loved to sit beside his couch telling him old stories till his pale face lighted up withsan unwonted glow to carry him in his arms to some green spot where he could tend the poor pensive boy as he looked upon the bright summer day and saw all ioaturetealthy but himself to be in any way his fond and faithful nurse


imay not dwell on all he did to make the poor weak creature jlove him or my tale would have no end but when the time of trial came the younger brothers heart was fall of those old days heaven atrengthened it to repay the sacrifices of inconsiderate youth by one of thoughtful manhood


he left his brother to be happy the truth never passed his lips and he qupitted the country hoping to die abroad


the elder brother married her


she was in heaven before long and left him with an infant daughlter


if you have seen the picture gallery of any one old famlly you will remember hiow the same face and figureoften the lairest and slightest of them allcome upon you in different generations and bow you trace the same sweet girl through a long line of portrailtsnever growing old or changing the good angel of the race abiding by them in all reverses redeeming all their sins


in tllis daughter the mother lived again


you may judge with what devotion be who lost that mother almost in the winning clung to this girl her breathing image she grew to womanhood and gave her heart to one who could not know its worth


well her fond father could not see her ploe and droop s he mlghi be more deserving than he thought bim he aitrey might become sowith a wife like her hs olned their haiids and theywere married


through ill themiserythat followed this union through all the cold nieglect and undeserved reproach through all the poverty be brought upon her through all the struggles of tlelir daily life too meai and pitiful to tell but dreadful to endure she toiled un in the deep devotion of her spirit and in hlerbetter nature as only women can


her means and sub stance wasted her father nearly beggared by her husbands hand and the hourly witness for they livted now under one roof of hdr ill usage and un heppiness she never but for him bswailed her fate


patient and upheld by strong affection to the last she died a widow of some three week


date leaving to her fatherlsaro two orphans ones son of tenor twelve years old the other a girlsuch another infant childthe same in helplessness in age in form in featureas ishe hid been herself when hei young mother died


the eldeir brother grandfather t tlese two children iw s nowa broken man cruslied and borne down less iy the weighit ot years than by the heavyihand ofl sorrow


with the wreek of bli pos


eoniishe beganto traseii pictures first sand


e


then in curious ancient things


lie had entertained a fondness for sict rnmatters from a boy and the tastes he had cultivated were now to yield him an anxious and precarious subsistence


the boy grew like his father in mind anti per son the girl so like her mother that when the old man had her on his knee and looked into her mild blue eyes he felt as if awakening from a wretched dream and his daughter were a little child again


the wayward boy soon spurned the shelter of his roof and sought associates more congenial to his taste


the old man and the child dwelt alone to


gether


it was then when the love of two dead people who had been nearest and dearest to his heart was all transferred to this slight creature when her face constantly before him reminded him from hour to hour of the too early change he had seen in such anotherof all the suffering he had watched and known and all his child had undergone when the young mans profligate and hardened course drained him of money as ibis fathers had and even sometimes occasioned them temporary privation and distress it was then that there began to beset him and to be ever in his mind a gloomy dread of poverty and want


lie had no thought for himself in this


his fear was for the child


it was a spectre in his house and haunted him night and day


the younger brother had been a traveller in many countries and had made his pilgrimage through life alone


his voluntary banishment had been misconstrued and he had borne not without pain reproach and slight for doing that which had wrung his heart and cast a mournful shadow on his path


apart from this communication between him and the elder was difficult and uncertain and often failed still it was not so wholly broken off but that he learntwith long blanks and gaps between each interval of informationall that i have told you now


nthen dreams of their young happy lifehappy to him though laden with pain and early care visited his pillow yet oftener than before and every night a boy again he was at his brothers side


with the utmost speed he could exert he settled his affairs converted into money all the goods he had and with honourable wealth enough for both with open heart and hand with limbs that trembled as they bore him on with emotion such as men can hardly bear and live arrived one evening at his brothers door


the narrator whose voice had faltered lately stopped


the rest said mr garland pressing his hand i know


yes rejoined his friend after a pause


we may spare ourselves the sequel


you know the poor result of all my search


even when by dint of such inquiries as the utmost vigilance and saga


city could set on foot we found they had been seen with two poor travelling showmen and in time discovered the men themselvesand in time the actual place of their retreat even then we were too late


pray god we are not too late again i we cannot be said mr garland


this time we must succeed


i have believed and hored so returned the other


i try to believe and hope so still


but a heavy weight has fallen on my spirits my good friend and the sadness that gathers over me will yield to neither hope nor reason


that does not surprise me said mr garland it is a natural consequence of the events you have recalled of this dreary time and place and above all of this wild and dismal night


a dismal night indeed i hark


how the wind is howling


to be oontinued


tales and sketches


father tudkins malediction


up to the skies with that wild halloo


lord byron


chapter i


in a dark midnight in the spring of the year the inhabitants of a considerable cluster of neat cottages form ing the village of innisbofey in the south west of ireland were roused from sleep by an angry noise of clamour and contention outside their dwellings


the shouts and oaths of many voices as if in assault and the desperate but fast failing cry of some party assailed could be distinctly heard


the listeners however were either too well ac customed to such nocturnal disturbance or too few in num bers to deem it proper or prudent to interfere


they con tinued to enjoy the comforts of repose the contending parties gradually retired and in a short time the street was again silent


when morning came it was found that several brothers named kennedy who occupied in a little colony the depths of a picturesque valley a few miles from innisbofey had on their way from a neighbouring market beaten a man well known to them and all the peo ple of that country


his name was tudkin harnetr but having been in orders he was more usually styled father tudkin though he had for some time forfeited any claim to a title exclusively bestowed on the roman catholic priesthood by their flocks


for some irregularities of life rather than for any positively vicious habits he had in curred the censure of his ecclesiastical superiors had been removed from his charge and silenced or as it means in the protestant church stripped of his gown


however beneficial this might have been to the community who were in danger of suffering by their pastors laxity of dici pline it worked the ruin instead of the reformation of poor harnett


he was at once reduced from competence to pauperism compelled to depend for mere existance upon the charity of that body from which he had been expelled wandering from one parish priests house to another or more frequently taking refuge with the parishioners who if they had ceased to respect found it impossible not to pity him


the habits once occasional became now in veterate the bottle to which he had before recourse for enjoyment he now fled to for forgetfulness and from being merely a sot the quondam priest became a confirm ed drunkard


he was however a harmless one


if there was any thing objectionable in his conduct whilst in such a condition it was a proneness he betrayed to in veigh very solemnly and vehemently against the folly and wickedness of intemperance and as his warnings and denunciations rose in exact proportion to his own de gree of inebriety it is not wonderful that father tudkins homilies produced little effect upon his hearers


there is every probability that it was under the influence of this pious indignation that the poor man encountered the ken nedies on the night above mentioned


wild wealthy godless dissolute fellows mad with health and successful bargains at market and most likely themselves the worse as they would term it for liquor what did they care for the poor disgraced and drunken priest


they insulted him he threatened them with laws human and divine they could scoff at the former at the mention of the latter they knocked him down beat him four to one in humanly and left him weltering in his blood


so he was found on the morrow helpless wandering in mind and maimed in limb he was conveyed to the nearest dwelling where he lay confined for some weeks and though at length restored to health sufficient to enable him to move about he never ultimately recovered from the effects of that savage rencontre


while ill he was often seriously recommended to prosecute the brothers but he paid no attention to the suggestion


no he said he had never obtained justice from man he would cite the kennedies to a higher tribunal


of this project he spoke repeatedly but as his head had been injured by several desperate blows such threats were attributed to an un settled state of mind


after some time he was able to go out and when he had gained strength to walk to a distance fully bent upon some purpose that appeared to occupy all his thoughts the miserable man set out one morning before cockcrow for glenmore the valley in which the kennedies resided


he reached it as the grey down of a dismal stormy day was breaking and before any eye could witness what he was about except as he was long after wards heard to say the big moon that was just setting red and angry behind saggartbeg and there tearing in to pieces his threadbare garment once black and now darker with his own blood he deposited a portion at each kennedys threshold repeating at the same time in the language of the vulgate that dreadful appeal to heaven which we read translated in the hundred and ninth psalm


when he had thus done he returned by the way he came and then for the first time explained to those he lived amongst the manner in which he thought it had be


come him to redress the wrongs inflicted upon him an outcast servant of the church


in a community peculiarly superstitious and disposed to look with reference on the humblest person associated with their religious prejudices this piece of intelligence produced for a time a deep sen sation


but when father tudkin had removed to some remoter quarter in the lapse of time the matter faded into forgetfulness


the kennedies laughed or affected to laugh at the impotence of his wrath the sole effect of which seemed to have but made them prouder and more prosperous than ever


several years after this occurence on the afternoon of a warm autumnal day a gay goodlooking young man rode saunteringly up the main street of innisbofey and stopped before the postoffice a smart white house with a pretty flowerenwoven porch and separated from the street by a low rustic paling


his enquiry for letters was immediately telegraphed by the appearance at the little dull dark wicket in the office window of one of the round est and rosiest faces imaginable with a mass of nutbrown curls to correspond and a very silvery reply in a tone that faithfully kept the promise such a face afforded


the answer was in the negative but it might as well have been one of his tenderest invitations for it drew the gallant in a bound from his horse which having fastened to the palings he entered the house


anty conroy was all alone busily engaged in arrang ing the letters for she was official assistant to her father to whom the important charge of the innisbofey postoffice was deputed and when mark foley the cavalier just mentioned entered she appeared to be much busier than ever


after the usual gentle salutations wont to be ex changed between two so fair and young had taken place and the conversation had dropped into the discussion of local and atmostpherical phenomena and touched in fact any other earthly topic but that which was trembling on the lips of each for it had been long settled by village gossip that mark foley and anty conroy were sweat hearts and likely to make a match of it


the young lady broke ground by suddenly quitting her occupation locking up the square box within whose limits the innis bofy postoffice was comprised and preparing to leave the apartment as she had some work in hands that she could not for a moment delay


mark foley observed that it must be very pressing work indeed when it did not allow her five minutes to spare to an acquaintance who had not beheld her let him see


no not since last wednesday was a fortnight


and whose fault was that enquired the beauty


her admirer was happy to say that the fault could not with justice be imputed to any body unless indeed to those generally reprehensible persons the fates as mark him self had been compelled to go on urgent business for his uncle to tralee where he had been absent for twelve of the longest and dullest days of his life and had only re turned the preceeding day


at all events some other time i will see you perhaps tomorrow but i must have my dress finished by thursday you know


if mark did know he looked as if he didnt and what was more tormenting still he exhibited no impatience to be enlightened on the subject but having quietly resumed his hat which he had relinquished for a few moments stood twirling it between his hands signifying thereby his readiness to depart as well as his disposition to linger until anty herself retired


of all things continued to observe the lady


great ly interested in scratching at the bottom of small work boxes and by removing chairs and by looking into little blue china pots on the mantelpiece and reopening the lid of the post office for a bunch of keys which by a sin gular coincidence she had just mislaid of all things i hate makingup white muslin


mark foley believed it was a very troublesome affair and wouldnt detain her any longer but could he assist her in looking for the keys


no indeed he couldnt she had just exactly then discovered them but if he were riding into kanturk to morrow he would very much oblige her by buying her some broad white ribbon


mark said yes certainly he should be very happy he feared he wouldnt be able to deliver it to her personally but would take care to send it by a punctual messenger he would now wish her good morning


by the by what quantity was he to purchase


while asking the question miss conroy had changed her mind


mark was requested not to mind the com mission


she thought she could manage with what she had and so goodmorning


mark said once more he was very sorry or very glad or very willing or very intrusive or something of the kind and now withdrew in earnest


he had not however disengaged his bridle from the pailings where he fastened his horse when he heard himself called by anty who with a cloudy frown through which a blush was just faintly breaking stood within the porch and as he stepped back said in a tone half peevish half pettish i think you might have told one whether you are to be at the wedding on thursday night


pierce kennedys


no i am not


i had been asked of course like all the country but even the tempt ation of a dance with you could not overcome my reluctance to accept the invitation


with me


oh dear dont mention it


said the disapointed anty what attraction could a dance with me have for you


and she pouted her pretty lip crossed her round arms and looked with vast interest up the street though there was only one passenger in it and that a cork pigdriver on leave of absence


mark foley smiled for such a mood as antys argued well for his cause but again assuming a serious air he said i saw you were full of the pleasure you anticipate from the coming party anty and as i could not share in it i avoided mentioning the matter at all


and pray if it isnt that you feel yourself unable to bear the sight of your old flame phe kennedys marriage to her third cousin pierce whats to prevent you from coming to the wedding


as she jilted me i certainly would show her i cared nothing about wearing the willow


well granted you severe cruel girl


granted that she jilted me and did worse to others broke a promise or two is not that a fair reason why her discarded beaux should shun glenmore on thursday evening next


no anty he said i never liked these kennedies men or women phe is no doubt a fine dark dashing mascu line girl but that i ever sincerely admired her i hope the fact of my thinking anty conroy the best and prettiest of her sex that i have yet met with is good security against that


and then the brothers and cousins let them be ever so wealthy and welllooking they are not liked in the county


they keep open houses and have as open hands and stout heads but they are in short there is much more about them that few people like and if they had never done anythihg to make themselves unpopular before their conduct some years ago in that affair of i suppose you mean father tudkins business


just so you know many persons will not be persuad ed but that the curse of that helpless man now a crazy wanderer hangs over their heads


i declare observed anty not half pleased with this sermonizing and what country or courtly belle ever yet bore with human patience to have the house of cards she had beed raising of conquests and coquetries expected from a coming ball filliped down by her own lover


i declare you are growing superstitious


i hope not replied foley laughing but in any case he added as if anxious to drop the subject the kennedies


and i were never very good friends


i have had to oppose their overbearing conduct several times upon roadpresentments and other parish matters and as i can not go a frankhearted guest to their board i will even stay away altogether do you know anty if i had my will that is if i had any influence over you would keep you from going


thank you for your agreeable intentions mr foley but as i have a father and mother quite capable of direct ing me i shall not trouble you by consulting your wishes on the subject


no of course and yet he said i cannot think it will be a pleasant affair this same wedding there will be such a crowd there can be no comfort and then perhaps there may be a disturbance when did ten kennedies meet and part without a quarrel


anty i would give that chestnut colt at the gate and hes worth a hundred guineas that youd promise me youll not go to glenmore on thursday next


theres john power and hugh kennedy and sam kennedy of the cliff and patsy powell said anty calculating why im engaged for every set that can be danced till daylight


im sure let who will break their words ill keep mine


this sentence intended as a closing one anty pronounced in a triumphant tone for she saw the battle was now upon her side


be it as you please then dearest said the lover in a dejected tone farewell


and without venturing to touch her hand he regained his saddle and rode rapidly away


glenmore the scene of the approaching festivity and the place where the principal branches of the very numerous family of the kennedies were settled was a deep and ra ther narrow but very long valley of fertile land stretch ing at each side of a considerable stream that had its source in the adjacent mountains


it was war time and the ken nedies like most other agriculturists profited largely by low rents and high prices


though not absolutely belong ing to the class of what is termed gentlemenfarmers they were an intelligent community kept good houses and better horses had thrifty wives and dressy daughters and al together cut a very striking and superior figure amongst the surrounding peasantry who if they were seldom dazzled into awe by the prosperity of this powerful family were very often drubbed into it by their faction which the head of the clan on important occasions could muster to the amount of fifty or sixty men of his own name from various parts of the country


the present chief was pierce ken


nedy big pierce as he was called to distinguish him from several others of that christian name


the house of glenmore as it was par excellence termed where this potentate resided and at which for his daughter was to be the bride the wedding was to take place was seat ed on a green and gentle ascent at the head of the valley immediately over the river


the abode had little but its size to distinguish it from the dwellings of several of the family that might be seen along the glen


it was consid erably larger and had perhaps an appearance of somewhat greater dignity conferred on it by a slated roof


it stood in the midst of various thatched outoffices crowded round it as time or convenience or the necessities of extensive husbandry required


of those buildings one of the most conspicuous was prodigious barn that from its great ex tent was selected as the place in which to hold the wed ding banquet as it was quite out of the questiou that the dwellinghouse if even quadruple in size could accomo date the number of relatives retainers and friends who were expected to attend the festival


when the auspicious thursday evening arrived it was a pleas ant sight to stand outside the garden wall of glenmore and look ing down the valley behold the gay and motely multitude crowd ing from all quarters to the wedding


many came from the same side of the country as that in which the spectator stood but the greater number might be seen flocking from the innisbofy side down to the opposite bank of the river far away where the out let of the valley touched on the horizon and crossing by the only ford for it was autumn and the stream swollen by torrents was impassable except in a few places that gave them access to the glenmore road


mark foley judged rightly that the kennidies were not a popular sept for though the crowd comprised the usual varied assortment of classes and character those of condition be longed principally to that family but the horde of mimes men dicants and musicians balladsingers boccoghs and broguemakers that like eagles snuffed the quarry from afar and uninvited though not unwelcome followed all their train were from regions as dis tant and dissimilar as their professions


big pierce kennedy received many appologies from expected guests some pleading the badness of the roads and the disturbed state of the country others the urgent necessity of attending a funeral unless they wished to have their own when it took place neglected


the village doctor had an interesting patient from whom he couldnt stir a whistles distance for the next eightand forty hours


even the parish priest who was to have dined and said grace for them was suddenly called off as he was setting out to anoint sir phelim macgillacuddy who sent him his com pliments he wasnt expected to live till night and that he wouldnt take the sacrament from anything under a dean or a parish priest and if father laffan himself wouldnt come sir phelim would go off without it


that reverend gentleman was compelled therefore to send a messenger with an assurance to glenmore that he would arrive early in the evening to tie the happy knot


there was one person however from whom big pierce received no excuse


from three oclock in the afternoon a little barelegged cowboy with one hand in the pocket of his sheepskin kneebreeches merely to keep it out of mischiefs way was leading with the other martin conroys black mare cricket fully accoutred fort travel up and down before the postoffice door


the postman who brought the letterbags across the mountains to innisbofy was of all days in the year two hours late that blessed thursday


and martin could not stir until his majestys mail had safely arrived and was locked up in his custody for there would be no delivery of letters that day as whenever the post was late by reason of the carriers getting hearty that is so drunk as not to be able to see his way or his mule becoming stubborn and stop ping for an hour to cool itself in rooska bog thereby threatening the postmans hours of relaxation with untimely interruption it was a striking fact and worthy of philosophic investigation that no letters were ever received on that day the bags all came empty and thus the harmonious revolution of martin conroyss hours went on unimpeded


that dignitary now fully dressed in a blue coat calico waist coat and white neckerchief ample enough to make a caftan for the cadi of bagdad his legs elaborately cased in drab gaiters that would have gone on buttoning up to his nose if he had let them and with a mighty black bangup surtout hanging loosely over all was nursing the impatience with which he awaited the arrival of ter dorney and his mule by walking up and down the housepassage from the back door to the front one


as time wore on he extended his march so that when four oclock of the october day struck the whole of the back yard and half the street were included in the promenade


at length just as he was ex amining crickets shoes and tightening the saddle girths for the twentieth time a horn was sounded in the distance and in a minute more a bundle of grey frieze in jackboots and a glazed hat clattered on a mule up the street and as the animal stopped suddenly at the stable gate was saved the trouble of alighting the regular way by being projected over its head and sent trundling forward to martin conroys feet


there was litle time for explan ation the mail was delivered and the postboy dismissed with a smack of the bags on the head


mr conroy entered his abode and in a few minutes reappeared leading forth his daughter dressed in her best smiles and a muslin slip and wearing such a love of a bonnet


who that beheld her would not have trembled for the fate of john powel and hugh kennedy and sam kennedy of the cliff and pasty powel and the many other rash adventur ers who were to be exposed to such destructive attractions that evening


she was followed by the maid servant bearing a large blue mantle and a wooden chair while mrs conroy herself stood in the door way to superintend the departure


and first martin having gathered up the reins with a mighty pother and number less pthrews


and steadynows inveigled himself into the saddle and after a little skirmishing managed to get cricket in juxtaposition with the wooden chair upon which anty had been standing muffled in the mantle since she reached the street and having beguiled that crafty animal into a conviction of being halfamile at least away from anything like a mounting block by affecting to turn from it with disgust miss conroy with a stealthy foot and a jump less characteristic of grace than agility attained the pillion behind her father not without a few hearty hoists and kicks from the overreached cricket


these soon subsided and with a slight touch of the spurs and much waving of hands to mrs conroy and a vast running after them of the maidservant with a little basket and something like a pair of shoes rolled up in brown paper which anty had forgotten mr and miss conroy rode down the street to the wedding of glenmore


to be continued


revealing


you are from the country are you not sir


said a dandy young bookseller to a homelydressed quaker who had given him some trouble


yes


well heres an essay on the rearing of calves


that said aminidab as he turned to leave the shop thee had better present it to thy mother


slipping


a fellow coming out a tavern one frosty morning rather top heavy fell on the door step trying to regain his foot ing he remarked if it be true that the wicked stand on slippery places i must be long to a different class for its more than i can do


the settler chapter vi night at portland head hide over the mountains


continued from our last


low walks the sun and broadens by degrees just oer the verge of day


the shifting clouds assembled gay a richlygorgeous train in all their pomp attend his setting throne


thomsons seasons solomon wiseman being endowed with a tolerable stock of worldly wisdom though with small pecuniary means at the com mencement of his career had by the most persevering industry and rigid economy acquired a competency sufficient to justify his retiring from the public line and lie was proud to entertain gentlemen travellers who might honour him with their company premising always by avant de vous rendre response


mon sieur je vous priede me dire si vous etes gcntilhomme


having satisfied himself on this important point with respect to handy he summoned his garcon decurie to whom he gave ex plicit orders to take care of the gentlemans horse see that he was well supped up and bedded down and to have him properly dressed the first thing in the morning and he then conducted the stranger into the interior of his mansion


in a very short time the evening repast was spread a settlers tea accompanied as usual by va rious substantials and terminated by an unlimited allowance of grog and cigars under the soothing influence of which the interval between fatigue and perfect repose was beguiled by tales of the byegone times for solomon had discovered that his guest had been quartered in that part of england where he had passed his younger days


at length a disposition for rest was evinced by unequivocal signs on the part of handy who being ushered into a com fortable apartment soon fell into that state in which all voluntary functions are sus pended


in short he fell asleep


with quickened step brown night retires young day pours in space and opens all the lawny prospect wide


the dripping rock the mountains misty top swell on the sight and brighten with the dawn


on opening his window to hail the new born day and contemplate the scene before him softened and refreshed by the morning dew handy observed that his host was already up and stirring for he always kept in mind the proverb of the wise man whose name he bore love not sleep lest thou come to poverty open thine eyes and thou shalt be satisfied with bread


after exchanging the morning salutation handy asked what is that extraordi nary rattling noise i heard this moment


something resembling the cackling of a hen but very much quicker as quick as a drummers roll hark


there it is again


thats the laughing jackass said wise man and like all other jackasses he is fond of making a noise when he once begins to chatter there is no stopping him


he is one of the earliest morning birds


perhaps you may have heard another strange note beginning rather long and ending with a smart smack like the smack of a whip this is from the coachman bird


the first is called the settlers clock be cause it gives them a hint that its time to be stirring the other by the smack of his whip intimates that it is time to start


i concluded you would wish to be on the road betimes you military gentlemen are accustomed to the reveille


so i ordered the breakfast to be laid the first thing and while the servants are preparing it perhaps you would like to take a turn round the garden though this is not the season for fruit just the reverse of england


pray was there anything stirring at home when you left


nothing particu lar replied handy as they strolled round the garden together


there was a talk of abolishing transportation to this colony and of selling all the land by auction in order to raise funds for paying the expenses of emigrant labourers but it appears to me that they know and care very little about the colony


well sir replied wise man you will see in the course of your ride the error they are committing by not sending the prisoners


observe the work that has already been done by them and at how little cost only their provisions cloth ing and superintendence and consider what an expense it will be to keep them at home where they have no chance of doing any good for themselves when their sen tences are expired whereas here as soon as a man becomes free if he is good for anything he may earn an honest livelihood without much trouble but i suppose it is some of those books they have been reading that have turned their brains


as to selling the lands by auction why what is it worth


nothing until its cleared stumped burnt off fenced and ploughed and only think of the expense


they are all wrong sir they are all wrong and they will soon find it out and then resuming the subject of emigration he said i am against the government having anything to do with sending out emigrants


they should continue to send out prisoners to make our roads and build bridges and be employed on other public works if the as signment system is found to be objection able but you will see what it is as you pro ceed


as for emigrants they should bring themselves out as you have done and have grants of land to compensate them for the expense of their voyage and outfit and loss of time and loss of connections


i like to see capital and labor coining out together and working together but according to the plan you mention our capital will be going out and labour coming in so then tbe capital must come back in some shape or other to employ the labor that is sent for it is very certain that if the people in this colony spend all their money in land for the purpose of introducing emigrants there will be none left lo pay them their wages when they arrive


at this moment breakfast was announced after discussing which and thanking mr wiseman for his hospitality handy proceeded on his jour ney crossing the ferry which appeared to be about a quarter of a mile broad it may be less then ascending to a demolished stockade in the neighbourhood of which the herculanean task of cutting through the rock round the top of a mountain had been performed by a strong body of convicts as the first step towards overcoming the for midable obstacle of a mountain barrier of forty miles in width between sydney and the extensive grazing districts to the north ward


toiling up this wonderful pass highly creditable to the man who planned it and demonstrative of the advantage of applying prisoners labour to works of public utility handy anxiously looked at each turn round a projecting point of the mountain for some view to relieve the monotony of the dreary ascent but after losing sight of the vale of the hawkesbury all was rugged and locked in by repetitions of similar forms viz the shoulder of a mountain into which a road had been cut on the one side and a yawn ing gulf on the other


so complicated were the details of the features of this wild dis trict that the readies of the road seldom exceeded half a mile in length in any di rection


upon the rocky sides of these mountains there was a total want of vegetation save the harsh resinous leaf of the stunted gum trees and several speries of wiry meagre looking shrub to which the colonial desig nation of scrub is appropriate


these are then thought handy to himself the barren rocky scrubby ranges shown on the map


at length he found the country decline until he arrived at a very diminu tive stream over which was a wooden bridge and on its right a solitary slab built hut in front of which a dog was lying


as handy approached the dog gave a growl which brought the inmate a middleaged man to the door


this is snodgrass valley please your honor said the man in reply to handys enquiry as to the name of tbe locale


its a village reserve and sure i am all the popu lation at present spaking without its my dog


is there any place beyond where i shall be able to bait my horse enquired handy


sure theres only hungry flat and then denniss dog kennel beyant before you come to wollombi and there your honor will get plenty for man and beast but its a long ride and your bonor seems but new in the country


after watering his horse at the small stream that ran in front of the hut handy pushed on first by a moderate ascent where along the road side he observed some trees dif ferent from any other he had hitherto seen


they bore a strong resemblance to the mountain ash of europe


still ascending he came again to the top of the range and again upon a road as tortuous as before with a country if country so wild a region can be called similar to that he had passed


as he advanced however he noticed among the rocks below him a number of noble looking plants somewhat resembling in foliage the american aloe and which bore upon a lofty stem a com pound head of red blossoms of lily form these were the only exceptions to the un varying stunted gum trees and scrub


as he approached the crest of this wearying range of mounlains he caught occasional glimpses of distant hills in the seaward direction and to the right of his front one great peak towering above the rest and on the very top of which stood two lofty trees


further on at the turns of the road he was enabled to see the country to the westward still great masses of mountains and deep gullies but no sign of cultivation


at length he descended by a long reach of road admirably managed along the flank of the mountain the lower side being walled for a considerable distance till at length the loud crack of a whip echoing among the rocks intimated that there was at least one human being at no great distance from him and on turning the base of the hill he overlook a stockman driving a small herd of milking cows and who informed him that wollombi was but a little way ahead


entering this secluded and scat tered settlement he passed a small but comfortable looking weatherboard cottage prettily situated at the foot of a high hill and having a sort of garden in front almost surrounded by water which looked de liciously dear and cool two or three men were lounging about smoking their pipes and a tent was pitched in a small valley opposite


upon enquiry handy ascer tained that this was a surveyors station aud that the name of the place where the cottage stood was laguna on account of the small lakes about it


so valuable is the acquisition of a permanent supply of fresh water in this country which is gene rally characterized by its aridity that the mere circumstance of its possessing that element is sufficient to give a classical name at a small cottage about three hundred yards beyond laguna on the opposite side of the road


eggs and bacon good wlieaten bread and a plentiful allowance of tea milk and sugar constituted his fare the house not being licensed to sell wines or spirits but this inconvenience was provided against by the contents of the holster pipe which could be replenished at any of tbe inns should he fall in with such on the road


the horse was well fed and bedded up to his neck in good clean straw and both he and his master enjoyed as sound a sleep as any prime minister


to be continued


a kkowjno fbiiow


a work printed in hears the following title a wo mans worth defended rigtunet


all the men in tbe world proving them to be more perfect excellent and absolute in nil virtuous actions than any man of wliat quality sof er


uritu by one who bath beard much seen much but itnowa a great deal more


porolarrre


i was de most lbulr governor that new york ever had mil lli amiable old dutchman governor jutes


how was that asked his friend


why i came in unanimously anj den i went out unanimously was uoidat de popularity


launcesf orjjprinuhl for iht prfp


hxnw dowubo primer of jlrhbaneslroe


subcbimifiwpriaiiilibc


ot calm admtimr


n brisbanostreemformaidi mb sutlooeiy warehouse jn urlswiwint


sslithuesditwmotlrl


barnaby rudgf d o cihapter xxviii


repairing to a noted coffeoeouse in covent i garden when he left the locksmiths mr chester sat long over a late dinner entertaining himself h exceedingly with the whimsical recollection of his recent proceedings and congratulating himself very much on his great cleverness


influenced by these thoughts his face wore an expressoion so benigni and tranquil that the walter in immediate attendance upon him felt he could almost have died in his defence and euttled in his own mind until the receipt of the bill and a very small fee for very great trouble disabused it of the idea


that such an apos


tolic customer was worth halfadozen of the ordinary run of visitors at least


a visit to the gamingtablenot as a heated anxious venturer but one whom it was quite a treat to seea staking his two or three pieces in deference to the follies of society and smiling with cqual benevolence on winners and losersmade it late before he reached home


it was his custom to bid his seivant go to bed at his own time unless he had orders to the contrary and to leave a candle on the comnion stair


there was a lamp os the landing by which he could always light it when he came homnelate and having a key of the dpor about him lhe could enter and go to bed at his pleasure


lhe opened the glas of thei dull lamp whose wick burnt up and swollen like a drunkards nose camse flying oft in little carbuncles at the candles touch and scattering hot sparks about rendered it matter of some difficulty to kindle the lazy taper when anoise as of a man snoring deeply some steps higher upcausedhim to pause and listen


it was the heavy breathing of a sleeper cloqe at hand


some fellow had jain down on the open staircne andwas sluimbering soundly


having lighted the candle at length and ppened his own door he softly ascended


holding the taper high above his hiead and peering cautiously about curious to see what kind of manhad chosen so comfortless a sheltgr for his lodging


swith lishead upon the landing and his great limbsfung over half a dozen stairs as carelessly as though he wem a dead mnan whom drunken bearers had


thrown down bychance there lay hugh face uppermost his long hair drooping like some wild weed upon his wooden pillow and his huge chest heaving with the sounds which so unwontedly dis


turbed theplace and hour


he who came upon him so unexpeptedly was about to break his rest by thrusting him with his foot when glancing at his upturned face he arrested himself in the very action and stooping down and shading the candle with his hand ex amined his features colsely


close as his first in spection was it did not suf ice for he passed the light still carefully shaded as before across and across his face and yet observed him with a search ing eye


while he was thus engaged the sleeper without any starting or turning round awoke


there was a kind of fascination in meeting his steady gaze so suddenly which took from the other the presence of mind to withdraw his eyes and forced him as it were to meet his look


so they remained staring at each other until mr chester at last broke silence and asked him in a low voice why be lay sleeping there


i thought said hugh struggling into a sitting posture and gazing at him intently still


that you were a part of my dream


it was a curious one


i hope it may never come true master


what makes you shiver


thethe cold i suppose he growled as he shook himself and rose


i hardly know where i am yet


do you know me said mr chester


ay


i know you he answered


was dreaming of youwere not where i thought we were


thats a comfort


he looked round him as he spoke and in par ticular looked above his head as though he half expected to be standing under some object which lhad had existence in his dream


then he rubbed his eyes and shook himself again and followed his conductor into his own rooms


mr chester lighted the candles which stood upon his dressing table and wheeling an easy chair to


wards the fire which was yet burning stirred up a cheerful blaze sat down before it and bade his uncouth visitor come here and draw his boots off


you have been drinking again my fine fellow he said as hugh went down on one knee and did as he was told


as im alivemaster ive walked the twelve long miles and waitedhhere i dont know how long and had no drink between my lips since dinnertime at noon


and can you do nothing better my pleasant friend than fall asleep and shake the very building withl your snores said mr chester


cant you dream in your straw at home dull dog as you are tblatyou need come here to do it


reach me those slippers and tread softly


hlugh obeyed in silence


and harkee my dear young gentleman said mr chbester as


he putthem on the next time youdream dont let it be of me but of some dog or horsewith whom you are better acquainted


fill the glass onceyoull find it and the bottle in tle aame placeand empty it to keep yourself awake


hugh obeyed again even more zealously and having done so presented himself before his patron


now said


mr chester what do you want with mer


there was news today returned hugh


your son was iat our housecame down on horse back


he tried to see the young woman but couldnt get sight of her


he left some leiter or some message which our joe has charge of but he tend the old one quarrelled about it when your son had gone and the old one wouldnt let it beade


livered


lie says thats the old one ddesthat none of his phple shall interfere and get himinto trouble


hes a landlord he says and lives on everybodys custom


heisa jewel smiled mr cthester and the better for beinga dull one


well svardenos daughterthats the girl i kissed and stole the bracelet from upon the kings highway said mr chester comipoedly


yes what ofliterlh she wroite a note at our house to the young woman saying she lost the letter i brought to you


and you burnt


our joe was to carry it but the old one klept him at liomni iall sneatday on pltrpooe that he shouldnt


next morning he gave it to me tb take and here it is


you didnt deliverit then my good friend saldlr


chester twirling dollys note between hisi finger and thumb and feigning to be surprised


i supposed youd want to have it retorted


hugh burn one burnall thouighl


my devilmaycamr acquaintane said mr chester really if you do not draw snoe nicer distinctions your career will be cut short with most surprising suddenness


dontyou know that ihe letter you brought to me was directed to my son who resides in this very place


and can you descry no difference between hisletters and those addressed to other people if you dont want it said hugh disconcerted by this reproof for he had expected high praise give it me back and ill deliver it


i dont know how to please you master


i shall deliver it returned his patron putting it away after a mtments consideration myself


does the young lady walk out on fine mornings


mostlyabout noon is her usual time


alone yes alone


where n the grounds before the house


them that the footpath crosses


if the weather should be fine i may throw my self in her way tomorrow perhaps said mr chester as coolly as if she were one of his ordinary acquaintance


mr hugh if i should ride up to the maypole door you will do me the favour only to have seen me once


you must suppress your grati


tude and endeavour to forget my forbearance in the matter of the bracelet


it is natural it should break out and its does you honour but when other folks are by you must for your own sake and safety be as like your usual self as though you owed me no obligation whatever and had never stood within these walls


you comprehend me


hugh understood him perfectly


after a pause he muttered that be hoped his patron would involve him in no trouble about this last letter for he had kept it back solely with the view of pleasing him


he was continuing in this strain when mr chester with a most beneficent and patronising air cut him short by saying my good fellow you have my promise my word my sealed bond for a verbal pledge with me is quite as good that i will always protect you so long as you deserveit


now do set your mind at rest


keep it at ease i beg of you


when a man puts himself in my power so thoroughly as you have done i really feel as though he had a kind of claim upon me


i am more disposed to mercy and for


bearance under such circumstances than i can tell you hugh


do look upon me as your protector and rest assured i entreat you that on the subject of that indiscretion you may preserve as long as you and i are friends the lightest heart that ever beat within a human breast


fill that glass once more to cheer you on your road homewardsi an really quite ashamed to think how far you have to go and then god bless you for the night


they think said hugh when he had tossed the liquor down that i am sleeping soundly in the stable


ha ha ha


the stable door is shut but the steeds gone master


you are a most convivial fellow returned iis friend and i love your humour of all things


good night


take the greatest possible care of yourself for my sakel


it was remarkable that during the whole interview each had endeavoured to catch stolen glances of the others face and had never looked full at it


they interchanged one brief and hasty glance as hugh went out averted their eyes directly and so sepa rated


hugh closed the double doors behind him carefully and without noise and mr chesater re mained in his easy chair with his gaze intently fixed upon the fire


well he said after meditating for a long timeand said with a deep sigh and an uneasy shifting of his attitude as though he dismissed some other subject from his thoughts and returned to that which had held possession of them all the day the plot thickens i have thrown the shell it will explode i think in eightandforty hours and should scatter these good folks amazingly


we shall see i he went to bed and fell asleep but had not slept long when he started up and thought that hugh was at the outer door calling in a strange voice very different from his own to be admitted


the delusion was so strong upon him and was so full of that vague terror of the night in which such visions have their being that he rose and taking his sheathed sword in his hand opened the door and looked out upon the staircase and towards the spot where hugh had lain asleep and even spoke to him by name


but all was dark and quiet and creeping back to bed again he fell after an hours uneasy watching into a second sleep and woke no more till norning


to be continued


barnaby rudge


o ciaptrn xxxiv


before old john had looked at the boiler quite twenty minutes he got his ideas into a focus and brought them to bear upon solomon daisys story


the more he thought of it the more impressed he became with a sense of his own wisdom and a desire that mr haredale should be impressed with it likewise


at length to the end that he might sustain a principal and important character in the affair and might have the start of solomon and his two friends through whose means he knew the adventure with a variety of exaggerations would be known to at least a score of people and most likely to mr haredale himself by breakfasttime toinmorrow he determined to repair tothe warren beforeigoing to bed


hes my landlord thought john as he took a candle ih his hand and setting it down in a corner out of the winds way ope a casement in the rear of the house looking toas the stables


we havent met of late years so often aswe iused to do ichanges


are taking place in the familyits desirable that i should stand as well with them in point of dignity ais possiblethe whispering about of thishekre tale will anger himits good to have confidences


wlth gentlemen of his natur and set onesaself right besides


halloa there i hughi hugh


halloa i whei he had repeated this shout a dozen times and startled every dpigeon from its slumbers a door in one of the ruinous old buildings opened and a rough voice demanded what was amiss now that a man couldnt even have his sleep in quiet


what i havent you sleep enough growler that youre not tobe knocked up for once said john


no replied thevoice as the speaker yawned and shook himnself


not half enough


i dont know how you can sleep with the wind a bellowsing and roaring about you making the tiles fly like apack of cards said john i but no matter for that


wiapybturselfup in somethigoranother and come here for you must go as far as the warren with me


ald look sharp aboutir it


hugtihith much low growling and muttering went back into his lair and presently reappeared carrying a lantern aad acudgeldand enveloped from head to foot in an ld frowsy slouching horse cloth


mr witlletreceiveld this figure at the back door and ushered him into the bar while he wrapped himself in sundry greatcoats and capes and so tied and knotted his face in shawls and handkerchiefs that how he breathed was a mystery


you dont take a min out of doors at noar mid night in suchi weather without putting some heart into himdo you master said hugh


yes i do sir returned mr willet


i put the heart as youcall it into him when he has broughi me safe home again and his standing bteaoyf cgs su


ur autuciricousequtnucu hold that light up if you please and go onl a step or two before to show the way


r hugh obeyed with a very indifferent grace and a longingglance at ethe bottles


old john laying strict injunctions


on i


cook to keep the idoors locked in his absence andr to open to nobody but to himself on pain of dismissal followed him into


the blustering darkness out of doors


the ivay was wet and dismal and the nightiio black that if mr willet had been his own pilot


he woutld have walked into a deep horsepond within a few hundred yards of his own house ahd would certainly have terminated his career in that


ignoble sphere of action


but hughr who had a night as keen as any hawka and apart from that endowre i ment could have found his way blindfold toany a rny place within a dozen miles dragged old john along quite deaf to his remonstrances and took his owni course without the slightest reference to or notice orf his master


so they made head against the wind as theybest could hugh crushing the wetgrass beneath his heavy tread and stalking on afrte ordinary savage fashion john willet following at arms length picking his steps and looking about him now for bogs and ditches and now for suchr stray ghosts as might be wandering abroad with l looks of as much dismay and uneasiness as his immoveable face was capable of expressing


at length they stood upon the broad gravelwalk before the warrenhouse


the building waspro


foundly dark and none were moving near it except themselves


lfrom one solitary turretchamber however there shone a ray of light and towards thisspeckk of coinfoit in the cold cheerless silent scene mr willet bade his spilot lead him


the old room said john looking timidlyl upward mrreubens own apartment god be


with us ii wonder his brother likes to sit there so i late at nightonlthis night too


ii why where else should he sit asked hugh holding the lantern to his breast to keep the cailo from thie wind while he trimmed it with his fingersd


l its snug enough


ant it nug l said john indlignantly


yon havei colmfortable idea of


snugness you have


siro


io youi know what wa sdone in that room


yo


whyg what ois it


etleworsef ti cried hugh looking into johns fat face


does it keep p utithis rain and snow and wind the less for tihat


iis ita


less warm or dry because a man was killed thiierest never believe it master


one mahn is no suic matter as


that comes to


i mlrr willet fixed his dull eyes on his followrier and beganby a species of inspiration to think it just barely possible that lie was something of a dangerous character and that it might be advisable to get rid of him one of these days


he was too prudent to say anything with the journey home before him and therefore turned to thie iron gate before which this brief dialogue had passed and pulled the handle of the bell that hung beside it


the turret in which thie light appeared being at one corner of the building and only divided from the path by one of thre gardenwalks upon which this gate opened mr tiaredale thirewv up the window directly and demanded who was there


begging pardon sir said john i knew you sat up late and made bold to come round having a word to say to you


willetis it not of the maypoleat your service air


mr fiedale closed the window and withdrew


lie presently appeared at a door in the bottom of the turret and coming across the gardenwalk un locked the gate and let them in


you are a late visitor willet what is the matter


nothing to speak of sir said johni an idler tale i thought you ought to know of nothing more


let your man go forward with the lantern and give me your hand


the stairs are crooked and narrow


gently withyour light friend


you swing itike a cese r shgla who had already reached the turret held it moresieadily and ascended first turning round from titme to time to shed his light downward on the steps


mr


lharedale following nest eyed his lowering face with no great favour and


hugh lookitng downon him returned his glances with interest nas they climbed the winding stair


it terminated in a little autiroom adjoining that from rwhich they hadeen the light


mr haredalo eatered first aind led the way through it into the latter chamber where he seated himself at a writing table from which hie had risen when they rang the bell


come in lie said beckoning to old john who remained bowing at the door


not you friend he added hastily to hugh who entered also


willet why do you bring that fellow here whysir returned johnelevating his eye browasand lowering his voice to the tone iri which the question had been asked him hes a good guard you see


f dont be too sure of that said mr haredale looking towards him as he spoke i doubt it


he shas an evil eyer s theresno imagination in his eye returned mrwillet glancing over his shoulder at the organ in question certainly


there is riogo there be assured said mr haredale


waitin that little room friend and close the door betweenus


hugh shrugged his shoulders and with a disdain ful look which showed either that he had overheard or that he guessed the purport of their whispering did ais he was told


wher he was shut out mr sharedale turned to john and bade him go on with what he had


to say but not to speak too loud for there were quick ears yonder


thits cantioned mr willet in an oily whisper recited all that he had heard ahd said that night laying particular stress upon his own sagacity upon his great regardfor the family apd upon his solicitude for their peace of mind and happiness


the story inom halistuditor much more tlanahe had expected


mriiaredalt often changed hlis attitide rose and hedilie room returned again desired him to siepet aanearly as he could the very words that solomon had used and gave so many other signs of being disturbed and


ill at ease that even mr swillet was surprised


t you didquite right he said at the end of a lotigconveraetion to bid them keep this story secret


it is a foolish fancy on the part of this weakbrained man bred in his fears and superstition


but miss haredale though she would know it to be so would be disturbed by it if it reached her ears it is too nearly connected with a subject very painful to us all to be heard with indifference


you were most prudent and have laid me under a great


obligation i thank you very much


this was equal to johns most sanguine expects


tionsiut hi


e wotild lihave preferred mr haredales looking at hm while he spoke as if hereally did thank him to his walking up and down speaking by fits and starts often stoppingwitht his eyes fixed on the ground moving hurriedly on again like one distracted and seeming almost unconscious of what he said or did


i sembarrassing to john that he sat quite passive for a long time not knowing what to do


at length lie rose


mr haredale stared ait him fora moment as though he had quite forgotten his being present then shook hands with him and opened the door


h ugh who was or seemed to be fast asleep on the antichamber floor sprang up on their entrance and throwing his cloak about him grasped his stick and lantern and prepared to descend the stairs


stay said mr haredale will this man drink drinkt hed drink the thames up if it was strong enough sir replied john willet


hell have something when he gets home


lies better without it now si


nay


half the distance is done said hiugh


what a hard master you are


i shall go home the better for one glassful halfway


come j as johnmade no reply mr haredale brought out a glass of liquor and gave it to hugh who as he oukit in his hand threw part of it upon the s what do you mean by splashing your drink about a gentlemans house sir said john


im drinking a toast hugh rejoined holding the glass above his head and fixing his eyes on mr


haredalea face


a toanst to this house and its master


with that he mutiered something to himself and drank the rest and setting down the glass preceded them without another word


johni was a good deal scandalised by this ob servance butcseeing that mr haredale took little sheed of what hugh said or did and that his thoughts were othelirwise employed he offered no apology and went in silence downthle stairs across the walk and throughl the garden gaie


they stopped upon the outer side for hugh to hold the light while mr iharedale locked it on the inner and then john saw with wonder as


he often afterwards related that he was very pale and that his face had changed so muchl and grown sohoggard since their entrance ihat he almost seemed another man


they were in the open road again and john willet was walking on behind his escort thinking very steadily of what hle had just now seen wlien hugh drew him suddenly aside and almost at the samlne lastaint tiree horsemen swept pastthe nearest brushied hlis shoulder even thenwho checking their steeds as suddenly as they could stood still and waited for their coming up l io


b ctobeontunued


literature


the ministers wooing


a tale op new england


by mrs h b st owe


continued from the age of november chapter xvii


contimjed


brer since the last conversation with her mother on the subject of james mary had felt a sort of guilty constraint when any one spoke of him in stead of answering frankly as she once did when anything brought his name up she fell atoncointo a erave


embarrassed silence


mrs murvyn was ao constantly thinking of him that it was difficult to bein on any topic that did not iu some manner or ethor knit itself into the one ever present in lisr thoughts


none of the peculiar developments of tbe female nature have a more exquisite vitality than the sentiment of a frail delicatc repressed timid woman for a strong manly generous son


there is her ideal expressed there is tbe out speaking aud out acting of all sho trembles to think yet barns to say or do hero is tho hero that hall sneak for her


the heart into whioh sho has ponred hers aud that ehll give to her tremulous and hidden aspira tions a strong and victorious expression


i have gotten a man from the lord she says to her self and each outburst of his manliness his vigor his eelfconlldenoe his snperb vitality fills her with a strange wondering pleasure and she has a secret tenderness and pride evon in his wilfulness nud waywardness


what a oreature he is


she says when he flouts at bober argument and pitches all received opinions hither and thither in the wild cnpriciousaesa of youthful paradox


she looks gravo and reproving but he reads the concealed triumph in her eyes he knows that in her heart she is full of admiration all the time


first love of womanhood ia something wonderful and myste rious but iu this second love it rises again ideal ized and refined bhe loveb tho father and herself united and made one in this young heir of lile and hope


j such was mrs marvyus still intense passionate love for lior son


not a tono of his manly voice not a flash of his dark eyes not one of the deep shadowy dimples thaf came and went as he laughed not a ring of his glossy black hair that was not studied got by heart and dwelt on in the inner shrine of her thoughts bo was tbe romance of her life


ilis strong daring nature carried her with it beyond ihoee narrow daily bounds where her soul was weary of treading and just as his voyages had given to the trite prose of her mtnage a poetry of strange foreign perfumes of quaint objects of interest speaking of many a far off shore to his mind and life wre a constant ohauncl of oiitreach through which her soul held converse with tbe active and stirring world


mrs marvyn hid known all the story of her sons levo and to ro otior wormm would she have been wil ling lo resign him but her lovo to mary wup ao deep that she thought of his uiiou with her more os gaining a diugbtor than losing a fon


she would not epeak of the subject sho knew tho feel itigs of marys mother and the name of james full so often from her lips simply beoauso it was bo ever piosont in bi heart tl at it oould not be helped


before mary left it was arranged that they should study together and that the leesons shiiiif bs given alternately at eneh others house a d with this understanding ihy pate


chapter xviii


th j pcclor sat at his ttudy table


it wa eve itif fuil


bo slant beams of the settin


ui hit thiiir gcldcn arrow thronah the heillhy fuvpe clustois or lilacs that veiled tho windows


tiior


i had been a sftotver that filled them with dr ps of j rain which svery now and thu tattooed with a j sleud r rattat on the window si i a a breeze would shake thfl leives end boar in perfume on its wi igb sweet fragr


inneladu airs trapped stiiringly to and


ro about tho studytable m iking gentle con fusion flutlering papers on moral ability agist ing realises on tbo great end of creation lahiag up subtile distinctions between amiable insincs aod true holiness and in short conducting them selves liko very unappreoiativo and unphilosophical littlo breezes


the doctor patiently smoothed back and re arranged while opposite to him sat mary bending over some copying bhe was doing for bim


one stray sunbeam fell on her lightbrown hair tinging it to gold her long drooping lashes lay over the waxliko pink of her cheeks es she wrote on


mary said the doctor pushing tho papers from hira


sir she answered looking up tho blood jttbt perceptibly rieing in feor cheeks


dojou over havo any periods in which your evidences seem not altogether clear


i nothing could show more forcibly the grave earnest character of thoaght in new england at this time than tho fact that this use of the term eridenoeshad become universally significant and understood as relating to ones right of eitizenship iu a celestial invisible commonwealth


so


mary understood it and it was with a deepened flush she answered gently no sir


what


never anv doubts said the doctor


i ura sorry said mary apologetically but i do not nee how i can have i never could


ah said the doctor musingly would i could say so


there are times indeed when i hops i bavj an interest in tho precious redeemer and behold ttn infinite loveliness und beauty in him apart from everything i expect or hope


but evm then how decitful is the human heart


how iueensiblyimight a mere selfish love take the place of that disinterested complacency which regards him for what he is


iu himself apart from what he is to us


say my dear friend doeb not this thought sometimes make you tremble


poor mary was truth itself and this question distressed her she must anbwcr the truth


the fact wa that it had never oome into her blessed little heart to tremble for she was one of those children of the bridecbamber who cannot mourn because the bridegroom in ever with them but then when she saw the man for whom her reverence wab almost like that for bcr god thus distrustful thus loniy she could not but feel that her top calm i rcpohe might after all be the shallow treacherous calm of an ignorant illgrouuded spirit and there fore with a deep blush and a faltering voice she said indeed lam afraid something must be wrong rntlh ron r ln


nnn t


mt wnn


j uotbi waiu i try sometimes but the thought of


gods good ness comes all around me aud i am so happy be fore


i think of it


such exercises my dear friend i have also had said the doctor


but before i rest on them as evidenenp i feel constrained to make the follow ing inquiria ia this gratitude that swells my bosom the result of a mere natural sensibility


does it arise in a particular manner because god has done me goul


or do i love god for what he it as well as for what he has done


and for what he has done for others as well as for what he ihb done for me


love to god which is built on nothing but good received is not incom patible with a disposition so horrid as even to ourse god to his lace


if god ia not to bo loved except when he does good then in affliction wo aro free


if doing us good is all that renders god lovely to us then not doing us good divests him of his glory and dispenses us from obligation to love him


but there must be undoubtedly soma permanent reaeon why god is to be loved by al and if not doing ua good divests nim of his glory so us to free ut from our obligation to love it equally irees the universe bo


that in foot the uuiverse of happiness if ours bo not iucluded re floats no gloy on its aulhor


the doctor hud practised his subtle menal ana lysis till his instruments were so fluepointed and keenedged that ho soarcc over allowed a fi wer of sacred euioi ion to spring in his soul without pick ing it to pieces to see if its genera aud speoies were corrcot


lovo gialiitido reverence benevolence which oil moved ia mighty tides in


his soul were all compelled to pause midway while ho rubbed up his optical instruments to toe wnelher they were rising iu right order


mary ou the coutiury had the blessed gift of womanhood hit vivid life iu the soul and sentiment which resislb the chills of analysis as a healthful huniau heart reibts cold yet still all humbly she thought this perhaps was a defect in heieoif and therefore having confessed in a depreciating tone her habits of uonnvlycd faith and iovu sho added


but my dear sir you rrc my best friend


i trust you will be faithful to me


if i am deceiv ing myself undeceivo me you cannot bo too severe with me


alas said the doctor i fear that i may be oniy a otinu leaner or tne ouna


vvnat alter au if i be only a miserable self deceiver


what if some thought of self has come iu to poison all my pray era and strivings


it is true i think yes i think said tho doctor speaking very slowly and with earnestnoss i think that if i knew at this moment that my name never would be written among those of the eleoti could still see god to be infinitely amiable and glorious and could feel sure that he could not do me wrong and that it was infi nitely becoming and right that he should dispose of me according to his sovereign pleasure


think so but atill my deceitful heart i after all i might find it rising in rebellion


say my dear friend are you sure that should you discover yourself to be for ever condemned by his justioe you would not find your heart rising up against him v


against bim f said mary with a tremulous sorrowful expression on her face against my iiunveujr iniuui


her face flushed and faded her eyes kindled eagerly as if she had something to bay and then grew mitty with tears


at last she said thank you my dear faithful friend i i will think about this perhaps i may have been de ceived


how very difficult it must be to know ones self perfectly


mary went into her own little room and sat leaning for a long timo with her elbow on tho windowseat watching the pale rhells of the apple blossoms as they sailed and fluttered downward into tho gruss and listened to a chippcring conver sation in whioh the birds in tho nest above were settling up their small housekeeping accounts for tho day


after a while she took her pon and wrote tho following which the doctor found the next morn ing lying on his sindy table my dear honohed vrikhd how oan i suffi ciently thank you for your faithfulness with me


all you say to me seems true and oxcellcnt nnd yet my dear sir permit me to try to express to you some of the many thoughts to which our con versation this evening has given rise


to love god because he is good to mo you seem to think is not a right kind of love and yet every moment of my life i havo experienced his goodness


when re collection brings back tho past where can i look that i see not his goodness


what moment of my life presents no iustaoous of merciful kindness to me a


well astoevery creature more and greater than i oan express than my mind is abo o arko in


how then can i help loving god bccauso


ho is good to mo


wero i not an object of gods morcy and goodness i canuot have any conception what would bo my feeling


imagination never yet placed mo in a situation not to experience tho goodness of god in some way or other aud if i do love him how can it be but becauso hois good and to me good


do not gods children lovo him because hu first loved ihcni


if i called nothing goodness which did not happen to suit my inclination and oould not be lieve the deity to bo gracious nnd merciful except when the cours of events was so otdered as to agrco with my humor go far frm imagining that i had any love to god i must conclude mysolf wholly destitute of anything good


a love founded on nothing but good received is not you say incom patible with a disposition so horrid as evou to curse god


iam not sensible thatleverinmyiifeimagincd any thing


but good could come from the hand of god


from p being inflnito in goodness everything must be g


l though we do not always comprchjud how ii ij so


arc not afflictions good


liiea he not even iu judgment remember mercy


sensible that slllictions aro but blessings in disguso would bless thy hand that with inilnlto kindness wounds only to heal and lore and adoro hs kuwi wi


u jji itutl in butfciiig as in rg j icn


n


e diiitcrscd lovo to god which you think rjuip i ibo gci uisic love i sue not lov wo cjii bs crt in we p s


s ul in our love of happiness aud our lov


o iiitl iri si iuseparuby connected


lhn jv arising from u corscluujness that god iu a jp


ijfictur to me fliid my fricnds ind when i thinkef god every ciuvluie i my fricn i il arising from h felih tioivr jtiior


lot eeiito rnc possible could be ch injrtl iuio inte evan supposing god my enemy whilst i regarded him us a being infinitely juai a well as good


if gol is my enemy it must be lecatisi i deserve he should b such ond it dor


s not si


cm tj mo pass ht hat i should into llirrj even if i knew ii would always ba so


in whut you say of willingness to suffer eternal pitiiihmerit i dont know that i understand what tha feeling is


is it wickedness in me that i do not feel a wjllingness to bo left to eternal sin


can anyonejoylully acquioscoin beiug thus loft


when i pray for a new heart and arightspirit must ibe will ing to be denied nnd rejoice that my prayer is not heard


could any real christian rejoioe in this


but he fears it not ho knows it will never be he therefore can cheerfully leave it with god j and


so can i


suoh ray dear fricdd are my thoughts poor and unwotlhy yet they seem io me as oortain as my life or as anything i soe


am i unduly oonfl dent


i ask your prayers that i may be guidd aright


your affectionate friend manr


there are in thin world two kinds of natures those that have wings and hoae that havo feet the winged and the walking spirits


the walking are the logicians the winged are the instinctive and poetio


natures that must always walk find many a bog many a thicket many a tangled brake which gods h ip y little wingod bitds flit over by one noiseless flight


nay when a man has toiled till his feet weigh too heavily with the mud of earth lo enable him to walk another step theis little birds will often ivd


the air in a right line towards the bosom of god and show the way where he could never havo found it


the doctor paused in uh ponderous and heavy reatonings to lead this roiil womans letter and being a loving man he felt as it be could have kissed the hem of her garment who it


ha recorded it iu his journal and after it tn signifi cant passage from the canticles i churgo you o jo daughters of jerusalem by tbe roes and by the hinds of the field that ye stir not up nor awake this lovoly one till she please


mrs scudders motherly eye noticed with tati faotion these quiet communings


let it alone she said to herself beforo she knows it sho will find herself wholly under hia influence mri scudder was a wise woman


clialtkr xix


in the course of a day or two a handsome car riago drew up in front of mrs scudders oottage and a brilliant party alighted


they were colonel aud madame de froatignac tho abba lefon and colonel burr


mrs scudder and ber daughter be ing prepared for the call sat in afternoon dignity and tranquillity in the best room with their knittingwork


madame do frontignuc had divined witti the lightniugiike tact with belongs to women ia tho positive


aud lo french womon in the superlative degree that there was something in the cottage girt whom she had passingly seen at tho party which powerfully uffeoted the man wkoai bho loved with all the j julous intensity of a btrong nature and hence sho embraced eagerly the opportunity to see hor yes to see her to study her to dart her keen french wit through her and detect tho secret of her charm that sho too might practise it


madame de frontiguao was one of those women whose beauty is so strikiug aud imposing that they seem to kindle up even in the moat prosaic apart meut an atmosphere of enohautment


all tho pomp and splendour of high life the wit the re finements the nameless graces and luxuries of courts seemed to breathe in invisible airs around her and bhe made a faubourg st germain of the darkest room into which sho eutered


mary thought when she came in that she had never seen anything so splendid


sbo was dressed in a black velvet riding habit buttoued to the throa with coral her riding hat drooped with its long plumes so as to cast a shadow ever her animated face eut of which hsr dark eyes phono like jewels and her pomegranate checks glowed with the rich shaded radianse of one of rembrandts pictures


some thing quaint and foreign something poetio aurl struuge marked each turn of her figure each ar ticle of her dress down to the sculptured hand which glittered siugular and ctly rings nnd the riding glove embiijidered with seed pearls that fell carelesly beside her on the floor


in antwerp one sees a pioture iu which kubons who felt more than tiny other urtist tho glory of the physical life bus embodied hirt conception of the madonna in opposition to the fadetf cold ideals of the middle ges irom whioh ho revolted with such u bound


his mary is a superb oriental sultana with lustrous dark eyes reduudiint form jewelled turban stnuding leaning on thebiustrado of a prinoely terrace aud bearing ou hor hand nit tbe silver dovo but a gorgeous paroquet


tho two styles iu this instance were both iu the efime room nud as burr sat looking fi cm one to the other he felt for iv moment as would who should diit a sketch of overbeoks beside a splendid painting of titians


for a few moments everything in the room geemed faded and cold iu contrast with the tropicul atmosphere of this regal beauty


burr watched mary with a keen eye to saa if she were dazuled and overawed


he saw noth ing but tho most innocent surprise and delight


all the slumbering poetry within her seemed to awaken at the presence of her beautiful neighbor as when sue for the first timo stands before tha great revelations of art


marys oheek glowed her eyes seemed to yrow deep with the enthusiasm of admiration and alter a few moments it seemod as if her delicate faco and figure roflectod the glow ing loveliness of hor visitorjustastbe viri iusnoivg of the alps bcoome incarnadine as thcy stand op posite the glorious radiance of a buuset sky


madame de frontiguao was acoustomcd to the effect of heroharms but there was so much love in tho admiration now direoted towarls her that her own warm nature was touched und sho threw out the glow of hor feelings with a magnetic power


mary never fell tho cold habitual reserve of her education so suddenly molt never inl herself so naturully falling into language of contidenao and endearment with a stranger and as her face to delicate aud spiritual grew bright with love ma dame de frontignac thought she had never seen anything so beautiful aud strclohing out her hand towards her sho exclaimed in ner owa lan guage mais mcii dicu iiiua enfant yite tu es bills marys deep blush at her ignorunce of the lan guage iu whioh her visitor spoko rocalled her to herself she laughed a clear bllvery laugh aud laid her jewelled littlo band on marys with a oaressing movement


h shall not teaoh you french ma toute she said indicating the abbe by a protty wilful gesture i will teach you and you shall taaoh me english


oh i aholl try so hard to learu i sh said


thero was something inexpressibly pretty and quaint in the childish lisp with which she pro nounced english


mary was completely wou over


sho could have fallen into the arms of his wondrously beautiful fairy princess expeoting to be carried away by her to dreamland


meanwhile mrs scudder was gravely discoursing with colonel burr and m de frontiguao and the abbe a bmall and gentlemanly personage with black eyes delicately cut features and powdered hair xppeared to bo absorbed iu his efforts to fol low the current of a conversation impcrfeotly un derstood


burr tho while though seeming to be entirely and politely absorbed in tbo conversation he was conducting lost not a glimpse of the pio turesque aside which was being enacted between the two fair oneb whom he bad thus brought to gether


ho smiled quietly when ho baw tho effeot madame do frontignac produced on mary


after all tho obild is flesh and blood ho thought and may feel that there aro more things in heaven and earth than bho has dreamed of yet


a few french ideas wont hurt hor


the arrangements about lessons boing comploted tho party retnrntd to the carriage


madame do frontignac was enthusiastic in marys praise


ccpcndant sho said leaning back thought fully altor having exhausted herself in superla tives


rcpendant tilt est devote et d dixncuf comment cctt se pent il i


it is the effeot of her austere education said burr


it is not possible for you to couceivo how young p oplo are trained iu the religious families cf ti


ounry


butvv said madame it given hor a grree aufctliec ioulmr something in h r looks went


lo my heart


cm


i und it


very easy to lov hor because sa is reitiy gjtxl


tho quuen of tleart should know fiat


i possible in ioving said burr


a new series


the mysteries of sydney or the revelations of sin shame and sorrow


chapter xviii


the charitable constructionists hold a council of censure sketch of a woman of the worldthe nips controversy


and matters necessary to be recorded


vast was the delight which shed its melliflu ousness over mrs osqueeze and katie when the news of the apprehension of frank earle upon the serious charge of forgery reached their ears


they had brooded silently over disappointed hopes of obtaining the scrymgour property they had filled their vials of wrath with decoctions of the most bitter and poisonous herbs and were now pouring the venomous liquid upon his devoted head


fearful that their circle was too limited to do him and his unoffending sister all that revenge and hatred dictated they determined to call in the aid of mrs toady tellaly an old acquaintance but from whom they were somewhat estranged for the reasons which usually crack the brittle cement used in building up malicious coalitions


the osqueezes and tellaly positively disliked each other but were always ready to join forces to attack their common enemyvirtue


undeserved misfortune and suffering innocence was the food most gratifying to their vulture pro pensitiesthey gorged and glutted on it and when satiated winged their way to separate eyries to look out for further prey


katie and her mother were anxiously watching the advent of mrs toady tellaly for whom an express had been forwarded by nips


let us take advantage of this pause to give a slight sketch of the expected visitor


mrs toady tellaly was a widow who had long passed the heyday of youth having reached the venerable age of sixty


but she was unaware of this fact by a species of idiosyncracy she fancied herself almost in her teens


she wore an elabo rate crinigerous frontthe best and whitest teeth that could be manufacturedthe most girlish trousers widely fringed and descending even to her instepthe tightest shoes with the gayest garments


to give a finishing touch to the pic ture mrs toady tellaly rouged


a modern author thus quaintly speculates upon this peculiarity in vain old


womendo


they suppose that the carmine cloud upon their cheeks uniform and circumscribed as it always is can ever be taken for the blush of health and young blood


ls it


the lingering love of some old habit which forty or fifty years back was conceived to give as great a charm to the complexion as the mantling blush of youth and modesty which a racketing seasonlife hath jaded away


are they acting a part and think that the detail of their assumption must be carried out even to throwing up their eyes to a level with those before the glaring footlights


or is it that to assist festivity they wish to provoke the same pleasant thoughts which the witches and duennas in the opening scenes of pantomimes always call up


we cannot answer these interrogatoriessuffice it to say our old iady did rougeaye covered her cracked and yellow cheeks with carmine which gave them a greater similitude to the deep colored rugged rind of a seville orange than the delicate softness of a blushing rose