The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-04 00:00:00

her basket in an adjoining chair, in order to wring her
hands together, don't turn away from us—you, so young,
so likely to do better away from all of them. Boy, you

ought to be ashamed of yourself," 811,5 added, turning in-:

dignantly on Teddy, who wont back a step or two at her
vehemence, " to try and rob him of the only chance that he

will have."

"It's waste of time, mum," said Teddy ; " it's born in us
to be bad—we're the baddest family that over;was knocked

together. Zach won't do you no credit—it isn't as if he
was a soft boy—or as if ho wanted to stop werry much, and

Irow tho lot of us overboard. If he wanted to do that—.

why, then, I shouldn't ride rusty; but knowing his belik-
ings, and being, as it was, his nat'ral purtectwr, why I take

his part—just as I used to whoa father whopped him for

taking faces at him."
"He always took your part Zach„" said Polly, appealing

o her protegee at this.
" Allers," said Zach, in somewhat of an ashamed tone--
"I don't know how I should have get on if he hadn't. ry°
told you, mum, what a chap he was to get mo out of

scrapes."
"You lcve your brother?" asked Polly, veering rapidly
to Ted(lv, seeing her advantage in the argument, and

seizing it with all a woman's shrewdness.
" Eh ?" said Teddy.
Polly repeated her question, and Teddy laughed ironi-
cally. Love was a funny word—he did not know if he
had ever heard the word before; it jarred and jangled un-
pleasantly, and yet made him laugh. Ho had been a strong
robust, iron kind of boy, and Zach in earlier dayn_liacl
been a weak fledgling. Mr. Fernwell had been ready with

his fists, his elbows, and his feet, and had been
partial in early dikys to " dropping on " poor
Zach ; and Teddy, without much thought of his
motives, bad been in the habit of diverting atten-
tion from Zach, and coming in for his sire's super-
fluous energy. Teddy did not like to see Zach knocked
about unmercifully, although Zach had been a trifling
aggravating, and knocks did not hurt him—the mediator.
So he ran in and took his share, and gave interest for the
same as he grew bigger, stronger, and more hard. 'Tie
he called taking Zach's part—not loving Zach. What did
he know of love, or what it meant ?—he did not believe
that he loved anybody, and as for anybody loving hill!,
why, he had never expected such a thing. Therefore he
laughed ironically, and replied ironically also.
Oh ! I just do love Zach, and ho loves me, and wo both
love the guv'nor uncommon. You should see us of a Sun-
day in our shay cart, all with roses in our button-holes,
father driving, and Zach and I on his knees, with our
arms round his neck. Such a picter, mum!"
" You're fond of pictures, then ?" said little Polly.
She was put out by Teddy's irony, but she had a battle
to fight, and her heart was in her work, for she was
earnest and good woman.
" Yes," said Teddy, dubiously.
" I'll show you two in him," pointing to Zach, who
winced at her outstretched finger, and shut his eyes oval
from it ; "if he goes with you, look at him—going 0"/
to his old life, to the life that yours has been, growing
worse and worse with every year, from prison to prison,
earning a worse name in each—coming to the gallows;
p'r'aps, just as his mother feared, and prayed against, and
all your your doing, Teddy Fornwell !"
Teddy's large eyes were distended at the speaker's
warmth ; he had not met a woman like this before ;
li
did not know what to make of her, or what to say. "-Al'
his doing," she told him, just as if he had not done Llis-
- enough for himself !
Polly then draws a picture of what Zach may be-
come if left to better influences, and the impres-
sionable Teddy recognises the truth of it, and leaves
Zach to " his chance." Zach and Teddy, we may
observe, are the heroes of the tale, and very ad"
mirably and with wonderful fidelity to truth
are the various influences of natural tempers-
- and good and evil association and educa-
tion exemplified in their characters and careers'
We hardly know whether to admire most, tb°
skill which has so ably developed the lesson,
or the courage which selected such unpr°'
mising materials. Two other very inal)°r-
tant and very original characters take a Oil-
skicuons part in the drama. Mrs. Henwood, the
wealthy proprietress of Henwood's Wharf and 5,,
the business thereunto appertaining, the high and
haughty sister of the proud and unhaPPl
Ellen Fernwell, divides our interest With
Martin Wynn, the brother of Polly, and the a°ll
of the old watchman. Mrs. Henwood, with
governess, page, and lady's maids, is returning frail'
Paris, with her little daughter Lettice, when ell
board the Boulogne boat she encounters Marti°
Wynn, who with his daughter Christie is also re"
turning from Paris, where he has been engaged
r
as a marqueterie worker. Great is the horror
of the exclusive Mrs. Henwood when she beholds
her Lettice in conversation with the plebeian Chris-
tie. Governess and maids are all below. The lad/
18 so CLlCUtlibraud by her travelling wraps that ells
cannot rise to the rescue.
The lady turned to the man at last, sitting with
Ills
nubbly hands upon his knees, watching the two children
intently.
"Sir—you, sir !" she cried, "take your child aWnn if
you please, from mine."
" Has yours got anything catching, then ?" cried ibt!),
man addressed, springing to his feet with alacrity. "what
—what's the matter with her ?"
I do not allow my daughter to converse with straw
gers," said the lady hnrriedly, and even warmly.
will oblige me by—" ig
" Oh, lot thorn talk, madam," said the father, taking hit
seat by the lady's side to her further consternation
will do thtm both good. I always like to sea child?,
friendly towards each other. It will be time enough
ceremony when they've long skirts, and are better uP
the ',proprieties.' If you hammer into your girl's hosd
heap of stuck-up nonsense at her ago she'll be a nuisnnee ;
even to you, when she grows older. You'll excuse 1°,4
speaking frankly. I have a bad habit of speaking out, 17
friends say. I tell them it's the best habit that I've get.:lo
The lady would have withdrawn herself from this rliA4 •
being without a word, had the power been in her 115117;
she was shocked at his impertinence in addressing "I',l-;
He should have known bettor; he should have been 3
to see with a glance their immense difference in Pcisit;,„'
-0131
and to have been awed by it, as the world in general Wet
awed, or where would have been the satisfaction of hot
high estate ? But ho spoke as to an equal, and if r
intentionally rude, still there was no more excuse 1,e9
his abstruseness than for his intrusion. If those wrote" a
had not fastened her down so tightly ! What ever
ha
they done to the wrappers and shawls, she wondered! ig
" There are times for speaking out, and times when 1
t a
common courtesy to be silent," replied the lady afterg,
second ineffectual effort to free herself from her traPPino,
She could not escape from the man—she would, ther,s
fore, wither him up with her disdain. She looked lift°
the face whilst she addressed him, but he did not o°o
It was a fine manly face, lit up with two large brown deg;
and set off by a largo bushy pair of brown whisl''strol
somewhat of a largo face, with a smile that seemed Da.,,b.:110
to it, and might have won upon softer hearts than lot,
lady's, and yet a smile that did not detract from an
noss or an earnestness of expression, natural to it 00
Evidently the face of a good-tempered man, but none
less objectionable to her. Of the two, she preferreyo
sour face ; it was more classical and looked at life iv
rivolously. As for this face, she would have liked to ire,
t with her parasol, for its obtrusiveness—its want of re'

ronce for her. use
u-
" I wouldn't lose my temper, madam, or feel hurt bey
my girl and yours have exchanged a few words," h° f4it'iof
more gravely ; " mine may do yours a wonderful cle,lt'o
good, for she's the best girl in the world, I think. "
my honour I don't believe there's such another."
This strangely-matched pair meet again sooner to'
han
expect. On her arrival in London Mrs.
wood is highly indignant that a Fernwell shedj
have a place even as errand-boy on her wharf, °;s
condescends to visit the watchman's family and es'
pcl
postulate. Martin Wynn happens to be there, t'
is at once urged forward as spokesman. ;,1
"I'm afraid that it's no use my speaking," h 0 same
vancing, drawing a chair with him, and dropping iinftlo
by the visitor's side. Good evening, Mrs. Ilenwonn-
sea voyage has not done you any harm, I see."
,ottP
Mrs. Henwood leaped in her chair, dropped bet '4.-
grate in her lap, picked it up and began sniffing it
redoubled energy.
"What, you again'.—why, how came you here?-*-
who are you ?" 00.
"My name is Martin Wynn, this lady's brother.
~
upon a time your playfellow down in Warwickshire.
" Playfellow !-- how dare you say such a thing ! diet,
"Until we wore tlught better ulumiers by your
who vary naturally; saw the impropriety. It ~antll°
fault in the first place, for building our cottage ton he'
house—and yours in the second.
" Mine !" I
"Why, yes. You were as old as myself, .40
ought to have known better. We were both thirteen )(;,03
of age—and you and Miss Ellen used to meet r°ll3
rest
me is the meadows because it was very dull in the o
house. Don't you remember ?" 046
I cannot be expected to remember all the foolish
of my childhood," vas the dignified response.
"t ! but you must remember," said Martin deglaero,
You are not likely to forgot the slap across the sh°l2l, 00
that you got ono afternoon from your father, WV, 'Ad
than I; the chase he made after me with a horsswll4l:, ode
how I doubled and hid under the haystack. Let ill
—how many years is that ago ?" 01.3
"It is not worth while dwelling upon the subject'd
Mrs. llenwood hastily. "It is painful to me, 0,4
have not shown any great degree, of courtesy in °'ll 11eo
to it. You are a very discourteous man." And 311'5'if, 4,
v
wood, not showing any degree of courtesy ner6,„e,,glP4
down her vinaigrette, and replaced it by a double e) 4,
through which she took stock of her interlocutor.
atp I 3
Martin byre the scrutiny well. lie had warmed