The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-02-05
From DR.. Bartlett's Anglo-Saxon.
COMING ROUND BY DEGREES.

of the current literature of the day, the merest frotn
of the triheS which are skinned rather than read {
the busy world of pleasure. He touched-I borrow
the beautiful language of a fashionable reviewer-he
touched the passing follies of the day with a light and
facile pen, and people snirked over his articles in q
manner pleasant to witness. Ny opinion is, that his
abilities were-in short, not hrst-rate, but he used
them very ably. He never wrote IN mems language
for a lady's magazine, and never threw away the de-
licate wit which suited its pages upon the mlddle-aGed
gentlemen who prefer scandal and satire.
So Brown was accustomed to mediate but 1t Was
not until very recently that anything came OF IT, IL
was after reading Of important events taking place III
Spain, that he determined to lay his scene there.
Spain was the land of romance his characters shourd
be the men now swaying its destinles, his Tune tne
present day. 81 viii read up the history, he said
:. and with Gil Bias, Mr.. Borrow, and the Tales OF
the ALEXANDRIA, | think something may be done.
Familiarity with modern Spanish customs was, how
ever. indispensable, and Browns knowledge OF that
subject was limited. Fortunately, information, like
any other article, can be obtained readily in London
by those who can pay for it, and after ten minutes
reflection, which was as much as he now devoted 10
any question, Brown sent the following advertisement
for insertion in the Times =
.4manueasis Wanted.-The applicant will be re-
quired to have recently travelled or resided in Spain.
Remuneration according to qualifications. Apply to
b. B., 90 IIamstead Road
Brown hn certain literary engagements which it
was necessary to fulfil III q given time, and he set
himself buSily to work to get rid of these as soon as
possible. To this end he Stunned amusements, pub
lie and private, retired into the solitude OF his apart
mentS, and requested the pflIm malu-SefNant, VINO 1t
tended at his call, to receive all visitors with the
assertion that he was out of town. In consequence OF
these arrangements, he was enabled to produce, IN
the course of the day, a great deal OF what printers
call g copy'-a name which, in the present state OF
literature, is frequently correct in more senses than
one.
On the morning when the advertisement appeared,
Brown was seated at work as usual, and had just
completed his philosophical paper On the Diminish
ed Diameter of Ladies' Hats when the maid
fresh from the country, opened the door.
-, -1,-0- oSss
SWELL said Brown, mildly.
sThere's a lady down stairs, and she wants you,
sir"
Now. Brown was not accustomed to receive visits
from ladies, and the announcement caused him some
little surprise but he was not curious, and desired
quiet. So he replied
"She wants me, does she I? L am very sorry, but
she can't have me. Tell her so, Sarah, if you please"
"Oh, sir, you're such a funny gentleman" Sarah
said, and fingered.
"That's how 1 pay my rent, Sarah. Remember,
in future, that [ am out Of town to everybody
"Please, sir, it's b. b. she wants, the girl per-
sisted, who had received special directions as to
answers to the advertisement.
"Eh a lady? Show her up And Brown hasti-
" threw off his dresSing-gOwn, and assumed a gar
ment somewhat less yariegated. odd" thought
he decidedly - and he seated himself in his chair
to await the result. A light step was heard on the
staircase, and the lady, who had sent no card, enter
ed the room. Brown turned, and rose to offer her q
chair, but paused suddenly without doing so. The
visitor was equally embarrassed, and the silence en-
dured until you have read the next paragraph.
Brown paused because, instead of the mlddle-aged
lady, with a British Museum complexion, whom he
had expected to see, there stood before him a young
, girl, whose age could not have been more than twenty,
| and whose beauty was enhanced by the deep pIush
l which rose to her downcast eyes.
Brown first recovered himself, [ am happy to say !;
: and having got hold of the chair, he jerked it rather
nervously on to the ground, and said something
about doing him the honor to be seated.
81 fear, sir, there is some mistake" The voice
, was a very sweet one, as, indeed, it could not help
being, Brown thought.
sYou wished to make some inquiry about my adj
, vertisement,'' he said, with some hesitation.
O "Then you are Is. b. :"
o ssI am B. B., madam
o The visitor rose, and bowling her head to him, said,
+ sI must apologize for having intruded on you, and
BEG you to excuse the mistake which-which has
t caused this visit - and she moved towards the door.
! sI beg your PARDON . Brown said, hastily. Cone
. moment. VIII you be kind enough to explain.'-
4 'Pray, do not ask me, sir - and again she turned
to the door. Brown was by no means satisfied.
e stI have no right to detain you but if [ can be of
y any service to you in any way, pray do me the pleas
ure of saying So" It viii be observed that Browns
language was remarkably polished-a trait in which
he prided himself
at is impossible she said, looking up at him
n and perhaps seeing something honest about his face,
G she continued, "I saw the advertisement, which
I seemed so well suited to me, that l hoped it might be
from q lady, or some one who-who could have a-
copied my services"
81 should be most happy Brown began. She
n shook her head, and replied now without embarrass-
t ment
y 81 was mistaken
q "You have been in Spain 20 Brown asked.
"I have only just returned from there
; "I cannot, of course, press upon you anything to
{ which you have an objection but if you will permit
me, it may be possible to arrange the matter in n way
IS which will overcome any difficulty
n She looked up, and Brown was encouraged to pro-
u coed.
n "The assistance [ require may be rendered at your
u own house, if such an arrangement would suit YOU
g For a moment she looked up, as if it would, but
glancing once more at Brown, she seemed to take
% another resolution, and wishing him good-day rather
abruptly, she disappeared down the stairs. Brown
: is considerably some people, very handsome fel-
l. low but whether that had anything to do with fright
ening her away, 1 must leave the ladies to determine.
n Brown jumped up, and stepped to the window,
which commanded a small strip of garden in front of
g the house. Very odd mo name-no nothing
e There she goes! Very pretty figure awful shabby
/ bonnet 70 Such was the turn Of his thoughts while
n the shabby bonnet moved along the garden-wall and
n disappeared. Then he suddenly put on his hat, and
z followed it at a distance.
He admitted to himself that this was an absurd
); thing to do, and thought he would go back sensibly I;
u then, as the bonnet passed round o corner, he quick
: ened his steps, and meditated no more till he caught
e sight of it again. The bonnet passed round a great
!, many corners, and hurried along at a speed that sur
c prised him, leading him through dingy and narrow
= streets, and disappeared at length up a court, which
Y , sa4@@1 - r. IL 3 IL