Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-10-20

His dark eyes sparkled under projecting brows,
made more prominent by busly grizzled eye
brows but any apprension of severity excited
by these penetrating eyes, and by a somewhat
acquiline nose, was allayed by the good-natur-
ed lines about the mouth, which retained all it's
teeth and its vigour of expression in spite of
sixty winters The forehead sloped little
from the projecting brows, and its peaked out
line was made conspicuous by the arrangement
of the profusely y-powdcred hair, drawn back
ward and gathered into pigtail. He sat in a
small hard chair, which did not admit the
slightest approach to lounge, anil which show
ed to advantage the hatness Of his back and the
breath of his chest In fact, Sir Christopher
Chcverel was q splendid old gentleman, as any
one may see who enters the saloon at Cheverel
Manor, where his full-length portrait, taken
when he was fifty, hangs side by side with that
of his wife, the stately lady seated on the lawn.
Looking at Sir Christopher, you would at
once have been inclined to hope that he had a
full-grown son and heir but perhaps yon would
have wished that it might not prove to be the
young man on his right hand, in whom a certain
resemblance to the baronet, in the contour of
the nose and brow, seemed to indicate family
relationship. If this young man had been less
elegant in his person, he would have been re-
marked for the elegance of his dress But the
perfections of his slim well-proportioned figure
were so striking that no one but tailor could
notice the perfections of his velvet coat and his
small white hands, with their blue veins and
taper fingers, quite cclipsed the beauty of his
lace ruffles The face, however-it was difficult
to say why-was certainly not pleasing.
Nothing could be more delicate than the blond
complexion-its bloom set off by the powdered
hair-than the veined overhanging eyelids,
which gave an indolent expression to the hazel
eyes; nothing more finely cut than the transpa-
rent nostril and the short upper-lip. Perhaps
the chin and lower jaw We're to small for an ir-
reproachable profile, but the defect was on the
side of that delicacy and fneSse which was the
distinctive characteristic of the whole person,
and which was carried out in the clear brown
arch of the eyebrows, and the marble smooth
ness of the sloping forehead. Impossible to say
that this face was not emincntly handsome yet,
for the majority both ofmen and women, It was
destitude of charm. Women dlsliked eyes that
seemed to be indolently accepting admiration
instead of rendering it ; and men, especially if
they had a tendency to elumsiness in the nose
and ankles, were inclined to think this Antin-
GUS in pigtail confounded puppy" |
fancy that was frequently the inward interjcct-
ion of the Rev. Maynard Gilfl, who was seated
on the opposite side of the dining table, though
Mr. Gl6l's legs and profile were not at all of a
kind to make him peculiarly alive to the imper-
tinencc and iriyolity of personal advantages.
His healthy open face and robust limbs were
after an excellent pattern for everyday wear, and
in the opinion of Mr.. Bates, the north country
gardener, would have become regimentals 8" a
saight' better than the "peaky" features and
slight form of Captain Wybrow, notwithstand-
ing that this young gentleman, as Sir Christie
piers nephew and destined heir, had the strong
est hereditary claim on the gardeners respect,
and was undeniably " clean-limbed" But
alas human longings are peTversely obstinate
and to the man whose mouth is watering for a
peach, 1t is of no use to offer the largest vege-
table marrow, Mr.. Gilhl was not sensitive to
Mr.. Bates's opinion, whereas he lcas sensitive to
the opinion Of another person, who byno means
shai ed Mr.. Bates's preference.
Who the other person was it would not have
required very keen observer to guess, from a
certain eagerness in Mr. Gilfl's glance as that
little figure in white tripped along the lawn
with the cushions. Captain Wybrow, too was
looking in the same direction, but his handsome
face remained handsome-and nothing moro.
"Ah," said Sir Christopher, looking up from
his paper, there's my lady. Ring for coffee
Anthony we'll 60 and join her, and the little
luUuhcN Sutlud budil Rlfo un Ii sung.
The coffee presently appeared, brought not q,
usual by the footman, in scarlet and drab, bu
by the old butler in threadbare but well brush
ed black, who, as he was placing it on the table
said
"If you please, Sir Christopher, there's the
widow Hartopp a-crying i the still-room, ant
bcgs leave to see your honor"
81 have given Markham full orders about th
widow IIartopp," SAID Sir Christopher, in {
sharp decided tone. 81 have nothing to say t.
her.
Your honor pleaded the butler, rubbin,
his hands, and putting on an additional coat
ing of humility" " the poor woman's dreadful
overcome. and says she can't sleep wink thi
blessed night without seeing your honour, an,
she begs you to pardon the great freedom sh
took to come at this time She cries fit to brea
her heart"
Ay, ay water pays no tax. Well, sho'
her into the library
Coffee despatched, the two young men walk
ed out through the open window, 'and joine
the ladies on the lawn, while Sir Christophe
made his way to the library, 'oemnly followe
by Rupert, his pet bloodhound. who, in his ha
bitual place at the baronet's right hand, behaV
cd with great urbanity during dinner; bu
when the cloth was drawn, invariably dsal
peared under the table, apparently regardin
the claret-jug as mere human weakntss, whic
he winkod ut, but refused to sanction
The library lay but three steps from the din
ing-room, on the other side of u clostered IN
matted passage, The oriel window was owe
shadowed by the great beech. and this, with Il
fat heavily carved ceiling and the dark hue
the old books that lined the walls, made Il
room look sonbre, especially on entering
, from the dining-room, with its aerial curves al