The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-07-15


duotions and explanations before appear.
ing tbere As a guest. Accordingly hired
: i5p0Ieg0ed. broken-winded hack, the
onIv one 70 get for love or money, and sci
forth mon nv way. 1t was 8 frultlesi
;-onrnav the fatal HNot ct home" greet
ed INV esra and I could only drop 8 card
turn the Roman nose of my gallant steed
towards home, and resign myself to my
fate.
seven o'clock was the hour named fol
| dinner. and / had intended to be psrtleu,
larly punetusl, but nisfoFtunes crowded
thick upon me. The first white tie ths'
came to hand was a miserable failure
Nv fsvorite curl would not be adjusted be-
eomingly upon my brow ; and the wretch,
ed donkey-boy who had solemnly promised
to bring the basket carriage punctuslly tc
the door did not make his appearance til
ten minutes after time. LAST Of al, when
1 had descended, HgOt up" to perfection.
and was on the poiRt of starting, l dlseov-
cred that 1 was minus gloves, snd the little
msid- of ll-work hsd to be sent fleeing OIL
to the corner-shop were haberdsshery and
grocery where picturesquely combined. 30
It fell out that, despite hard driving, 1t Wa
several minutes past the hour when w
drew up under the poriico al Grsnthsm.
l had no time to compose my nerves OF
prepare my opening address. A gorgeous
ly srrsyed turnkey appeared at the hall
door ; 8 solemn butler behind ave me
on 10 the guidance of another beplusheo
and bepowdered individual and before l
fully realized my position, I stood IN .
brilliantly-lighEed driving room, and
heard my name pronounced in stentorisn
tones. The next moment the lOrid gentle
man whom 1 had encountered on the pre-
vios day came forward with outstretched
hands and a beaming face, and a perfect
torrent of welcome burst upon me-.
nGlsd to see you at last, Mr.. Olifsnt,
very glad to see you l began 70 think
there was q fate sgsinst our meeting. Let
me introduce you. Lady HethertOn-my
daughter my son Fred. Come this way,
this way"
And [ was hurried along helpless as an
infant in the jovial bsroners hands. How
could IL appeal to any reasonable being
could 1 stand stock still, and under
the eyes Of sll that company, eross-examine
my host as TO the why and wherefore Of his
hospitality It will be owned, l think,
that in what afterwards occurred l was not
wholly to blame. Lady Hetherton was a
quiet well. bred woman, with 8 mild face
and soft voice; she greeted me with a GER
tain sleepy warmth, and after 8 few placid
eommonplsces, resumed her conversation
with the elderly lady by her side. and left
me 10 the care of her son q bright, frank,
young Hsrrovisn, with whom L speedily
made friends. Really it was a very pleas
ant TO drop in this way into the circle of a
genial circle, and 1 found my spirits rising
fast as we talked together, con GmOre, OF
boating, hunting. Atresh arrival,
however, soon disturbed the party, and d.
Feetly afterwards dinner was announced.
Sir Philip, who had been busily sngsgedin
welcoming the last comers, led off q stately
dame upon his arm, and we followed in
procession, a demuFe young daughter Of the
house being assigned 10 ma. We were
making our way round the dining
room, when just as we passed the end of
the table, Sir Philip turned and laid his
hsnd upon my shoulder.
81 have scarcely had time for q word
yet be said; but how are they al in York
?"
don't know what answer I gave; some
one from behind begged leave to pass, ard
| was borne on, utterly bewildered. York
shirel what had I TO do with Yorkshire?
And then, all at once, the appalling truth
burst upon me ike q thunderclap-I wss
the wrong man Yes, now l recalled 6
Captain Olifant, whom l had once
met alta mess diuner, and who, as l had
then heard, belonged 70 an old Yorkshire
We could count no sort OF kinship
thSn but horo I was ror sOnlo Ine1-
plicable reason, assumed as one of then, per
ss the eldest son snd heir of their
acres, and RECALLED accordingly. My
situation was sufficiently unpleasant, and
in the first Impulse of dismsy, l made a
dash at a central seat where l might be as
far as possible from both host and hostess
But my failed. Lady Hether-
toms soft tones were too audible as she
said, HMr. Olifant, perhaps you will come
up here; the post of honor !" and OF dam
ger too, in my case; but there wss no
help for it, and l went. AS l unfolded
nv napkin, striving har6 for q cool and
easy demesnor, 1 mentally surveyed my
position, and decided on my tactics. 1
could not and would not there and then
declare myself an embodied mistake; l
must trust to chance and my own wits to
carry me through the evening, and leave
my explanations for another season.
Alas my trials full SOON Logan. We
had hardly been seated three minutes,
when Lady Hetherton turned to me:
ave were so very glad you were able
to come TO- night, Mr., Olifant Sir Phillip
had quite set bis heart upon seeing you
here. 1t is such a great pleasure to him to
revive an old friendship; and he was say
ing that he had almost lost sight of your
1 murmured something not very co.
about distance and active life.
Cab, yes; country gentlemen have so
to do that they really are greatly
tied at home. ! think, though, that l
Oucs had the pleasure of meeting a sister
Of yours in Margaret her name
was, and she was suffering from some stfsc-
ton of the spine. / hope she is better
HMuch better, thank you" And then,
in the faint hope of turning the CONVEX
sstion, l asked if they were ofteR in town.
sNot 30 often rs I should wish. Sir
Philip has q great dislike to london but
/ always enjoy it, for n meets everybody
there. By the by, Mr.. Olifsnt, the Forbes
must be near .neighbors of yours; 1 am
sure I have heard them spesk of Calves
1 did not dare to say they were not lest
inquiries should follow which might betrsy
nv extreme ignorance Of Yorkshire geog-
raphy in general, and the local lily of Cal
in particular; SO 1 chose the lesser
peril, and answered cheerfully H0h yes,
suite near-within an easy walk OF us"
"What charming people they sreI" said
Lady Heatherty, growing almost enthusi-
sstic. aThe two eldest girls were staying
here last spring, and we sll lost our hearts
TO them, they were sobright and pleasant
and Katie too, is growing so very pretty.
She is MOI out yet, il she2'
HNo; 1 fancy she is TO be presented next
year." 1 responded, rejecting that while 1
ABOUT IL L nri6hS --n d-:s tL~7,
oughly. i,She ought to make 8 sensation"
SAH, then" said Lady Hetherton eager
Nv. Gyou agree with me as to her beauty"
..iHOh, entirely. Iexpect she will be quite
the belle Of our country balls" And then,
in the same breath, l turned to the shy
Miss Hetherton beside me-, and startled her
bv an abrupt inquiry whether she 9
balls. She must have thought at any rate,
that liked talking, for her timid, orthodox
reply was scarcely uttered before l pied
her with fresh questions, and deluged her
-o-;a1 olorr,apoo Rannq-