Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-08-20


; wrote ut once. to communicate my
> having entered into this engagement,
: replied that had he been consrtltct
| pi.or to my binding myself, he woult
not have consented to such plan
but that now rs the engagement wa
already formed must fulfil it; at al
!, events until another tutor could be
found. l had been imprudcnt in ac
ccpting q situation not bcftting my
station; but must now abide by my
imprudcncc, &c.
There was one thing in favor of my
conccaling my real position in life
while at Gawston Flats. My father
once Sir Graham LuXton, had scvcra
years before assumed tho additional
name Of Pcnreston, on coming into q
large property left by q distant rcla
tive on the condition Of taking tho
name. This condition did not bind
the children however; and so my
sisters and myself were Luxtons, as
VIC preferred retaining the name OF
our ancestors, moro ancient and
honorable one, too, by the way, us my
father always took care to impress
on us.
determined not to visit Luxton
Court before leaving for Gawston
Flats, as l must confess that now
that my plan Of Il tntorship was ac-
complishcd, felt al una XXI, owlcdy ycI
regret that had SO easily succeeded ;
and l sometimes wished | had set
about paying my debts in n different
way. Feeling that the homo air and
style at Luxton would hardly suit me
under the circumstances, and possibly
fearing some banter from my father,
| left Oxford as soon rs | could; and
in few days l was driving across
the country (flat and unintcrcsting to
my western cyes) that led from Mud
hole Station to Gawston Flats. On
my arrival about halfpast five in the
evening, l was usl.crcd a: once to my
bedroom, and I sat down by the ac-
ceptablc fire to have a good warm.
All ut once the thought came into my
mind, GLOW about going to dinner d?
lsthe tutor generally there? Does
he wear full dress ? The servant said
! nothing about dinner time" Solving
these questions by the reflection that
u tutor was still n gentleman, and
feeling hungry, I determined to dress
and go down. So I rang for my
portmanteau and found that Colonel
Gawston dined ut seven.
1t was dark when I arrived, but n
hurried glance had shown me that
the place was evidently a gcntlcman's
and this impression was confirmed
| when l wandered down about Il quar-
ter to seven ana beat about among
! some doors in the hall for that one
which belonged to the dining room.
Taking lucky shot at one with a
white handle, ! entered Il large we'll
lighted room. A lady, not unpleasant
looking but dressed very severely in
black velvet, rose from q chair near
the fire.
"Mr. Luxton, I presume" she said,
rising.
l bowed, deriving some comfort
from the fact that she betrayed no
surprise at seeing me.
"Coloncl Gawston has only iust
come in, or he would have seen you
before," she continued, after shaking
hands with me. "You must have had
; cold journey; pray take that chair
by the fire."
l did so and we chattcd on very
easily until the master Of the house
joined us, just as dinner was an
nounccd. lie greeted me very pleas
antly-perhaps little stifily-and
then 1 gave Mr.. Gawston my arm,
and we went in to dinner. cannot
say l felt quite at my case in my new
position but this did rot interfere
with my appetite, and dinner passed
off, sufficient conversation going on
between the courses.
"Mr. Luxton, you will take some
more port" said Col. Gawston, as he
filed his glass and drew near the fire
on the departure of his wife from the
drawing-room. 1 followed his exam
pie in each respect.
awe have never had q resident tu-
tor BEFORE" he continued and we arc
anxious to make you as comfortable
as we can. We shall always be glad
Of your company at dinner at seven,
it you prefer dining late, but we hope
you will quite consult your own inci.
nation about that. Your pupil you
will see when we 60 to the drawing.
room, 1 expect. He remained out
longer than I did. Tomorrow we
can arrange further details, as may
seem necessary" -
shall never forget my first morn.