Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-12-24
MY HOLIDAYS.
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER
PLEASE, sir. missus says what will you have
lUoked up from my writing at the trim
country girl who spoke.
Tel her, anything she likes % send" was
my answer, and from James face 10 appeared
that my reply was more puzLling than she had
anticipated
his interruption to my train Of thought
caused me 10 lag aside my pen, and 20 to the
window IL was a swee tcOUntry' prospect saw:
gay piece OF garden, then a rural road, and
beyond the green fields and stately trees, which
bctOAened that was many miles from London,
4 gave a sign OF relief at finding myself away
from the noise and toll and multitude of the
great CITY. This was my first day OF holiday,
and unlike most City men, who rush to CAV
watering places or sayeT Continental towns, 1
had come 10 bury myself in the Quetude of a
country life. To NE, Nature and solitude were
two great TestOreTs OF my OVertaXed brain and
strength, had tried them often with success:
and now, for the second time, found myself IN
der their influence IN tie quaint village of Mar
ley. L had taken the same lodgings which l
had occupied the previous year, psrtly because
felt at home in them, and partly because the
landlady was a woman Of few words and fewer
ideas. None troubled themselves about me in
Marley. and troubled myself about no one
All WANTED was quiet, and CO lRtTy sights and
sounds, and those got.
II had had q wife or sister. things might
have been different; but was bachelor, and
my only sister had married into a higher sphere
than her Own, and her associates i'll accorded
with nv feelings The house was semi-de-
tachsd bat as the next door mel gh bors consisted
only Oftso maiden dodgers and deaf old land
lady, there was not much chance OF their incom-
nodiDg me- had pleasant slit Nc room, with
large bay window looking to the front OF the
house, and a bedroom mp stairs which com
msnded view Of the meadows, where there
were generally cows and horses, ducks and
fowls, and other rural sights. Ny leisure time
vas occupied IN literature, for / was beginning
to be known writer IN some OF the magazines
g Please, SIR, missus says the hatcher Amt
coming today, and viii poached eggs and ba-
con do
turned from the window to reply. Any-
thing che likes will DO a. long as there il enough
of u Tell Your mistress not 10 send up again
a. don't want to b. interrupted"
the maid went down - her own domain.
She v as clean, strong. bright-Iooking girl;
suppose the sight Of her face caused me to fall
Ihto rcv6Tie about wOmankind IN CrDeraI-at
all events did -. daspised all women; they
were often pretty and fascinating, but shallow
vain and heaTtlC>s. There was not a woman
knew who il temptation came to her would
not destroy her husbands peace Of mind for the
sahe 81 outlying her ueigEboIs. nor girl who
would not break her lovers heart lIf 10 were
breakaO Die for the sake OF an adIitiOn2I triumph
O. her beauty. Ia Oiden times there had been
wives and mothers worthy o. their names; now
Tie woman world seemed mad for admiration.
show. ard conquest. la ny bOyish DAYS had
been a Worship OF the laiie>, but had seen
Of ths.E tJih'e- nov 10 desIis them.
rom nay window ! could see almost into the
bay window q the next house. Everything
there Wa cid, AMI faded and shabby; the door
SteIs were not clean nor drv. the garden a
wilderness Of weeds and flowers and rank grass.
The windows were dusty. and the curtains old
ana cIrty. 4 could see. too. that the CARPET was
almost worn out and the furniture was all tuni-
bir-down and manufacturing piJied tie
I"0r Old deaf woman who owned The place, and
IIltled more the Two maiden ladies who could
make such house their home. l had seen
them occasionally daring nav visit las. wear but
they se-dJm opened their window and never sat
near 70. 30 that the only glimpse had OF them
NSs OF tLciT way 10 OK from the village post
offce-
was not IN ny regular working order yet, so
- -.
T4mble. Everything was bright and fresh.
and every living thing bursting with sounds OF
3oyoasngs'' froY the bazzlng fiy 70 the shouting
until was alone with the sky and flowers, the
grass, and larkS. aud insects; then sat down to
think. and my thoughts ran into so many and
various channels. that they become feelings in
stead Of ideas. As said before, Nature and
solitude are two great TestOrers; they are also
our two best and greatest teachers. The nan
who gains 10 new ideas or sensations from them
Inu-t have sadly lost the image in which he
+ was made.
When had had enough of nv own reflections
Strolec back 70 my eggs and bacon. and after
eating them read the newspapers. and then
wrote Tor several hours, until tea was brought:
End 80 nv first day came to end. Many
cave Ike u followed, and much rest AMI salts
l. faction came to me from them. Now and then
t"ok the train. and spent - day in tine neigh
t'rhood. exploring the objects Of interest on al
one morning. on going to nv window. TO OBJ
serve whether the heavy clouds were likelv to
u 4 saw 10 nv EpTl-e- little boy -ltV
Id4iig ui' Ween- rom TIE path In the mel ghb1r-
ing garden looked a. the next window; the
u-rtV curtains were gone, tie Cd table vhi-l,
had been laden 'Eith musty books. was polished
IT and instead CT books. now uuporteI \ cav
GC-aniUm. There were cUbwebS stilI in ~
corners OF tIe window, bat while vaslaoIinr
- tLem long brush came and swept them
Suickly away the window was thrown IN and
saw hat the E-Nt door had new iahsbitaat.
Mo e than that. she vas a woman. but whether
young could not see. 1Jr A. soon a. she noticed
ne she retrested into the room.
hate gossip. would scoru % ask aGuestiou
about ny uCiEhbCT>. a. much as 1 disEk-d
ihSm 70 ask one about me, still was sorry this
t4uN hA4 come ME such dasOlate house aud
smOLssuch old dtSOlate people.
Iloitu i.atSiy had managed 70 spraln my
snkle. and TIL, obliged me to remain indoors
Tor some DAYS / sat by the window that ]
might enjoy the air and the view, and 50 il
came 70 pass that IN my idle moment. could
Rot help seeing into the next house
BY degrees the windows were cleaned. fresh
Ill ans were lul mp new piece OF drugget
laid down, plants put in the windows: then the
rank grass IN the garden was cut, the iuxuTiant
towers were tied up, the weeds vera removed
and soon the place looked almost cheerful in N,
trimness. All this Vas done or super.ntended
bythe new lady she was young and fair her d n
gers seemed able 20 do anything, and she raj
brought new life into the old place Tn. deaf
lady furnished up her steps. end came out an a
new and wonderful cap. Tue two maiden IA
dies seemed TO have vanished. Altogether tue
next door was becoming place to wonder
over.
II had not hated gossip, perhaps I shsuId
have asked Jane what this meant oaIy de-
sPised myself for noticing the changes, and yet
wanted 70 know what las to be the next stem
This soon saw. bird was hung - in the
window above the plants, a sofa wheeled int
the bay an easel placed upes the table: and
there, day after day, the LADY would SIT porting
over her painting. while on the sofa could see
two shipped feet, evidently belonging 70 a gem
tleman. The lady often went down the VILLAGE
TO the Iosi-ofrce, Oftener stil, bused herself In
the garden, bat she was seldom long asay from
the sofa, on which the shPpered feet we're al
Uavs resting.
Was she vain. and shallow and heartleSs9
What was her name? Where did she como
from? What wa she doing there? Who was
the FentlsmaBY All these questions 1 caught
myself asking myself; and then I would take nm
my hat and 20 70 nv two great tea chers, 10 hello
me hnlsh my magazine article, and would for
get about the Young lady and her Ousy 6agsrs
, tai ssw her Al work again.
CHAPTER II.
One night / could not slcep. TOsaT.Is morn
irg cot up to battle my head in cold water:
hut even that did not cause me 70 rest Dav
broke. and found me still awake and when the
LAKE began 20 sing 1 rot up aud opened nv
window. After 8 time I thought would fetck
a book and, going down stairs for that p,lrn0<-