The weekly standard., 1870-07-27
MaAyeeklY Stattaath
w. A. SMITH u CO.,
PRoPRIEToRS.
Why | Didn't Go to India.


PRoPRIEToRs
Why | Didn't Go to India.
At first, you see, it seemed drcadfully pro
voking, because l was all ready to start
even my trunks packed and down in th,
hall, labeled Care OF Mr. Eugene Esthwaitr
Calcutta" even my bonnet on, waiting, in a
state of suppressed excitement, for thc,ap
pcarance of the hack which should carry
me and my baggage to the wharf, while
Exchanged parting injunctions with Julia,
and shed . few tears into my handkerchief
81 don't suppose | shall ever lay my eyes
on you again." said she; "and even if !
should, that nasty climate will have
changed you so that l shan't believe it's
YOU"
"Oh, nonsense.' returned, trying to be
composed and facetious. "Ycs you will.
And then, perhaps, Eugene will make a for
tune out there, and 'I'll send you a lac of
rupees and a real India shawl"
"That'll be a consolation" said she spite
fully, "even il you die of bilious fever to
pay for it; and guess there's no doubt but
/ shall always have lac of rupees And
5i.cn 70 think .sf that arfa{ voyaee, nabodx
AnS ssiiiaIy niei. tbs d tie sait water ="
TIC fact-of its being salt seemed an unnec-
cssary aegraYation. sAnd you'll be sea-
sick and good for nothing when you get
there, and not fit to be seen, even if you ever
do get there; and likely as not you'll he
wrecked, and be drifting about the wide
ocean in a litc-5oat, when we are all snug in
our beds, dreaming no harm. Oh dear,
what foolish thing that we ever thought
of letting you gotat all !"
Jobs comforter," | said, smiling grimly.
''You and Ned are letting me go, are you
wonder unto whom woman belongs, her
lover or her brothcrS Hasn't Eugene the
best right to me?" Just then the servant
ushered Anson Cavendish into tue room.
''Going, but not quite gone ?" said he, in
his CHEEKY way, such cpntrast to Julia's
damp condition.
No regrets here to speak pt," thought l.
"'What a goose Julia isr' foE she had been
silly enough to say that my departure would
make rent in Anson's life
"Yes," l returned, '.I'm going. Eyes look
your last"
"Arms, take your last embrace :" he adj
ded smiling ever So little. when shall We
three meet again ?"
"Give it up" said the ir:epressible in
FAINT Edward, looking up from his nine,
pins.
Eddy doesn't care anything about me, y
1 said. See, his eyes are as dry as dust
He would feel great deal worse if his
uine-pins were going to India instead of his
aunt"
mo, 1 DON'T" protested the youihfu
Murray. Il like you bettercr hate Indy,
and so do nanny. You might marry cousin
Anson, and stay here with your own rei;,-
:iOns."
But Ansun doesn't want me, and some
body else does y and then we all laughed in
spite of ourselves.
II guess Cousin Anson wants you us much
rs any body, and they could get along with
out you better'n u.s." persisted the little
wretch. Mr.. CayeDdish took out his watch.
You have only half an hour to spend in
this particular quarter of the globe Per-
haps you would like to spGnd it among your
relations as suggested by Eddy l merely
came to say goodbye, and l may as well
say it now. Only, as l shall probably never
hear or see you again, is it too much1o ask
'one song before we part?" "
SO l sang:
Farewell ! oh, dreadful word,
Which declares VIC must sever,
Which cuts like two-edgcd sword,
Whose wound throbs toreverI
DO stop that hOwliur, ;, cried Ned com
ing in, as pale as ghost, ''and sing some
thing agreeable If you must singm Then |
began again:
81 sit in the starlight and strive to hear
A voice that was once very DEAR
brood ocr the tire-light, and would recall
The face of friend, who was all in all.
"Once my heart stirred at her lghtest word,
Once listened, once heard,
Once the face that | can't recall
Was the only face that could enthrallI
''Oh swift delusinn. return again,
Bring to my heart, bring to my brain,
The joy, the trouble, the anxious thrill,
That moved me only at her sweet willr'
"That is one of Eugene's songs,n said
closing the piano. ''That is the way people
treat the absent-out of sight, out of mind
When l have been gone two years you won't
remember the color of my eyes"
Then you think that love and friendship
are delusions2" said Mr.. Cavendish, taking
up his hat.
"Not precisely. Only some phases OF
them. Are you going?"
Yes. Good-by, and a pleasant journey
When he had gone, and he went rather
abruptly, thought, never looking back fol
last word, as he 50 often used to do, while
was drawing on my gloves Ned came
back into the room, having left it few mo
ments before.
"Pve had your trunks all carried up stairs
Belle" said he, land you may as well take
off your bonnet, and make up your mind tc
spend the day with u.s.
What do you mean, Ned 2" l gaSped.
II mean that you are not going to sal
across a mud-puddIe with that old block
head OF 4 captain
"Why; doesn't he understand nayiga
ton? 2"
He understands precious little else. Bu
there's no use talking. It's all settled. We
had little dispute, you see"
THAT is, you quarreIled !n
We'll, what IT We did? defy a saint
not to quarrel with Ihe old scamp of ;
Wing. He doesn't know black from white
He's "a"
So am indebted to politics and the re
markably fine temper of my brother fer thi
unexpected and most unpleasant ending o
my journey. Eugene will thank you for it
no doubt"
You may live to do so yourself. Th
deuce! l would rather 90 to sea in Il bow
than with that ninny of IL captain
1t may be imagined that was somewhat
but not little angry, with my hot tempered
brother in bringing about this denouenae,,t
1t seemed to me that l had never been s.
-iII.rTcarcd ir-1fy life, that it was misfor
tune not to be borne with equanimity; s.
often do we lament over our very blessings
went to my room and locked myself in
with my tears and disappointment, makin'
the whole house, as Well as myself, misera
bic. Julia comforted ne through the key
hole, to the best of her ability; but as | fel
assured she was secretly. rejoiced at tn
affair, l put no great faith ein her words Q
cheer; Eddy offered me Whole brigade q
his tin soldiers, if l would present myself i
season 20 put him to bed and sing hin
aslccp; while the chief cuIpfGt, walkin
past my door, audibly observed that wa
behaving like baby but if it al unused M
lie didn't object; which observation ha
not the effect of mitigating my aElictioI
So l spent the night in following the shi
on her journey, over blue reaches of til
wandering sea, touching at happy island
lying like jewels on the bosom of the deep
warned by many flashing beacon-star
meeting great icebergs drifting down wit
all their frozen magniticence; floating lazil
over trupic belts of water, till palm an
spire and glittering minaret told of dang
over and rest achieved And, then, VII;
would Eugene think when the ship CAME
without me? Perhaps he would think TIL
l had not cared enough for hln::to brave ii
voyage, that was craven hearted, when
had dared so much for me- Moreover, tn
had been an unusual opportunity. 1t W;
not often that ship sailed from ones pw
door, so TO speak, for India; that one khe
the captain and crew as neighbors al
tewns-pc1ple. And then, in those days,