, 1871-05-11
THE COMPLIMENTS OF rHBsnAsoN


A servant entered the BRIGHT warm and
fragrant library Of ClaVering castle. and
said; i+iiifjI
"Any more letters for the post, my
lady 7"
The lady never booked up from her
knitting. Phe answer came from Lord
Ciaysring, who was seated at writing
table. The letters are there ''-indicat.
ing the place by nod ofa not very youth
ful. but yet very handsome head. Still
the lady went on with her knitting.
Click, click! the little noise marked
great silence-an obstinate silence, ST
lence of the sOul-enforced, and requiring
a s'tong power for that end; There was a
sort of spirit about the click Of the bright
pins, which told very plainly tha. words
would have been plentiful, if words
could have been Of any use. Then the
door closed on the servant and the hands
ful of lettersi and most vigorously-even
with the -vigor of desperation-went the
knitting pins; and and the diamond ring
on very pretty little white hand flashed,
and beautiful foot gave nervous jerk
TO the footstool, which hit the fender, and
then down came the fre>irOns all togsther
with terrible sound and the fair cul>
prit shrieked, and dropped the knitting,
and jumped up with white face and
eyes full of tears; and the. gentleman
rung the bell violently, and went TO the
door, which had scarcely closed Oh the
servant, who now recrossed the hall, still
with letters in his hand. s5
His master took the letters from him,
kept back one, returned the others. with
the words, "That is all r and throwing
it .dexterously into the lady's lsp-for she
had again set down--he said
"For heavens sake, manage it ysur
own way" r-r.r0~-
Herbert, i: is no use my doing any.
thing. If anything is to be done, yoa
must DO it."
"And I'll see the whole of them at
Jericho before l will do anything"
p" cannot-I never could--understan
this continued this undying idea. that
they have offended you"
:" 1t iseno offence; it is injury. Every
Christmas wrotS to his father, and told
him why could not have him here, and
ST id that bore him no malice. Il did
this the first year of my coming here the
year of my fathers death, the year of
our marriage. Now that Richard Hunlly
is dead, l write to his son. Why should
not ? What would you do:'
Il would ask him here"
SHOW could he enter house, when
the entrance to that house was forbidden
to hiq father :"
Then l would say to him that l was
sorry it had been forbidden"
| (which would be falsehood,"
Make it truth. them
''It's no use being superhnman, Julia"
al can't agree with you" 'it
"Then I can only repeat my words
for heavens sake, manage it your own
way"
"For heavens sake, using the words
with NEARING, l could do it,"
&c How p
"Ill show you"
Lady Clavering went to the writing ia
BILE and began to write. Presently, she
read aloud as follows:
DEAR Mr.. HuNrLY-I write myself;
for l can write ou what is to be the sub
ject of this note more easily than Lord
Clavering. Your father and Lord Claw
ering we're long separated-you must
know that; and you probably know the
cauSe-it was a cause with which you
never had any concern. Your father has
been dead nearly a year. Christmas
time has almost come. Will you Join our
Christmas gathering, as in former years,
your father always joined it, in his uncls's
house, though never in his cousins That
cousin, however will be glad to let old
troubles die. 1 nope you will not, by re-
fusing our invitation, decide that they are
to live"
Having read this, she said
I" Now, add postscript" :" -,.----.--
"And what am / to say ;"
"That you agree to what have writ
ten"
So Lord Clavering took the pen from
bis wife's hand and wrote Ff
81 agree in taking Lady Clavering's
view of the matter. Ifyou too accept her
guidance, you will not repent, l think-
anyhow not if 1 can help it,"
VERY pretty" said his wife; and she
held up her face to be kissed; and her
husband obeyed the suggestion with reads
ness and cordiality.
"But it will be great bore if you al