New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-30

then turn into the pit OF some theatre at
half price.
walked back to the west end, and pass
ing the top of the HaymaIket, my attention
was arrested by certain works when L
heard at the entrance of the coach once
stationed there.
"You are the man who comes up with
the three o'clock omnibus from Acton, and
to whom I spoke about that young lady ="
Eyes, ma'am."
"Well, you have been there and returned
since |"
Eyes, ma'am; and l made inquiries as
Won told me. They've all left Roseville
Cottage, and the servant in charge said as
Young lady come up by our bus"
"And yet you did not observe herl" "a.
Well ma'am, we did not take her up at
the door, you see, and as there were several
young ladies got in and out. could not pick
her exactly"
"But if she came by the three o'clock ON
nibus, how was it that | did not find her in
it when it arrivedW
Cant say, I'm sure ma'am."
WAS the young lady going by the Irish
mail!' ! asked, pushing up to the elderly
lady, who seemed to be in a state of great
Distress"
Eyes, sir; o yesp' and she turned to me
eagerly.
"Then think l can tell you how you
missed her," said l. "You told her to meet
you at Regent Circus, did you nots Well,
she got out at the other Regent Circus, by
Oxford street, while you waited for her at
this. But do not be alarmed saw her off
by the mail myself"
As | suspected, this was the aunt who had
made the identical blunder suggested, and
l now had second distressed female on
my hands, not so interesting as the other,
and coming at a more incOnvenient season.
The last would be out of the room if | de-
layed long; so l gave her as concise an ac-
count of what had happened as possible,
pleaded business of the utmost Importance,
which | really felt dinner to be, and hurried
away like cat from a schoolboy.
In a few days / received letter from
Major Duckling, acknowledging my great
kindness to his daughter, hoping to have
the pleasure of thanking me in person some
day, and inclosing the five pounds he owed
me. l wrote back, saying that the money
had come safely, that it had been an honor
and bliss to be of use to Miss Duckling,
and that / would certainly hook in if hap
pened to be passing.
A year afterward some house property
was left me at CObbleston, and had to go
and lock after it, If you happen to be
thinking Of paying visit to that spot, take
my advice and don't go. This sounds dis
interested; but the fact is that | have found
a lunatic to purchase those four desolate
tenements, and am therefore free to con-
TESS that they are situated in a British
Sahara. There are about twenty houses
altogether in the place, built in single
row, with very good road in front. Be-
yOnd the road is shingle. and beyond the
shingle is the sea, which has retired as far
as it could from the place, leaving miles of
of margin. Single, indeed, is the prevail
inu oh afa riSti nf (inhhlacfnn Thapa
are no cliffs or rocks; to right, to left, in
front, there is nothing but shingle, weary
ing the eye and wearing out the boots
When. after a terribly long tramp, every
step of which threatens dislocation OF the
ankles, you at last get to the sad sea
waves, you find them repeating nothing
but "Sh-sh-shingle !"
This barren desolation makes the place
admirably adapted for rife practice, which
is perhaps, the reason why depot battalion
is stationed in isolated barracks in the
neighborhood. The recruits are kept out of
mischief, and they are taught to shoot. You
may see squads of them plunging about in
the shifty soil at Judging distance drill;
and if the horse guards or the war office,
or whoever's business it is, does not provide
them with plenty of boots free of charge, all
| can say is its crying shame. But surely
the visitor can walk inland, and so reach
the downs9 He can; the farmers have
fashion of using fish manure in those parts,
but if he likes that sort of odor, the custom
will not annoy him. Personally, / very
much prefer asafGtida. The visitor, then,
with delicate nose, corn, and a constitu-
ton requiring exercise, would be wise in
keeping to the road. If he turned to the
left, and walked straight on, he would
come, at the end of couple of miles, to
martello tower; and then, two miles again
further on, to Portable, where is a small
harbOr with occasional yachts in it, good
hotel, billiard room-in a word, civiliza-
ton. If he turned to the right, ten min
utes' walk would bring him to the bar
racks.
1t was on the second day of my arrival
that / made this last discovery, and as |
stood gazing with awe upon the barrack en-
trance, thinking how very much it resem-
bled prison, and wondering what the SEN
try, who stood just inside, looking prickly,
would do to me if l attempted to enter, the
soldier | thus contemplated became sud
denly rigid, his murderous looking weapon
lew up to his shoulder, and he made sort
Of military point. Then. in a sudden, snatchy,
galvanized way, he gave his gun slap, and
held it in front of him; and this, tall,
elderly man in spurs, striped trousers, and
frock coat festOoned with broad shOestring,
seemed to take as personal compliment,
for he touched his forage cap, an absurd
little ornament, which did not quite cover
the bald patch on the top.
A young lady accompanied the elderly
officer, and young man accompanied the
young lady. The youth must have been
very fond, for he was got up as if for
Ascot, and his shining hat, delicate boots,
lavender gloves and button hole flowers
looked very homogeneous in that lonely
spot. But the peacock spreads his dazzling
tail just as readily in the depths of
lonely forest as on the lordly terrace, and
he is right l do not suppose that an
a time with his apparel; and if that one is
present, what does the absence of the
twenty thousand others matter?
When the trio emerged from the barrack
square, the young lady stopped short,
Ooked hard at me, bowed, and then spoke
eagerly TO the old gentleman in uniform,
who at once advanced toward me and held
,ut his hand
my daughter tells me that you are Mr.
rweedie, who so kindly came to her assist
ance when see was lost in London" said he,
and was very civil. So was Miss Duckling.
The young man to whom | was introduced
tried to follow suit, but tailed. 1t was easy
to see that he hated me. He was but an in
0h"ouS ensign, anu ndu HoO SoV ndihou
how to conceal his feelings. The cause of
his enmity. need hardly say, was the cor
aiality of the young lady's manner toward
myself.
$50 you have left Ireland" unnecessa-
rily observed.
eyes; papa lgot his step, and was put in
of this depot
by the by, Colonel" said |. what is
depot! Stores, shades and depots have
been mysteries to me from my youth" The
'olidity of my ignorance excited a smile
upon the face of the ensign, but the old sol
der SOUGHT to enlighten me.