National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-11
A LAME CONCLUSION,

was on my way home from "Monda
pop,' or Saturday afternoon conccr
when my heart was dissolved, aud my foo,
steps were arrested by the sight of ftmal
IN distress. She was young, she was attrae
tive in face and figure, and she stood ire
,oiute in Portland Place, crying.
II bad time for reflection, | shoul,
certainly have passed on without taking an,
notice, for 10 speak to a young lady with
out an introduction is a very rash act. 7,
be convicted of doing such thing. befor,
London magistrate, would stain one.
character very considerably, and there i,
TO knowing what course hysteria might
dictate and an active policeman adopt i,
is slmpossible to be too cautious But did
not take time to reflect. ! acted on the
impulse of the moment, and inquired, rails
iDg my hat, if l could be OF any assistance
OH! cried the young lady, | have lost
my aunt
Tut, tutp ! murmnred sympathetic
ally.
She was to have met me at Regent
Circus, and the omnibus man was told to
put me down IN the right hand side, where
she said that she would be- continued the
Young lady Il waited for nearly two
hours, and then II get frightened, and
came up here, where it is quieter'
And do you not know where yo r aunt
lives p
Somewhere in place called Clapham,
not in London. She was coming up ex-
pessly to meet me, and said in her letter
that she had so often met my cousins in
the same place, by the halfpast three
o'clock omnibus, that we could not possi-
bly, miss
May ask where you have come fromr
inquired
Calcutta replied she.
Good gracious 7 said |, for had been
on the point of recommending her return
1t was a long omnibus ride, not to mention
geographical difficulties.
"Oh, how stupid % she added presently.
OF course you mean to-day. have come
from Acton to-day. | went there from
Southampton, and have staid week.
Had you not better 90 back to Acton p
| should have done so already, if my |
friends had been still there, but they were
TO 70 away an hour after started
Now for fear you should deem this
damsel over-confiding, must be egotisti-
cal, and draw my portrait. Know, then.
that am classically musical and the fact
o' my savage breast having been soothed is
written on my features. wear my hair
oneer than is the fashion now days, and
Keep it well brushed off my interesting
brow; spectacles lend an air of respectable
sedateness to my face. | dress soberly,
and generally carry roll of music in my
hand, because doing so once caused me to
be pointed out as famous composer.
And then, the Young lady was so very
Young, almost child, and so very ingen-
,ous and inexperienced. She trusted me
oy instinct, which is not bad guide
sometimes.
And have you no idea where your aunt
Intended to take you when you met 2 !
asked presently.
~ yesn she replied to the railway
station.' !
Which Z?
Are there more than one p |
Several. Do yon not know where the {
uan was to go to p t
Yes; to Dublin and from Dublin we /
were going on to Wicklow, where papa's
regiment is
Here was sudden clearing up of diff !;
'",es. | pointed out that she would !,
Erooaoly find her aunt waiting for her at n
LN'on Square; or that, at any rate, her y
oe't plan was to take the Irish mail at a :
quarter past seven. She had plenty of !,
''lle' as 1t was not more than six o'clock. 4
3, Directly she began to see daylight '
Trough her troubles, the damsel cheered d
~, and told me that her luggage had been Fl
cy"' y on to the railway station by carrier s.
'olla tell her how she was to get it f! il
she looked up at me as she spoke with Il
+l.a +I. og round, innocent, trustful eyes, n
p1' ,a quite forgot all about the proprietes, Sc
IS,led !, cab, told the man to drive to 2
,ytas'oh Square, put the girl in and .folloued. L
'u may blame me as much as you please; &C
,o an' cei tain that was right the position CT
~ ,o,;, very exceptional one. 1t is quite Ii
siue Ish, the mark to ask me whether | st
.IgI Iyuia nave taken so much trouble If the a
,ndu ,,u uad been plain and uninteresting, for I'll
,ar ,hose circumstances she would not ia
,GI, had the same need of protection. sl'
% na l confess that l felt extremely hot 70
or ru un ncomfortable, and did not dare let the tn
IbNetsatlon flag for a moment, lest she w
on" aOulc be suddenly seized with panic Or
rama o' awkardness. However, it never th
nau' ,ened TO occur to her that she did not St
b,,,.m my name or character, and she en-
b'ep bau. 'n quite easily and pleasantly Sc
,toh i herself and her belongings. did not Sc
es.l I all she said, for the four wheeler pr
ern u's'ocated ones limbs, and sentences en-