Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-04-23

clVll service examination, whose friends,
moreover, were in India, gratefully &C
cepted the permission to stop.
1t was frosty afternoon, with occa-
sional falls of snow-regular Christmas
weather. On the beach were a host of
sea guns, making up no doubt their
Christmas dinner parties, and uttering
little shrieks as they quarreled about theiT
guests. The sea looked weird and com
fortress as we watched it beating on the
ROCKS; and we thanked our stars when we
compared our lot ia the warm room.
glowing with a wood fire, with that of
the poor seamen tossing about in a pilot
boat off the coast.
we had been endeavoring 10 keep up
our spirits by means of cigarettes and "a
brew" of mulled claret. Perhaps the
generous warmth of that consoling beve-
rage had rendered me more than usually
communicative. At any rate, had been
making Lawley my conidant touching a
certain amour. l had met my first love
In the summer, at country house, where
l had been paying visit, and absence.
instead of eXtinguishing la grande pas
sion, had made it twice as powerful.
Nay, it had nearly been my ruin; for.
when l should have been studying Sans
crit, l had spent the time in inter-
twining my initials with those of my
love in thousand different monograms
when l should have been making Latin
verses, l was busy in the composition of
English ones in praise of her perfections;
Greek play could only be got through by
peeping, at the end of every hundred
lines, at a small locket which hung on nv
atchguard, and which contained a faint
and imperfect miniature of her face; and
as to remembering the names and dates
in history, Amy Linfeld, Amy LiDfield,
June, lS4l, June, 1871, SO ran in my
head, that the burden drove every thing
else out of it.
"And you have heard nothing of her
since last summer" said Lawley-'tnot
even letter."
GLOW could II" l replied rather an
grily; for this question seemed an insinu-
alton that my addresses were little cared
for. Show could I receive a letter.
Have not told you that she went on the
Continent with her guardian, who had
been ordered by his physician to spend
the rest of the year in Italy? My plans
were not settled at the time, and could
not give positive address; but suppose
people can be constant to each other
withOu. writing letters every day-can't
theyl" and l got up and gave one of the
blazing logs desperate poke.
'Don't excite yourself, nv dear fell
low, " said Lawley with aggra7ating cool
ness and puff of smoke; 'Iisten to rea-
son. Miss Ljnfield is rich, is she not2"
''HeT guardian is, and he is going to
leave his money to her, l believe; but
what has that to do with it,"
ga good deal. Listen. A pretty girl
with lots of money, travelling in Italy, is
sure to be picked up by some internally
poor Count with WaXed mustaches and a
tenor voice. Against such q man as q
rival you would not have the smallest
chance. They are as numerous, more
over, as gnats, and the only pity is that
you can not keep them off with 8 mos
quito curtain. Miss Linfield marries the
Count"
rose in anger.
81 say Miss Linfield marries the Count.
the guardian dies. and all things Jog along
pretty smoothly, until the Count has lost
all her money at cards. II the mean.
time, if you can go on in this spoOpy
wey, instead of reading, you viii have
got plucked for your examination, and
probably gone to the d0gs-UOiLo tout "
''But she has pledged me her word"
Ill. - 7
a drawing tone, eleva,ing his eyebrows
and Struggling his shoulders; 81 dare say
she has. You know /, for my part, do
not believe in marriage, he continued,
putting his feet upon The maItelpiece.
SIT is al very well lor"--
But / stopped him. forgot what l
said. l only remember that told him
that the two years he had spent at Cam
bridge had entirely rained him; that in
stead of the frank, unsuspecting DISPOSE
ton he used to have at Eton, he had
acquired the cynical, hlartless manner of
a disappointed man; and l wished him
for friend no longer; and l was bidding
him in aperemptOry manner never loallude
to the subject again, when 1 was inter
rupted by the man-ssrvant, who entered
at this moment and handed him O note.
spray what jmpertinence is this 2" he
cried, reddening as he looked at the note.
"Md8teT Lawley! Who the devil has
brought this2"
''Sis Thomas Humpleby's mar, sir;
and he is waiting for an answer, if you
please
Lawley considered for an instant. 'Iu
ring for you," he said, "wheD / have
written the reply"
Diminishing the man with these words,
be tore open the note, and read aloud as
follows:
'tMy Dear Boy" (''Why, 1 have never
seen the man in my life; it must be a
mistake!'D-"My old friend, your father,
writes 10 say you are staying with your
tutor for the Christmas holidays. Lady
and myself will be delighted
If you will come over on Christmas eve, |
and stay over ChristDas-day. l have
written note to Mr.. Fosbery, TO beg
him to excuse your Absence" c"Con-
found his impudence!'O Sand to say that
| will not fail to send you back in good
time on Thursday morning. l fear l shall
not be able TO send the wsgonette for
you if the frost continues, as l have a
prejudice against having my horses shar-
pened; but the n1iI6cGTt-"
Lawley looked at me with face full
Of such serious CONSERVATION that | could
not help bursting out laughing. 'Ihc
milk cart" he gasped, as the note drop
pee from his hands.
/ picked it up and finished it.
'But the milk-cart will be passing Furze
house at five O'Clock, and l dare say you
will not mind coming up il that.
"YouIs sincerely,
THOMAS HUMPLEBY.
In my minds eye pictured the thing.
Lawley, the best whip in his county, who |
had driven the st. Dunstan' drag to New
market on the Two-Thousand day for
two successive years, Lqwley, whose
"turn-C OUT was SO well known i'll the
park; Lawley, the exquisite, driving up
to the door of Humpleby Hall (nO doub:
full Of visitoTs) in q milk-cart
"COme, LaWley," said, Il. is evil
IDENTIFY a mistake. Sir Thomas thinks
you are boy al school. Pocket your
dignity, and write civil note accepting
the invitation. You viii enjoy yourself,
/ am sure"
He walked once or twice around the