The true northerner., 1872-01-05

the MARQUIS OF uuntiHgleH. LiheWise
he found that the Honorable Lydia
was twenty.eight years of age. Theo-
philus Middlemist liked to read of such
people.
The very next day he saw letter,
open, lying on his nephew's table, evi-
IDENTITY left behind .by him when he
went out to ride with one of the sons of
neighbor. "Careless fellow u Middle
mist senior observed, and his eye glanc-
ed rather curiously at the paper. "And
from a woman, too! Well, the lad has
no secrets, evidently"
The old gentleman must have been
quite convinced of this, for he took up
the letter and read it through. 1t was
very short-a dainty, pretty little billet,
and it ran thus
DEAREST Paul. am very unhappy
without you, although we have been
staying at Windsor, and trying to enjoy
the delightful place. But only think
of you. Oh, how | hate the miserable
prejudiceS and conventionalities Of the
world and of society Tom writes, and
| inclose this line only to say that /
hope you are we'll, and are making the
best of your holiday-if it be one-and
that you will soon come back to your
own LYDIA"
Lydial Windsorl and the Morning
Post and the Honorable Lydia Ran
thorpe dining with the Qneen and the
description in Debrett's "Peerage ~
Could it be possible? Could Paul Mid
dlemist, his nephew, really have fascin
ated lady of rank and fashion But
who was "Tom ?" Doubtless her brother
or cousin. tie turned to Debrett again.
No, there was no brother. 1t must sure
ly be a cousin there were ever so
many names of male Ranthorpes. Any
how, that was a matter of no conse-
quence. "Tom" might be what Mr..
Middlemist would have called mutual
friend of the lady and Paul. There
could be no reasonable doubt whatever
that " Lydia" who wrote the letter,
was the Honorable Lydia Ranthorpe
of the Morning Post and Windsor Cas-
tie.
- May | ask, sir" the elder slyly said
to his nephew that evening, "who is
the LYDIA whose letters you leave care
lessly about? l might have read the
whole letter if had felt inclined to
pry into your secrets. Who is the
fair Miss Lydia? Is her name a Sc
cret ?n
Paul looked becomingly confused.
"Oh, Lydia-yes, to be sure No,
there's no mystery at all. Miss Ran
thorpe, uncle-a very charming girl
relative of particular friend of mine,
Tom Ranthorpe."
A charming girl, indeed ?-eh,
Paul? Any thing very serious there?'
Paul looked down, sighed, and press
ed his hand to his forehead. He was
beginning TO see Tom Ranthorpe's joke
now, and didn't object to humoring it.
"Serious, uncle? Alas no. Family
liculties-cursed distinctions of rank
and wealth-elderly guardian-social
wants that sin against the strength OF
youth. Let us not speak of it y and
Paul swallowed hastily glass of wine,
finding himself barely competent to
keep up much longer blending Of the
style of Mr.. Alfred Jingle and the for
lorn lover in " Locksley Hall"
"Well, don't know" the good-na-
tured uncle began. "These are level
ing days, Paul, my boy; and money can
do something, and"
"Uncle," said Paul, solemnly, " let
us change the subject" And it was
changed accordingly, and the uncle was
left nearly wild with curiosity.
"Gad ~ Theophilus Middlemist
grumbled to himself that night, as he
swallowed his soda-water and brandy
previous TO going to bed, "boys now
haven't half the courage and spirit that
were common in my younger days.
Here's handsome young fellow, and a
lady of title and fashion, daughter of a
viscount-a lady who dimes with the
Queen, by Jove! falls in love with him
downright in love with him-and tellt
him SO, and he only means some feeble
stuff about inequalities of rank, and so
forth. Why doesn't he run away with
her to Scotland? Hang the money |!
I'd let him have money enough. | wish
were young man, and that the Hon
orable Miss Somebody had only fallen in
love with me ~
Next day the uncle made several sly
and let off various jokes and
hints and taunts designed TO stimulate
his nephew into some daring measure.
More than once, too, he gently suggest
ed that if Paul would make him his
confdant, something might, perhaps,
be done. But Paul only preserved
silence gloomier than ever, and shook
his head with a profounder solem-
nifty.
Greatly was Mr.. Middlemist's surprise
when, soon after, he received
a letter from one of the most aristocratic
clubs in London, and signed, "Thos. G..
Adolphus Ranthorpe." With tremulous
eagerness he read:
DEAR Saskatchewan | can hardly
say have the pleasure of knowing you
personally, yet as the intimate friend
OF your nephew. and as the near relative
of one in whom he is deeply interested,
| feel that | may take the liberty of
thus suddenly addressing myself to you.
There is subject Of some importance
on which should much wish to have
some conversation with you, but of
which | hardly care to write. Doubtless
you sometimes run up town, and 1
should be particularly glad if, the first
day you can make it convenient to do
so, you would give me an opportunity
OF talking with you. ! shall De found