Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-18

walked outof the shop lost In thought, and ut
teriy forEedG Of my gusno books. had
friend called Topkin, who was acquainted with
them, and was ina hanson and flying to my
friend forthwith. I found, as had hoped, that
he was going TO this dinner; and poured forth
sna ne Ss s
he promised 70 take notes Of everything he
eoun, how she looked, what she said, SO, &C.;
and vas 10 20 % breakfast with him the next
morning and hear. Nearly all that night I
spent In aDathematizing my own foolishness;
It soon became clear to my mental vision that
John had been merely bent on getting . SOW
srsign ont Of me; and after all, what had he
1t was even WORSE In the morning. My peril
dious friend had had the felicity Of taking Ger
aldine in to dinner, and had evidently been
smitten. He actually told me that she looked in
as good health as any one possibly could, made
good dinner, was was very sociable, and ono end
Breakfast or friendship no more. would
now throw OFT entirely this decentralization and
amid the calm pursuits of agriculture would
strive to forget the misery Of the present, the
torturing joys of the past, Sc, &C., and good
deal more to the same effect.
".
Another day saw me fairly embarked on my
rural occupations. My chief notions Of farming
were that II was incumbent on one to rise early,
boasted of by LongfeIlow's blacksmith, you
were on the high road to prosperity and fame
1t happens don't like getting up too early;
am OF Charles Lambs opinion, that 1t is apt TO
But for whole week 1 breakfasted with my
new instructor and his wife, Mr.. and Mrs. Hard
Ing, at O'Clock.
At the end of a week went to call on nv god
papa, whom had never yet had the happiness
to meet. He had large handsome house, with
very pretty grounds, about three or four miles
cut VI chester; and he was an Odd-lo0king lit
a acp w
dressed in his invariable costume, O short gray
coat and knee-breeches, and yellow leather leg
gings. Before L had been with him long found
the solemn face could light up and twinkle in
truly surprising manner; and as we soon got
upon sporting topics, was led of to inspect
what he termed "the beasts''-i. e., the dogs
and horses. was kept to dinner, and RECALLED
with some wonderful Madeira. Mr.. Bottletop
was widOwef, and had no children; but had
always heard that this property was all to 60 to
villain had never so much as given me Q silver
pot. Still, he was inclined to be friendly; for, a
couple of days after my call, received an in
ing" at Cheslyn; and did not find my studies
so engr0ssing rs to make me think 1t necessary
to decline.
"NOw," said Mr.. Bottletop, as we sat together
at dessert on the first evening of this visit,
lyon can't guess what have asked you here
He inspected my face in his deliberate, serious
intelligence there, but apparently failing, he
added, 81 thought not. am going to get you
gratifed by the nature of my summary execu-
ton.
Snow, my dear boy, just ten me this much,
and I'll engage for the rest. Have you any
thing OF the kind on hand at present, Or have
you nOt?''
"No," answered, I'm afraid somewhat saw
agely: "No, I've not"
''An right, then, SO far. Now, just listen.
can tell you, you might do q very great deal
worse than marry this poor girl"
"Poor girl, indeed" observed, with some
better without a poor girl"
"She has a nice little fortune--it's not that
poor thing; and she's so pretty, too"
"What the deuce is it?' was becoming ra-
T've heard from her mother to-day-very
good family, my boy, related to all sorts of gran
deesLand she saysLhere,s the letter; III read
j hope, rather getting over it now. and Is look
ing forward very much to seeing you again SO
soon. Do, dear Mr.. BOttletOp, If possible, in
with you while we are at Cheslyn. don't mean
-comprenexs-anybody she will be likely to
fall in love with, but just to rather divert her
thoughts, and that kind of thing. She is such
favorite OF yours, know you'd be sorry to hear
Of this.''
"But hear Of what?" I asked, with some i'm
patience, as he complacently re-pocketed the
"Oh! about the love affair. She has been
crossed in love in some way-its not very clear
to me how; and let me tell you. there's not such
and real good girl into the bargain"
"Faith, sir J" 1 said rather hotly, "I don't
quite know what you take me for. assure you
don't care about picking up lOye-lOrn young
women in this style at days notice."
Then Mr.. BottletOp's queer, grave face, gave
way, and he Laughed very heartily.
ooh, Lord ~ he exclaimed. "It's the funniest
thing l ever knew. Come, out with it, yOu
young humbug! know as well as you do that
say so?"
/ stared at him in surprise.
"One gets over those things, you know" an
swered, hesitating.
"Oh! if one has got over this, one is in posi-
81 don't see it,
"Well, you hare got story to tell me, eh? I'm
. capital hand at keeping secrets"
I would have explained my situation without
dom belong to natures like mine; something
much more profound and solid is required in
those who never tell their lOve-but the dickens
tell hin. the story? But as he again importuned
me for it, more urgently than before, warned
him that he probably would be deeply offended
with me when he had heard it; then, as nearly
as can be, related what had written down
here. He listened gravely as an owl, Che was
rather like one, bat when it came to what
thought the thrilling and heartrending part OF
my narrative-viz: Mrs. MOntague's astounding
letter-he went into a paroxysm of laughter;
and, far from being offended, he shook my hand
most affeetiOnatey, and said that for the future
he intended to cali me nothing but Cecil"
i could not understand him in the least, and
his indecently hilarious reception Of my sorrows
rather annoyed me on the whole. These people
were expected the next day; and being decidedly
out Of humOr about them, i took my gun as soon
as breakfast was over and set off after the par
tridges, unceremoniOusly declining going to |
meet the visitors in Mr.. BOttlet0ps place,
which he cOolly proposed should do. Ihad a |
very good days sport, and got back about six |
o'clock. / went in at the library-winiOw- |
dogs, dirty boots and all-because by that route |
could 60 i'm and out of the hall without pass |
ing the drawing-room; butt felt as ii I was |
shot when, with q half-stifed cry, my quondam
'angel Geraldine" started from chair as she |
saw me. She stood still and silent, and looked |
quite pale with the unexpected rencOntre; and
waited for her to take the initiative. But as |
she merely sat down again, coloring up vio- |
lently, 1 made a grave bow and departed in |
silence, but with all the blood in my veins |
tingling like fire.
1 should leave the house at once! What |
coincidence had brought her |
here? went straight to Mr.. BOttletOp's |
room, and told him / was going away imme- |
iately, and of course he knew why. had not |
any names in my recital, though it |
had now struck me he had never told me those |
Of his guests. |
"Nonsense," said MFR. Bottletop; "I won't |
hear oft Going to have dinner party to- |