Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-24
,acy to the extent granny desired. On the con-

resented aristocracy at Hawkshaw. Several
sggravatipg neighbors called upon Miss An
Ethel ad made, thereby adding greatly 70 her
perpIexity. " Would 1t then be really a good
thing for her to marry this mani" she asked
herself perpetually through several sleepless
nights; and the only conclusion she could come
to was that there was something improper and
shocking in the idea of an orphan young lady
forming any attachment while her guardian
was in Africa, and she was sure the right
minded Ethel would never do such thing. So
the subject was never mentioned between them
until Ethel herself preached it.
/ don't suppose that any girl had ever thought
less about love and marriage than she had be-
fore Dudley paid his court to her, and SO she
was taken unawares. 1t was certainly pleasant
to be appreciated; and to meet with fellow
creature wto thought all she did perfect, all she
said wise and vitty; who, when in her presence,
was in state Of wTapt enchantment, when alb
sent wretch ed He said all this, and she believ-
ed him; for what object could he have in deceiy-
ing her? Her power over this man affected her
strangely; it certainly would not be a hard fate,
she thought, to spend her life with a cempan-
ion who was so very fond of her. Ii she had to
marry, and most women had, it seemed, it
would certainly be better to marry a man thus
infatuated than enc who took more common
place view of her attentions and duties. And
then, poor fellow, he would be so very miserable
if she rejected, and so supremacy happy il she
accepted him, that it seemed positively inhumsn
TO say No.
Not being she Nero then, and Dudley driv-
ing her into a corner, she said Yes.
80 Ethel, Ethel" cried Granny, shedding
tears Of distress at the news, land Uncle Greg
CRY in AfrIca!'
''Of course, Granny dear, if Uncle Gregory
dIsapIroyes, there is an end of the matter; for
am certain that he would not do so without
good reasons; and he will come home very
soon now. Richard is going TO call on you,
DEAR
"She calls him Richard" cried Granny, and
went in Mysteries.
DIR. AntIobus was hardly less perturbed than
his sister when he received the letter informing
him OF his wards engagement. Absorbed a.
he had been by the congenial inquiries which
had occupied him the last two years, his heart
had constantly turned hOmeward with his
yearning which grew stronger and stronger as
the time for his return drew near. OF course if
the question had been put to him he would have
said that Ethel must now be woman, and
that he supposed she would soon be carried Oft
by husband; but yet he had never fairly re-
cOgniZed the idea; he associated her with every
thing belonging to himself and his home; in
deed, she was his home, for his aunt engaged
his affections in very inferior degree, and now
he felt at first if he had been personally rob-
bed and injured. As, however, he was an emf
nently just and reasonable man, this feeling
was soon quelled, and he resigned himself with
a sigh to the ineyitable. 'Of course she would
not re main a child forever he said to himself:
"she was sure to form new ties and forget her
old friend some day. Why, am not even dis
tant relative: 1t is mistake to love anything
One November evening they G0EHr snug at
drawn, the lamp burned clearly. Granny was
engaged, as was her wont, in adding row upon
row TO a prodigIOus piece of network, the COM
pleted part OF which was rolled up into an enOr-
nous globe. Ethel sat before framed piece of
canvas, upon which she was embroidering silk
flowers. An open piano, with piece of music
on it, locked like familiar instrument, not
fetch; and the books scattered about were like
wise evidently in the habit of being read.
''Is MIR. Dudley coming to tea?' Granny asked.
HE said he would, )" replied Ethel.
pause of half a minute; then said the elder
lady: "How soon did you say we might expect
him TO aTTive."
Now, ham was not the lover as you might nat
uTally expect from the tOrRer sentence but DR..
AntrOtus, who had announced his immediate
return to England. Some girls, especially if
much infatuated, would have answered crooked
l!; but Ethel knew where GTanDy's thoughts
were, and was not much infatuated. So she
answered, looking up with affirmation this
time: The ship is due at Southampton on
Wednesday, the day after to- morrow, and he
might possibly come home the same evening.
Oh, if ships were like railway trains and arrv-
ed pnnctually, how lice it would be to 60 and
meet him, would it not?"
eyes; and yet, perhaps we should be in the
way; there Will be great deal OF luggage, speci-
mems, and such things, will there nOt?''
"Oh, could help him with that, or at least,
1 am sure would not hinder him. But we can
not do it, for we might just miss him, instead
of meeting him sooner"
Exactly, my dear, )" said Granny much re-
ieved; for she had once been on a quay when a
vessel was unloading, and had been so hustled
and frightened that she had not recovered her
comp osure a week afterwards.
cor else ;" resumed Ethel, "when you have
been away for long time, it must be very
pleasant to see friendly faces the first thing
when yOu-Wbo can that be?''
carriage had stopped at the door which was
pht nome non sufficient 10 break OFF any sem
tence. Then there was a knock and ring and
ioCtstep on the stairs. Then the door was
flung wide, and q man, bearded, bronzed, and
wrapped in an outlanGish cloak, stood in the
room.
'Uncle Gregory" cried Ethel, running at
him.
at isn't William" said Granny. "It can't
be William" as She looked at him. at is vii.
liam!' as the outlandish cloak was thrown Off,
and the shepherds PLAID trousers, and the tall
coat, and the thirt collar dropping on one side,
came in evidence.
"And can this fine young woman really be
the little thing met in the churchyard; and
who drew .sixpenny checks on the Hawkshaw
bank without having balance?" said the doc
tor, when the first greeting was over.
81 have developed, Uncle Gregory; that is all.
But how nice and quick your ship has been; we
earliest"
81 have come overland" replied Dr. Antro-
bus. "After had written my last letter, one
of our party, Frenchman, asked me to 90 to
Paris with him to give certain evidence which
he wanted, promising that / should not be de-
layed IN the long run. And he has kept his
word, you see."
If Ethel had thought of it she would have
quietly gone ont of the room and told the serv-
ant 10 explain 10 dudley Wnen he came what
had happended, so that he might see the advis-
ableness of not entruding upon the master of the
house In the first moments of his arrival But
in the surprise and excitement she forgot all
about her lover till he was announced, and then
1t was too late.
Seeing stranger in the room Dudley paused
near the door till Ethel said; This is DR..
Antrobus, Richard" when he advanced and
bowed.
DR.. Antrobus did not return his salute. He
had risen from his chair when the door opened;
and now he stood erect frOwning and surprised.
"Who is that man." he asked in quick, COM
mandng tones, such as neither Granny, nor
Ethel had ever heard from him before.
"That is Mr.. Dudley" said the old lady much
distressed: "Dont you know? Don't you re-
member"
"what are you doing here?" continued the
doctor, not needing.
''Sir" said the young man, flushing red.
"What have you done with your wife,"
At the question the color faded out of Dud
ley's cheeks and the anger out OF his eyes.
Ethel looked from one man to the other in as.
constituent; she thought her guardian had gone
mad, till che heard the others astounding re-
ply: 81 had the misfortune-to-lose her." he
stammered.
"Murdereri" cried the doctor.
Dudley felt the extreme folly of allowing him
self to be cowed and confused but the whole
thing had come so suddenly upon him that he
wac utterly unable to pull himself together,