Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-07

He kicked OF bis boots, and be put on his slip
Iers; and he felt a. IL be would like 60 cut his
throat, he was so lonely. The tea kettle Was
simmering on the hob, as Mrs. Godkin had left
II. and a. II was always left at seven O'Clock.
But the mere comparison of the loneliness and
cheerfulness of the place with the home-feeling
Of the Hampshire hob, where his mothers tea
kettle was simmerirg, made Anthony Skene
more wretched; and, "a be looked at the tea
kettle, he swore sorry oath. On q table at
one side were mullins, and tea canister, q cup,
saucer and spoon, with few lamIs of sugar, a
bit of butter, and a bit Of cheese. And as An
thOny Skene remembered the good cheer at Lis
fathers house and who there were at that mo-
ment round his fathers table, and how surely
they were talking OF him, he swore another
sorry oath, because he was so lonely. The
chambers were good enough chambers; but
poor Anthony Skene felt more forlorn than
ever.
None the less did he make his cup of tea, snd
set the saucer upon il, after the fashion Of those
days. And he toasted muffin, and butt cred
il; but still the bachelor meal seemed to him-
nay, was-yery forlorn. Ami so IL WAS that he
said to himself that be would open the box of
pilChards, which his cir Mt, John Hold had sent
him with bis last retaining fee. PIlchards were
usually packed in bogsheads; but sometimes a
man IN business knew where 10 find a choice
"lOt' put up with much care in a long box lust
wide as the pilchards we're long. much
indeed, a the reader msy zee behring's packed
to-day. Auf such q box had the faithful and
zdn.iTing John HOlt sent TO his faithful coun-
sglUT, Anthony SkeLe.
Anthony Skene took down from its nail a 1T
I T.
q, lit the wood that kirdiei his coal. lie
opensd the bsx, and pick cd cut two pilchards
tbat he III ght toast them also over the Ore. AS
he lifted them from the box. some hing SPAR killed.
and fell. he found il on the hCcr, It was q
garnet ring. The reader, of course, sees that it
was Peg ITeyor's garnet ring.
Anthony Skeue warmed the pilChards, toasted
them through. One of them took fire, bat " as
eXtngUished easily; and, though a little smoked ,
IL added to the cheer of the simple meal. An
bOEy Skene had made himself another cup of
= "a a a f~a- Ear NNHsN-
make ali clean in the morning, and then found
for himself bottle OF choice old Port, still half
foil. He brought this ont. with a dsiBtily-cu1
glass, one OF six, which had been his fathers
gut to him. He drew up 3 second chair to his
feet; be ighted his pipe; he blew clrIs of smoke
into The sir and watched them as they twisted,
exI aDdeSSsnd broke. he swOTe no more sorry
Oaths. No; he was more cheerful, because he
was more comfortable. But all the time he
PLAYED With the garnet ring. And he fancied
fauciFs, and he dreamed dreams. that found
their center in the garnet ring. And so, when
the pipe was out, and when two glasses were
cut OF the bottle, and he cOrked it resOluteiy,
and set 1t back IN the cupboard, Anthony SkenB
said aloud, - / will ask the woman that wore
that TlDg TO marry me; and, il she SAYS Yes
viii never live in these - chambers more.'
am sorry to say, that, "a ne spoke of the cham.
tlemen use 10 longer.
Anthony Skene was a good lawyer, a high
toned gentleman, rising nan, too, as the IN 3n
ct Queen Anne's court said; but he Was An i'm
lUlsjso fellow; and, when ne took the bit be-
tween bis teeth, IT was no common curb that
hiLdered him, until some other fancy crossed
his way.
This is what happened to the ring. But what
! am 10 tell is what happened to Anthony Skene.
Not in that celebrated case OF A in error vs. Z:
fOrShat you may look in the reports of the TX.
", and II. Annse Reg. Middl.is it not all writ
ten there? Long before i and Il hal settled,
or had been settled, the leading events hap
pened to Anthony Skene, which are now to be
written down.
The summer term OF y year was well over,
and Anthony Skene, like all other men in
chambers, had earned his long vacation. II
told Mrs. GOtkin that he should not be back tor
six weeks. He packed his little round horse
mans valiSe, after the fashion OF that time.
Into leather belt, after Another fashion OF the
time, he put thirty of Queen Anne's guineas;
and, in the mO8t secret cOmpartmen of his bsIt,
he placed little veilam packet, in the heart OF
which was the garnet ring. Thus equipped, he
rode e his fathers house In Hampshire; aud
there with bis father and mother, with all the
brother and sister Skenes as well, and with All
the pretty ne ghbors, and all the gay Young men
Of his early lie, be made holiday for the rest of
that week. There was a pretty Lucy Savage
there, who was the nearest friend Of Sarah
Skene; and Sarah Skene certainly bad schemes
which involved Lucy Savage and Anthony
both. And Anthony certainly did hirt A little
with Lucy Savage; 10 whom, indeed, he h d
bToUgb a copy Of Mr.. Gays last volume from
town. But this Is the way with young people,
and must be excused even with baTFisters in
chambers, though they carry hidden garnet
rings.
When the MOndsy came, in spite of all solicit
tations to the contrary, Anthony Sksns tore
himself away. There was rather tender scene
a. old Savsge's ca Sunday evening, when young
Mr.. SkeEe made his gOod-byes there. And his
old father could net understand why lie must
leave 20 soon. But leave he did. Cuisines in
the west" he sad, as he had said when he ar
rived. And the girls thought 1t so grand that
their brother should have important business
which could not be spoken OF, aud must hardly
he al'nfed TO, that they were almost cornpcn-
stated for losing their brother by that mystery
Ills father would not EeaT 30 his gOipg OF on
the horse he had bon ght In London, 6ut raouuted
h m on the bTst roadster in his "a stable; and
40 Master Anthony departed, after a fearful
breakfast, on the "impOTt8nr business" This
business wss, a. it may be hoped he reader HIS
guessed, TO learn what was The history OF the
garnet ring. For this purpose Anthony had
srEled himself with letters from great London
fshmongers, to all parties of consequence in
their line in Cornwall. And he had. hidden
away in the round pOrtmsnteau, the painted
end OF the box of pilchards, which he had
opened in his chambers on that fatal evening.
The journey was not without adventures; but
the adventures shall not be here described.
Anthony was a bit OF a politician; ana he was
not sorry to see the points which were then
famous TO liberal minded Englishmeu lovers OF
the glorious memory" from their connection
with the landngsof William and OF Monmouth,
But be wasted no time in studying history. He
legged on and on, after the fashion OF those
days, and dreamed, as after the fashion or all
days, on what manner OF finger il might be
that this quaint ring now so near his heart had
rested OF, and what manner of a woman she
might be 10 whom that little finger belonged,
AID what manner Of home il might be which
he was going 10 ask her to leave, and what
nanDeT of nest that might be to which be was
going to ak her to come. For Anthony Skene
was AZ young as you and are, (th1ugh all this
Was q hundred and seventy years agol and
could dream with the dreamiest of rs all. And
Yet. all OF a sudden the dream broke short. very
short. Anthony had still near three days Jour
hey before him, for he had not yet entered
Cornwall, and was just crossing little bridge,
which may, believe, still be seen in Tavist0ck,
when the noble horse he rode started as III he
had been shot. winnied as il in agony, tried to
run, but run in a hating gait, which Anthony
did not understand, and then stopped short in
In answer TO his matters direction, and stood
stock still, only trembling and snorting still, as
If In pain. Anthony disinounted in an instant,
and in an instant more found the cause OF sOr-
row. In bit of woodwork on the bird ge a
vicious nail had turned upward, which the poor
creatures foot had struck; the iron had pierced
into the quick; and blood already was lowing
from the wound. Anthony was farrier enough
10 withdraw the nail in a moment, but the poor
horse, who showed gratitude in dozen pretty
signs, was wretchedly lame.
Anthony led him back to the snug little inn
which he had left but we minutes before, AMI
held converse with the landlord. The man had
gray roadster whom he was fain TO let An
thOny take tor the rest OF his journey. Bat,
after Anthony had looked at his beast, he de-
termined rather to go on to Cornwall and hunt