The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-01-30
7ery jolly house, and everybody tried

very Jolly house, and everybody tr1e
to make me comfortable.
Old Evans don't like it a bit. Fl
sent for me before he started home
and when I went out to speak to hin
he pointed gravely to the wheel track
On the principal drive. There wer
certainly good many of them, but tn
doctor and the parson, and the lawyer
and sympathizing inquiries would &C
count for that.
"Do you remember, sir, the story O
the iackass and lion who was sick?"
"I don't see how it applies to me
Evans; poor old Gimball isn't likely t,
eat me-"
"Well, sir-well, indeed, I wisl
you'd come home with me, Sir Rich
ard"
wasn't going to be put off a pleas
ant evening by Evans nonsense.
believe he'd like to sit in the middle o
my hall at Penwalyn ard drink strong
ale to the sound sof the harp, as M
forefathers might have done, with the
cook ..and the kitcben-maid and Mrs
Richards, the house-keeper, joining il
chorus.
Gimball had capital cook and ex
cellent wine. Both Miss Gimball and
her aunt were good musicians, with
beautiful voices, and I spent a most
pleasant evening. Next day we went
out in a yacht, had a delightful sail,
lunched on board, and reached home,
tired'as dogs, JUST lin time to dress flor
dinner. Couldn't go home that night,
either. The best of it was, I felt SO
secure about the election. Nobody but
Gimball could run against me with the
shadow of a chance. Gimball 1 had
safe. I might enjoy myself as l liked
for the next few days. Then I might
think about business; about getting out
my address and making my arrange
ments for the walk-over.
Next day I went home very reluc-
family. I was desperately smitten with
Lucy GimbalI, and I think I should
have made her an offer then -and there
but for one thing-I couldn't quite get
over. her apparent heartlessness. She
didn't seem to care a button for her
fathers illness, except for Ia minute,
when reminded of it, perhaps she'd put
on grave face, and then she'd be as
jolly as ever next moment. Now, if
she didn't care for her father she wasn't
likely to care much for her husband,
after the novelty of the thing was over;
and this consideration made me haul off
a bit.
I had horrid night at Penwalyn. I
1 dreamt / was buried alive in the fami-
ly vault. my funeral attended by all the
dead Walwyns-all sorts of horrors.
Just before daylight I had a dream that
a good deal impressed me, it was so
vivid and real. A venerable old man
with long white beard appeared be-
fore me /; he had very angry, scowling
face, and after looking sternly at me for
a few moments he said !: "Silly boy,
what it costs the souls of men to ac-
quire you fling away for women and
trumpery p There was something SO
fiery and life-like about the old man
1 recognized him at once as my grand
father, whose portrait hangs in the din
ing-room over the big buffet-that was
involuntarily staggered and affected. I
couldn't sleep after that, and rose and
dressed and went-out into the park.
It was charming morning, the sun bad
just risen, and the sky was filed with
pink, ..gauzy vapor, which in constant
and change parted here and
there, revealing purple mountain ranges
and glowing peaks and pinnacles of
rock. My heart smote me when I
thought of my neglect of this my own
county, and my running after foreign
gods. I made half a resolution to
and take to better ways. Just
at this moment I came to a spot where
the road, the principal drive to the
house, is cut through range of rocks,
leaving on each side of it a scarped
precipitous face. Trees growing from
the rocks above unite their branches
over the road, the road itself is almost
choked with bracken, ferns, and wild
weeds, and when you have penetrated
this tunnel of greenery, there opens
upon you q pleasant vista of the river
valley beyond, with strip of sea in
the distance.
Great was my establishment to see
this charming natural grotto defaced by
two huge staring placards posted on
either hand on the face of the rock.
They were printed in double columns,
one side Welsh the other English.
&c To the free and independent electors
of the county of Cadnant;" below that
a stirring radical programme, and at
tached Ito the manifesto the name of
George Gimball.
In considerable agitation I hurried on
to the house of Evans, the steward. On
The gable-end of his barn was posted
similar placard. He was coming out of
his gate as reached it.
"Evans," 1 cried, pointing to the ad-
dress, "Evans, what's the meaning of
all this p
so, don't you know all about il, Sir
?" said Evans, looking at me
Haven't you been
staying at the house all the time he has
been canvassing the county, and never a
word from you against him? Why, Sir
half your own tenants have
promised him for they thought there
could be nothing against him so long
as you was so friendly with Mr.. Gim-
ball and had no instructions from
you, sir"
o But he was in beds all the time, my
good fellow"
so, sir, you've been deceived by him.
He's been securing the country far and
near, and everybody said you was going
20 resign in his.favor."
"The scoundrel p I cried, grinding
my teeth with rage. "Why, one might
have been on ones guard against such a
ruse among tribe of savages."
"Savages or not, sir, everybody says
he's sure to come in.
And he did, too. 1 never could win
back the advantage he got in having the
start of me. My own side looked sus-
upon me, an1inobody support
ed me warmly. L made desperate ef-
torts to retrieve my position, and spent
money like water but it was all of no
use. At the close of the poll the figures
we're: Gimball, S,765; Walwyn, 8,257
Since then I have been living abroad.
The election cost me six thousand
pounds, and that, on the top of other in
necessitated putting the es-
tate to nurse. AS for Lucy Gimball,
she married cotton prince from Man.
wish him Joy. of her.