Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-09-11
w7SCrTy.hNEOUs.
A EEor OF BLUE RIBBON.

sydney, New South Wales. Willonghhy is a
country town containing some 5000 inhabitants,
situated on the River Hunter. 1t lies in u long
valley, through the middle of which tho river
flows, for the greater part Of ite course between
low grassy banks. The staff of our branch COM
prised myself and three others. The accountant
aud myself lived together i'll suite Of rooms
adjoining tho bank premises. We were very
good friends, and had everything in the house in
common, though, If we bad chosen, we might
have lived as much apart ~ il We had occupied
separate houses Dick Weir was indeed an
easy companion to get on With. lb was little
tIino before you came to know him, for ha WAX
of shy and dl1ident nature, who made friends
slowly but when yon did get to be familiar
with him, you liked hha wlthout exactly know
ing why. lie waA not brilliant, or especially
gifted IN any way. though he understood his own
business thoroughly. and performed ita dutee
skilfully and welt. In personal appearances he
was not what, at first sight, you would probably
call attractive. He had plain, strongly marked
features, and an upEraceini, loose figure, which
under no circumstances could he made to do
credit to his tailor. j don't think thera waR a
continuous liue of beauty in his whole figure
from top to toe. His eyes. were good, however;
clear steady, grey eyes. But, ab nearly always
harpena when Won come to be friends with man
or woman, you soon grew stoned To WelrH
and lii ed tho man for himself for ha simple,
genuine and sonnd hearted nature. At least
this was my care.
WlougLby ia social little place, and Weir
and myself had considerable circle Of acquaint-
anceB IN It, The family whose house We most
frequently visited was that Of Mr., BlaXlald.
John Oakland WAS retired gentleman OF prop
erty, IL hearty, kindly, hospilable man. His
house was pleasantly situated the bank OF tho
river, and distant about three miles from the
town Mr. Blaxland was q married rai, with
two children, II son and daughter. The latter,
at the time Of which | write, was in her tweii-
ticth year, and one of the prettiest girls in tho
country side. Ella Oakland Was u good girl,
too. warm hearted, frank and afteetionate. will
ing to please and be pleased on all occseiota, It
litto coquettiSh sometimes, and fond OF fun, bnt
neither vain nor frivolous.
Weir and were at Wyaudra-ench was the
name Of Mr. BlaXlands place-homeiines NJ Of
ten as twice q week and we were always sure of
a kindly unceremoniOus welcome. No one un-
dptntood better how to entertain their friends
than John Baxland and his wife, and this with
ont seeming to make much effort iii 30 doing.
IA may be supposed Ella BlaXiand had many
admirers but for a long time no one OF these
seemed to find especial favor in her sight Norll-
ing could ever be detected in her manner where
by YOU could gather that ehe regarded one with
more friendliness than another When euch
signs did appear. they did at last it WAS III fa-
vOr OF II comparative stranger in the district,
ono WHO had but lately come among ne, This
was u matter of no small chagrn to some OF
Elias old admirers; but certainly tho newcomer
liad many of the personal qualities such az fire.
quenty recommend d man III LADIES' eyes. Leo
lard HsmeIton had eslabllshed himself us n
solicitor in Willonghby. Previous TO bis COM
ing to tho district, he had boon for number OF
wears in q wel- known solicitors firm in SYDNEY,
and brought with him letters Of introduction TO
most of the better class families in tho town.
Mr.. IIamertpn was tall, well-made, rather
slight man. with fine brown hair and eyes, and II
frerh color. He had a ready, fluent address,
helped by melodous voice; and his manners
were easy. assured, and perfectly well bred. lilo
posse4sod accomplishments, too, which, If not
OF deep, were of an eminently useful and eifec-
tive kind such as win favor Ill average society.
He could sing aud perform on tho piano with
taste aud skill. knew whlst and most other games
at cards thoroughly, played croquet with dexter
oua grace, and handled billiard cue in u man
ner that rather astonished some of our young
fellows who thought they knew something IN
that way. Hamerton WAS IL prudent man. lie
knew exactly the limits of his own strenth, and
never attempted anything beyond his range.
His country rivals were meyer successful IN
tempting him into any of tho sports in which
they believed themselves to be stonger He had
decided objcchon1 to being seen at disadyan
tase.
soon after his arrival at Willoughby, Hammer
ton became a frequent visitor at Wyandra, aud
il WAS not long before his naIoe was mentioned
as that OF Miss BlaXiands fayorite cutter. Al
first / regarded this as an idle rumor. 0thol
young men had at different times earned tlif
dstuctou and each had in turn quietly loat il.
But by.aud-by, both Dick Weir aud myself
thought we saw signs that the popular rumol
was ut last about to be verified. Ella RaNland
seemed to be regarding Leonard ltamcrton with
q favor greater than that which she eXtei ded to
others. This was not very market, but f., la,
WtO wefa 30 frequently about the house, il be
came sufficiently so 10 be hardly mistaken.
didn't like il Inyself, FOR no reason OF personal
kind, for / had never looked upon Ella Baxland
in any oIher light than ttlab OF lIienu, and my
warmer affections were directed olsewheTe. BuI
simply because | didut much care for Hamerton
had reason to believe, though he said iiitle
ahont it, that the sentiments with which reGAr-
ded him were shared III great measure Icy DicA
Weir
Ii was about two months after Hamerton had
come to Willonghby that Il little feLe was held at
Wvandra in honor of Elias twentieth birthday
1t was Intentionally quiet little festival, and
those who met to celebrate it were none but the
moro intimate friends OF tho family. But We
were a very merry and pleasant party. We met
early in the afternoon of lovely day III tie end
of April, which, it may be necessary to remind
English readers is the Australian autumn. re-
member tho day by reason of slight elrcum'
stance of which alone was witness. clfcnm
stance which was 81 revelation to me at the time
and which after events recalled to my memory
| the larger portion OF our party We're engaged il
| crsulcU while some wandered about the garder
talking aud idling away the bright hours. Islla
| Blaxland was looking especially bright ane
| charming gay animated and happy, az heiit-
| ted the oceasion. She WAS dressed simply, in
sonle soft light airy material, with bits of dell-
| cato blue ribbon here and tnero about her per
| son. aud q loop of the same interviewer amid hel
| 1air. There were other girls present with un-
| deniable claims of beauty, bnt ella moved among
| them like little princess, though with no ail
| of conscious superiority. Leonard Itamertoi
| was at his best to-day, exertins his utmost pow
ers of pleasing. Sparkling, witty, ana careiessl'
| rav he infused mirth into all our dlverHont
| mud was confessed, by some tacitly, by other'
| ouenly to be the life and spirit OF our party.
| We were Just bringing our croquet contest tt
| n close, preparatory to adjournng indoors 70
| lea. when Miss BiaXland discovered that sh
had lost one OF tho ribbons with which tl
| slaves OF her dress were fastened at the wrist
Search was made by all of us over tile croquet
| GROUND, but III vain IL was very strange wher
| tho bright knot of ribbon could have hddel
itaelf OH that smooth level sward, and we Wer
all sure that Ella had both her wrist rboons on
| when we began our game. Then L student
| rarollected that had seen Dick Weir, who ha
not taken part in the game but had been actin
| a. umpire to rs, stoop once while we were play
ing and picked up something from tho ground
which he hatily placed in the breast-packet OF Il
coat merely thought at the Tune .nat u wa
somethng of his own winch he mad dropped, bu
now II oceuired TO mo with convincing force tha
n was nothing else than Elias ribbon which II
Ind nicked M. That explained the haste wit
y,I,ich be had hidden it away. a minute cr tE