The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-03-05
THE MIDSUMMER MASK.

1t was none of Jack Cheselden's fault
that he went to sea once too often, and
so clrcumvented pair of schemers, or
more. He was one of those gay, gal
liant gOod-for- not Kings, folks said, whom
the ladies dotted upon, and whom no.
body could find it in his heart to blame
seriously when his handsome face was
present, but one who would never come
to anything better than marrying a for
tune. Unstable as water, taking ND
law one moment to lay it down in favor
of physic the next, who had flung chem
istry aside to dabble in oils or water
colOrs, and had tried almost everything
but theology. One day he took it into
his head to try the ocean, but after the
first tough voyage his enthusiasm had
died a natural death but Grandfather
Cheselden simply put his foot down
albeit a equity one-as folks thought he
ought to have done earlier, and insisted
that Jack should stand by his last choice
of a profession.
L won't leave you 4 red cent, not a
red cent, sir, unless you put Your own
shoulder to the wheel" he assured his
grandson.
&" In other words" said Jack, lightly,
as was his wont, "unless / paddle nv
own canoe. But I'm going to marry a
fortune, you know, struggling his fine
shoulders.
And prey on her coffers2 A pretty
how-dO ye-do for a Cheselden."
Now Grandfather Cheselden had no.
body but himself to thank for this
affair of Jacks with Emilia Belgravia.
He had done all in his power to bring
it about; he had condescended to lend
himself to the wiles of matchmaking.
Jack had been as indOlent and indiffer-
ent lover as ever the sun shown on,
Heaven knows, waveringin love, thought
his grandfather, as In every thing else !;
but he had talked to Jack roundly; his
great-aunt had demonstrated that his
honor was concerned, that he had fiirted
with Miss Belgravia till filtration was
no longer a virtue; the family had
courted and tiattered him Emilia her
self seemed nothing lOath; and the
poor fellow had been absolutely worried
into an engagement, but revenged him
self by wearing his chains loosely
enough. The Cheseldens were a fam
lily who had come in with the flood, so
to speak, while the Belgravians of a
few generations back had cebbIed
shoes; but, to equalize things, they
Golfers were now OVERLOOKING, while the
Cheseldens' financial credit was on the
decline. The Cheseldens wanted money.
the BelgCavians hankered after family.
They played into each others hands,
and Jack was the tool, who simply
wanted to be let alone. As for Emilia
well, she shared the family ambition,
doubtless, and if she were in love with
Jack-and, mind, l haven't committed
her-she was not the first girl who
loved him without a cause. So the af-
fair was arranged. Emilia was beauty
IN her way-nOt the way Jack would
have chosen, perhaps, but lie liked well
enough to dance with her, to hold her
fan; how better could a sailor spendhis
holiday than IN flirting? what more
natural But he felt a sort of hateful
pride, be 1t said, when strangers turned
to look after her leaning on his arm.
Then the Belgravias' was a pleasant
home IN which to while away ones time.
since nothing more fascinating offered
since Grandfather Cheselden's govt had
made him testy, and bis failing had made
him stingy.
Perhaps wO would have been more
eager to rlvet his chains, and would
have loved them better, had it not hap.
pened that the -EOlus had brought home
passenger on her last Yoyage-the
voyage that Jack had wished to escape.
that Grandfather Cheselden had in,
sisted upon me taking The passenger
was pale girl, with none of EmiIia's
vivid cOlOrs, shining amidst no pomu
of circumstance like Emilia a girI
who was coming home to fill a gov
erness' place in America, and who fell
iii on the trip, and called Jacks smat-
terIng of medicine into use. Physician
and patient could not long remain
strangers, and Jack soon found it fatally
pleasant to arrange her neck chair. tc
bring her work, to read to her when
the light dszzled her, and to listen 70
her simple condolences; then there
were long twihghts spent together,
when she sang sBatches of sea-sonos
when they seemed to forget that only a
little while ago they had not known
of each others existence. Grandfather
Cheselden had not counted upon any
such experience as these as among the
dangers of the deep.
'Oh, L wish l could have staid in The
Old World longer!' she said, one day
when they had been talking about
cathedrals and pictures.
" And pray why didn't you ?" asked
jack. IN his headlODg way.
Oh, a hundred reasons. Mrs. Mir,
didn't want my services any longer
You know, L went out as guverness tt
Mrs. Nitre's children. / thought it wa
such an opportunity ! And here an
coming home after six months-onl,
m going to somebody else's home
Bat I'm not sorry, ON the whole" witt
a little sigh.
" Neither am l. could almost bles
Mis-. Nltre. But tell me, have her chill
drAn learned all they KNOWN six months
time? ?"
lit wouldn't take long, I'm afraid. j
they were apt scholars, laughed Dawn
q but l didn't please Mrs. Nitre OF
closer acquaintance
Didn't please Mrs. Nitre She mus
be the hardest woman to please in tn
world"
80 Mr.. Hughes said" A slip o
the tongue.
Mr.. Hughes? Who was be, may
Nobody but Mrs. Nitre's brother,
blushing.
Nobody but her brother All, yo1
pleased him too well, [ see. SubtI
Mrs. NitTel That's the answer to tn
riddle, ell p VIZ
g He was very good to me, but
Little bushes chasing each other owe
her face and hiding in the dimples.
Bat yOu weren't in love with him
Mrs. Nitre WAS moro scared than hurt?
No, | was never in love. But sh
was very good, on the whole. She Sc
cured me the place l m going to. /
wasn't her fault if she thought couldn'
resist the temptation, being only poo
gOverness-"
g And what did Mr.. Hughes say -
He did not know her plans. II
was away shooting on a gentleman
place somewhere"
The shooter shot poor fellow
He will be sure to follow after Won"
No, indeed. He wouldn't kno,
where to find me; and he knows i
would be"
Loves labor lost? Well, I'm oh
lged to Mrs. Nitre myself" said Jack
and don't owe her a erudge. re
turned Dawn Cabot. UndoHbtedl
Jack with nothing ahead in the world