Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-09-16
kgaUT OF BLUE RIBBON.

country town containing soIhe uuup hhi""i'''''''
situatod on the River Hunter. 1t lies in Il long
valley, through the middle of which tho river
flows, for the greater part of its course, between
low grassy banks. The staff of our branch COM
prised myself and three others. Tho accountant |
and myself lived together in euito of rooms
adjoining the bank premises. We were worry |
good friends, and had everything IN tho house III
common, though, if we had chosen. We might |
have lived ~ much apart M il We had occupied
separate houses. Dick Weir was indeed an |
easy companion to get on with 1t was little |
time before You came to know him, for he was
of shy aud difiident nature, who made friends
with linn, You liked him without exactly know |
ing why. He was not brilliant, or especially |
gifted ia any way, though ne understood his own
business thoroughly, and paliormed ita uhUes
tkillfnlIy and we'll In perHonal appearances ne !
was not what, at fret si lat. You would probably
call attractive. He laa plain, strongly markell
features, ana an ungrteetnl. loose hBute, which
under no circumstances could bn iualo 10 10
credit to his tailor. don't think there was u
continuous line of beauty in lis whole bbufo |
from top to toe. His eyes, were Soou, however,
clear steady, grey oyes. Eht, ab nearly aiwats |
happens when you come to be fntiiis with nan |
or woman, you soon grow accustomed TO wen .
outward appearance failed to sec IFS liDmOl!hus5 |
and liked the man for himself, for his simple |
genuine aud sound-hoaltcd nature, Al least
this was my case.
Wougiby is u social little place, and Weir
aud myself iial considerable cilc!e OF acquainL.
auces in 1t. Tho family whose house We most
Frequently visited was that of MIR. BlASland.
John Blaxland was n retired gentleman Of prop
erty, a hearty kindly, hosp,able man' Ills
house was pleasantly situated on tho bank oil the
river, and distant abouG tiiroe miles from the
town. Mr.. BlaXland was n married man, with
two children. u son and daughter The latter,
at the time of which write, was i'll her tweii-
teth yoar, and ono of the prottiGst girls IN the
country side. Ella laaXand was good gll,
.l,fnrt tptt Hithrtpulte.
ing to please and DO pleased OH ali occasions,
little cOquettish sometimes, and fond OF iur, but
neither vain nor frivolous.
Weir and wero ut Wyandra -Huch was tho
name of Mr. BlaxlandH place-soIneiincs aa oil
ten as twice week and We were always sliro OF
Il kindly, unceremoniOns welcome. NO one I'M
terstood bottor how to entertain their friends
than John Blaxland and his wife, and this witt
ont seeming to make much effort Ill so dong.
As may be supposed, Fila BaSIani had many
admirers, but for long tino nu ono nf those
seemed to find especial favor III her sight. AotA-
ing could over bo detected in her manner where
by you could gather that fhe regarded ono with
more friendlneRs than another. When snch
signs did appear, as they did at last, it was i'll ia
yor of IL comparative stranger in tho District
one who had but lately como among Ua. This
was Il matter of no small chagrin to somn of
Elias old admirers; but certainly tho newcomer
had many of the personal qualities such as fire.
ouently recommend man III ladies eyes Leo
nard HameitUn had established himself H3 Il
solicitor III Willonghby. Previous to his CON,
ing to the district, hc Ind boon Tor number OF
yoars in wolnOwn solicitors iifm in Sydney,
and brought with him letters of introduction to
most of tic bcttUr.CasH families i'll tho town.
Mr.. IiGmertOn was tall, wel-inodt, rather
slight man, WITH n9 b"a%n mar ana eyes, ana
fresh color. lilo had q ready, fluent address,
helped by nlclOdiJUA voice; and his manners
were easy, assured, and perfectly vel! bred lie
possessed accomplishments, zoo, which, u not
of deep, were of an culneHty useful and euec-
tive kind such as win favor in average society,"
lIe could sing aud perform on the Piano with
taste and sill, knew whist and most other games
at cards thoroughly, played croquat wi!h heXtef
uus grace, and handled a billiard cuo in man
nor that rather astonished some of our young
fellows who thought they knew something IN
that tyss. Asmerton was = pEudeht man. ne
l,t,eo eNactly the 'fnfftrce hfr own rtrenth, md
never attempted anything beyond his range.
His country rivals were never successful IN
tempting him into any OF the sports III when
they believed themselves to be bt0nGer. He had
decided objections to being geon mt disadVan-
tage. .,, ~
ton became frequent visitor at Wyandra, anu
il was not long before his name was mentioned
as that Of Miss Blaxand't layorite sutor. Al
first | regarded this as an iale rnlnof. otnel
Young mon had at different times earned tlii'
distinction, ard each had in turn quietly LOST lt
But by-aud-by, both Dick Woir and nyseli
thought we saw signs that the popular rnmo
was at last about to bc verified Ella Bla&lan,
seemed to be regarding Leonard llamerton Will
a favor greater than that which che exc ded II
others. This was not very marked, but to us
who were 30 frequently about the house, 1t be
came sufficiently so to bo hardly mistaken.
didn't like it mysalf, for no reason OF u persona
kind for | had never looked upon Ella BiaXlan'
in auy othor light than that of friend, and m
warmer affections were directed elsewhere, Bu
Simply because didn't much care for HanoIton
had reason to believe, though he said iiitl
about it, that the sentiments with which regai
dcd him were shared i'll great measure ~ DE
Weir
IL was about two months after IIamorton L0'
Il 81 ! Iat Il
Wynndra in honor of Elias twentieth birtlida,
1t was Intentionally quiet littlo festiHai, ai'
those who met to celebrate it were mono but t
more intimate friends OF tho family. INT "
were very merry and pleasant party. We m'
early in tho afternoon OF lovely day III tho en-
of April, which, iG may be necessary TO feiaih
Engiia, readers, il the Australian autumn: l II
Incu,hnr the day by reason OF slight erclll
stance of which alone Was witneEs, Il cttcun
>.anee which was II revelation to me III tho TIM
,,, which after events recalled to my mGmo
,vitb '.ded signihcance. During INC aIJotno'
thn tor,'r portion of our party wore enSaGcd
tn53 a,'o M = w '',ls some wandered about tho SArlt
taIkim,s and Il ''ing away the bright hours. III
Elexlnnl was looking e5poclSlly bfthI ~ ~
charming gay ~ ''II Tro',cI 'ainIiy
nn,e snfk IiGLt. airy ina terial, Wlgl blfs ol de-
cato blno ribbon here au,' ihefo Gno,,S i.ai
sou and ocp OF tho same t'ivG'M ,iii, :,
,lair There were other girls ptGheh' WIN i "
1CuiaLlo claims Of beauty, but inln lhnyS'' aii'"
them like n little princGrSI though "int ~, ~ w .
Of conscious superiority. Leonard Itaitcrp nam ~
WAS at his best to-day CNerLi4S '''s uylaI3, ="
ers of pleasing. Spaf&tiHS, Why ana ~ , 80
rny he infused MFih into III cur 'ii'c' -"
and was confessed, - s4nin th'l5'y, 'rE m.'''
Openly, to bn tho Ito aud spirit OF o'lf part
We wore just bringing our ero4Ne" contest %
q rlnan rraJnrutory 10 aIirurninS Indoors
tea when Miss BmNanh diFrpVctcA tnlE
had lost ono Uf tho uuh"hS "!tIt "i'uH
sleeves Of hcr drers w1'" i'Htehtu w NV ~, ",
Search was na,io hg Ell ui III "S'r the t'nll
,frnuri lint IN vain. u vas ENlN ttfaliSN VIZ
the bright knot uf r'b'p c"ni' NY" h%in, %
itsCEf on that sTnl OF /, NHl e"ari, ahd v" !"
all sure that l,lta had busA nor wi5L TbonnS
,4in,, wa horun our qAma Iuau l ruidG
roc0lIected that Eai 9cGn D!ek Melr, VINO
not takon part in the game, but hat been act
az umpire to M, stoop once VINO "9 wore i
ing and picked up sOmatiwE nom mo Btoi
which lie hatily placed in ilis breHHt-pecket OF
coat merely thought AZ TIC nhe ilat "
something of his own which ho l!ad dfoppeu,
now it occurred to mo With convincing ioteS
il was nothing else than Elias rlbbuu winch
had picked un That explained tho ha6ta
which no had hidden it away. A tAlEnle or
before I,lla had mi.scl it, Dick, hts terFIees
ng no longer required by us, had atr9i'cd a
in tho direction Of the house. said n"tA
for was resolved 10 keep my friends sec
What had seen no" plt things IN new new II II
,So."I Thought as that no" tho land IL
Poor Dick felt genuinely sorry tof MN
lie had any hope Of ever winning Ela blaNla
affections, j felt ho was doomed TO dls&llp'
ment But surely he knew tinb himself ny
time. -,
rhat evening, az Dick and ! rode home
rotlor from Wyandra in the moonlight, Z
@Looks rs if it were settled thing between
Ia and Hamerton, don't you think?
Dick, looked around at mo, and saw tina
face was very grave, and | thought somoS
pale but that might have been the mooni
.iDo YOU think it's really settled?' he
"Wel, we both wish her all happiness,
WEI" =,
There had always been the most friend.
tinacy between Weir and Miss BlR%hnh,
nothing more that had ever discovered /
name had never been one OF those even
toned among the asprans to Elias
though they had known each other from
hood, both being natives OF Wlloughly: :,
Ii came to be matter OF general Delt
Willoughby that Leonard Hamerton was to
nv Ella Blaxland, though nothing definite
this point could be traced back to Nya
Meanwhile, my liking for Hamarton dad ne
crease, and could not view him as
husband for Miss Blaxllnd. The strong {
ship had formed for the pretty, kind-b'
girl made mo desifous Of seeing her mi
man who would be worthy of her, and II
ton did not impress me with this idea
that this might be in a great measure
dice but some of HsmeItons habits OF u
not appear specially laudable. Weir and l
INN frequent night visitor of the billiare
~