The St. Cloud journal., 1875-05-13

A TALE OF SOCIAL TACTICS.
"Any message for Hiltonbury?"
said Mr.. Frederick Greville to his
sister, Lady Gascoigne, one fine morn.
ing early in April, as he entered the
drawing-rooms at dHirst Castle pre-
pared for riding. and drawing on his
gloves,
"oh! Yoe ase going there again,
are you'" returned his sister, with a
laugh.
'Now, no chat. my dear Fanny, ]
beg; it is quite itssy zqncalled for. Ye., !
am going there again. Lord VIII.
mington particularly begged me to
come over to-day. and look at plan
for his new stables; he knows I pn-
destand that sort of thing, and that's
why I am going"
20 yes, I see!" said his sister, still
smiling, "and I need not expect you
back till near .dinner-time, I suppose,
Are you going to ride Stella? ?"
"No, I'm going to try Richards
new chestnut. What a beauty he is
And you'll see + shall make him Al
quiet as a lamb, aud break him in 70,
a lady's horse ifyou would like to
mount him."
20 mol" cried Lady Gascoigne, lit
makes me shudder to think of such a
thing, and, indeed, I don't half like
even your riding him. Two of the
grooms have been thrown, and I am
sure he is a most dangerous animal.
Now do be careful"
"Have no fear for me. I'll manage
him, I can promise you. Well, you've
no message, you say?'
"No-stop" (for she saw by he,
brothers face that he wanted .one).
ayes, I was thinking, the weather il
so mild, we might have some archery
next week. and Violet and Blanche
like it of all things. If you'll wait
half a minute I will write note and
ask them to come"
So the note was written, and Mr..
Greville rode away with it.
Lady Gascoigne was a tall, slender,
elegant woman of about ninerand.
twenty, most amiable and. affectionate
to her relations and intimate, friends,
but Y considered cold and 'heushty, by
! those who did lid not know no her e, well. OF
whom she did not wish to know, She
was one Of . large family very highly
connected, and had married siy Rich.
ard Gascoigne, one Of. the: greatest
pa't's in her own county. when ahe
was only eighteen. Her fayorite
brother Frederick stood next. her in
the family. being at this time seven; v q
and-twepty. Though not the :. eldest
son, he had succeeded to an immense
fortune through the rich widow Of an
uncle who had no children or neal
relatives ofher own, and had greatly
delighted in the handsome face and
lively manners Of her husbands
nephew: and namesake. Young
Greville had just returned from thre@
years wandering about the world
and, amongst ~ other changes, a he found pl
that, during bis absence, his friends
Violet and Blanche Seymour, Lord
Wilmington's daughters, almost
children when he left, had grown uE
into handsome young ladies; and that
Violet, especially, was the very love
liest girl he had ever seen in his life
a circumstance which may possibly
be supposed to account for bis. riding
over to Hiltonbury every seconc
day.
my dear, are we to ask these peo
pie to dinner or are we not ?" sale
Sir Richard, coming into the drawing
room, just as his bro ther-in-law ha(
ridden off:
"What people? O the Beau
champs, you mean. No, Richard,
think not. The Major is all yer.
well, but I really cannot endure tha
woman; she is perfectly odious, ant
doesn't know how to behave herself
"Very well, my dear, then "!
won't ask them ; that settles it." AM
Sir Richard went of, not lookin,
quite satisfied with the decision.
The Beauchamps had just take,
for a year little place called Thurs
ton Lodge, about three miles from
Hirst. Sir Richard had once 60
next the Major alta public dinner an. an
took a great fancy to him, he being
indeed, most agreeable and well
informed man; so when. he discover
ed who his new neigh ghbors were, b
persuaded his wife to call, but Mr.
Beauchamp was very inferior to he
husband, and Lady, Gescoigne| felt :
desire to pursue the acquaintance far
i ther..[ ." 49