The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-10-28
[From Appieton's Jouanal ]
MOOnshine.
BY KATE PUTNAM.


Mrs. Hamlyn stood alone in the nursery,
turning over some of the children's lesson
books, when the door was opened noiselessly.
and head put inside.
''How do Gracie?''
The little lady turned with start at the
sound of the voice, and seeing the smiling
face looking in, ran forward with extended
hands and cry of wonder and delight.
"Nedl what a surprise! / thought you
were million miles from here. Did you
drop from the cloudsP'
Not far from them," was the laughing
answer. From the Rocky Mountains, at
least.'
Mrs. Hamlyn drew her brother inside, and
installed him in the easiest chair the room al
forded, as If she thought man from the
Rocky Mountains must be in special need of
repose. The man in question did not seem
to object to this theory; he leaned back and
made himself very much at home.
us there any reason, Gracie," he said
presently. as during lull in the fire of ques-
tons his eyes wandered round the room,
''why this picture should not hang straight
excessively bad though it is? The work of
the reverend Parkinson, suppose? But I
should have thought she would have hung it
at right angles-being made up of them her
self''
"For shame, Ned.' said Mrs. Oracle laugh.
ing, then growing grave. "Miss Parkinson
has gone way"
Am expected to express my sorrow for
that eventp' asked Edward Locksley, laugh
ing. tits more than she would do for me,
for she always treated me with a quite par
ticular grimness."
"Yes, her manner was sometimes unfortu-
nate" assented Mrs Hamlyn; "but she did
her duty by the children"
"By-the-way" put in her brother, ''has
she taken the children with her, or what has
become of them P"
"They are out walking with the new gov
erness. am not sure if she equals Miss Par
kinson in all respects" musingly continued
Mrs. Hamlyn, more interested, naturally,
than her brother in the governess question |;
shut in music and French she is decidedly
superior. Nina's accent shows the difference
already; and Helen is really getting
quite style on the piano. Her greatest
fault is she is too good looking.'
"a fault on the right side," remarked
Cocksley.
81 don't agree with you at ALL" returned
Mrs. Oracle rather sharply. SIT would be
much preferable if she were palmer. But l
must allow" she added soitening, sthat she
shows no disposition to take advantage of
hea beauty. Her manner is as correct as
Miss ParkinsOn's herself"
81 am heartily sorry to hear it," irreverent-
~ replied Locksley. "But, bark they must
have come back; surely that is Nina's break
neck style of coming up stairs"
There was a sort of jig danced through
she passage, and the the door flew open.
s'Oh, mamma why, Tncle Ned!-Nellie,
Nellie, here's Uncle Nedv'
And Uncle Ned was speedily made deaf and
blind by the extremely demonstrative well
come accorded to him by the children, while
their mother looked on with an indulgent
smile.
"They have not teen him for so long! 1t is
my brother, Mr.: Locksley, Miss Courtney,
who has been"
Mrs. Hamlyn's explanation was never fin
ished, for her brother, who had begun to ex-
tricate himself from Nina's embraces finished
the operation with start, and turned to the
aVerted figure in the background.
"Miss CourtneyW
"Mr. LocksleyP
II did not know you were old acquain-
tances remarked Mrs. Hamlyn, looking on.
quite surprise"
.'Quite So" said Miss Courtney with chill
y little smile. II was not aware that Mr..
Locksley was your brother, and certainly did
not expect to meet him again like ths.''
"Nor to meet Miss Conrtnay so. And for
give me venturing to add that am as sorry
as surprised" continued Mr.. Locksley in a
lower voice meant only for her ear, but
which nevertheless reached the quick ones of
pert little Miss Helen.
"Well, that's not very polite, Uncle Ned"
said she, ito tell Miss Courtnay you're sorry
to meet he her again.
mot sorry for the meeting, Helen, but for
the cause. Miss Courtney understands
II understand and thank you," Miss
Cnurtpav ranljpd hut in q fopa xnh;oh ,ol,hod
the acknowledgment of undue grociousness.
1t is probable that her manners were emf.
nently correct, for they certainly we're very
cold.
Mrs. Hamlyn left her children to their les
sons and took her brother down stairs to her
sitting-room.
81 had no idea you would find an acquaipt-
ance in my new governess," she began again
tentatively, when she had him safe there.
mo" spoken with the air CT not finding
the subject entertaining.)
''Do, you think her handsome9" latter
pause.)
"Yery." The answer was decided, but
given with an Indifference which prevented
Its being disquieting. The next question was
put with more curiosity than anxiety.
DO tell me under what circumstances you
met her. Was she governess then?'
''On the contrary she was an heiress."
IAN heiress! Really! Isupposed she had
reyerses, but she never talks about them,"
Unlike the late lamented"
Yes, that's true; that was a great draw
back with Parkinson. 1 know nothing more
tiresome than to have the people about one
continually talking of having seen better
days"
'.You should consider present days the
BEST" said Locksley.
"You do say such queer things, Ned" said
Mrs. Oracle, not quite following his drift,
you are just as peculiar as ever, see."
At another time he might have remarked
that a short sojourn among the Sierras was
hardly likely to change his mental structure;
as 1t was, he turned away in silence, and
walking to the window, stood there looking
out. But what he saw there was a far differ
ent picture from the meaningless stucco-
work and absurd little balconies across the
way-a picture having for background an old |
stone mansion, darkened with wears and
moses, looking from its height far over roll |
ing meadow lands and orchards, and the riy-
er glancing in and out between; an old |
house with old elms about it,, and before it a
wide, level lawn, green with June turf, and
bright with June roses; and in the fore
ground, somewhat removed from the rest of
the merry party, two fgures-a girl, with
crisped hair, and arched red lips, who stands
leaning lightly on her mallet, with one slen-
der foot poised on the croquet-ball, her whole
sunny face kindlcd with a dangerous charm
of coquetry as she lifts her great black dashed
gray eyes to the eyes looking down into them.
And these two were Miss Courtenay and him
self
They had been something more than Gold
acquaintances hardly lovers, and yet some
thing very like. In that time, scarcely a year |
ago, his looks and tones had told over and |
over the story he had never put into words.
And that he had never put it into words was |
due to that same charm Of coquetry. 1t was |
very bewitching, certainly, but trife alarm
ing. too. The game was very pretty to |
watch, but he had no idea of putting his |
heart at her mercy, to be played back and |
forth like croquet-ball under her foot. he /
did not mean to let her hold on him get too
strong; and when be found it becoming so.
he took refuge in flight, and believed that She
would soon be to him like other fancies, past
and gone. But no other fancy had ever been
like this; he had never forgotten her and |
this second meeting, under circumstances |
80 different, had moved him more than he |
would have cared to own. He felt such pity |
as he thought of her misfortune, such an |
impulse to let in some ray of sunshine on |
her life to thaw that little Icy crust which |
had gathered about her alone in the shade |
She was cold and constrained with him now,