New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-24

WY A0tucIs 4VAcAy
yourg woman. as abe entered the GUNNER
house, and plsced her hand gently on the
old mans shoulder, "don't you remember
told you George was hoping to get step
through Mr.. Cores retirement And now
it has been given to Geoge's junior-and, OF
course, he feels it as hard"
"Well, we'll, l am sorry for that" an
syered Mr.. Hickman somewhat vacantIy;
..but il will come-it will come. He's better
off where be is, anyhow, than If he had
been in government office"
80, question that, SIR" broke in the
younger man.
but DON'T" was the rather sharp re-
sponse. "YOu have at least the satisfac-
ton of working with q clear conscience;
you are not idling your time in reading the
newspaper Sll day, wasting stationery, and
robbiDg your country, us you would have
been ii your father had got you post IN
der government You know my opinion of
the way government offices are managed,
and government too, for the matter of that.
l have no patience with the waste and
reckless expenditure that 60 on IN all de-
partments, while we hard working folk
have to pay treble the taxes We need:
ever have consented to your marrying my
Alice here if you had been a government
clerk"
''Ihep, sir, am very glad things are as
they are,' said Mr.. George Woodwyn,
smiling, whose position in this family group
is thus made evident.
Here, Lily, come along. here's daddy"
he went on, as a sweet little curly haired
girl of about three cana toddling down the
path, and ran into her fathers arms. "Shail
we 20 in now and have teal and gcand-
father will come in at six, won't he?"
The father, carrying his child, strolled up
toward the house. His wife fingered to
say an atfectiou.te word Or two, and to
k,ss tenderly ana with solici.ude her pa.
rents cheek. He patted her hand kindly,
but with some anxiety evident in his action
that she should not catch sight of the con-
tents of his memorandum book.
Alice Woodwyn was tail and graceful
woman of about five and twenty. having
her fathers eyes and mold of features.
Her ptOfusiOn of warm brown riDg,ets were
restrained in the evident tendency to fly
out wildly by cunning devised band OF
delicate blue ribbon, ending in the neatest
and most coquettsh OF bows. There was a
rather sad expression en- her gentle, come
ly face as she joined her husband in the
little paelor looking upon the lawn. And
as she busted herself in making tea ind
arranging the details of the ample meal
spead upon the snowy tableclOth, she
said:
81 don't think father seems quite SO we'll
as usual, George. have noticed for the
last two or three days something rather
strange about him. feel little anxious"
II don't see it," answered her husband
from the easy chair into which he had
thrown himself. while dancing the little
girl upon his knee; "you know he is at times
somewhat petulant in his manner, especial
~ when he gets on the subject of taxes and
the government. 1t was great pity he
retired from his business so so0p; he has
never been quite happy since"
"Ah, no, indeed; but his unhappiness be-
gan some time before that. II was poor
dear Toms rash determination to go to sea
that was his first great sorrow; l mean his
first great sorrow since he lost my dear
mother Silly Lao! only to think of his turn.
ing his back upon such good prospects,
such business as my fathers was for him
to step into, besides causing SO much grief
and anxiety"
eyes, he was a great fool, no doubt" an
swered the husband; "but It's an old story
has been away more than ten years, sup
pose"
Eyes. But father has never got over it,
he never seemed to take the same interest
in his business afterward."
"Still," eaid George, II say it was great
pity he gave it up; he is always hankering
after it now; can't cut himself adrift; as you |
Knew, Nc IL CONSTANTLY gong iuto cue Clty
and pOttering about; l wonder what he |
fl ods to do there so often. By the BY, that |
reminds me- Judkins told me that he met |
him in Lombard street nearly every day |
during the whole fortnight we were away |
last month at BrOadstaire; and he had |
always got his little blue bag with him. l
wonder what he does there. Judkins asked |
if could guess at all. Every body wonders
at him"
no, NIT nod hoa /
not something better to Co." said Mrs. |
WOodwyn. II suppose my father can go |
into the city when he likes, without con-
sulting everybody
YES, certainly. But now tell me, Alice,
does it never occur to you as strange and |
do you never think what it is that can take |
him there SO frequently! One would think |
your woman's curiosity wosld at least be |
excited"
"Perhsps it would be, George. if l did |
not love my father as dearly as do. He 1
has always been so good and kind and Low. |
ing to me all nv life, that have striven |
never to cause him even the least anxiety |
il could help it, and much more not to do
what know he dislikes above all things; |
and YOU know there is nothing he 30 much
dislikes as any prying into his doings or his
affairs. Therefore never appear to take
any heed of his gong or coming; never
what he has done, b. cause l know he SO
dislikes it.
Just like you, my dear loving wife, al
ways striving to make people happy. I'm
stupid, laundering fellow to have asked
you; might have known all you have said
without your saying it. All, there's six
o'clock striking; let's have tea. Come,
Lily, you shall sit between daddy and
grandfather he'll be here in minute
Ru1 min nj
gentleman did not appear. Then said the
mother, run down, and tell grandpapa
that tea is ready, Lily: he will be lats."
ut will be for the first time in his lifs |
them" broke in George. mo, sl5 still,
Lily" as the child was about to move;
grandfather is half way here by this time,
I'll be bound; he is not the nan to break an
appointment, whether for business or pleas
ure; if he had not been as punctuai as the
day throughout his long life he would never
have turned that little hosiery business in
Cheap side into the fine concern it became; |
no, nor have made all the money he did in
other ways"
"What other ways do you mean, dear9"
asked his wife; mas he made much money |
in other wsye9"
"Oh, of course. Don't you know, Alice,
that it was he, and one or two more men of I
his stamp, who laid the foundation of much |
Of our most remunerative intercourse with
the silk trade in ChinaY And though his
name has never been prominent in the
affairs, it is said that he has been their
backbone; if he had lived fifty or sixty
years earlier he would have been just such
sort of man as the old East Indian direc-
tors were. Lord bless my heart, people in
the city who know more of these things
than do say he must be worth mint of |
money. He is rather late, though" went
On Woodwyn. after . minutes pause; "per-
haps you had better run and fetch grand
father. Lily; be can't have heard the clock"