New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-09
A QUEEN OF SPADES.
BY NJ. w. HAZELTINE.

1t was vexatious chance which kept m
from New York when the Tyrrells arrived
for l thereby missed Bob Lyon, who cam
homo in the same steamer.
4 decent Difference to the claims &
kindred would have worded that sentenc
Tyrrell, while Clara-but let that 60.
was but . STRIPPING, loOk you, grapplin
latin syntax. and she just learning to max
eyes and prattle French, and, no doubt, tn
verb We corrugated in those languages de
scribed o callOw, temperate yearning quit
different to the peremptOry passion TO
which you, madam (who inspire it,, have
Saxon name.
But Bob-or Robin, as we liked to cal
him, recognizing, in Q rude. unconscious
way, the sturdy honesty and simplicity o
the lad-had laid hold of some cOlleg'
mates The was no general lover) with ,
grasp which absence, possibly, and the SLOW
alternative of time, but nothing else, weulG
loosen. Our early friendships strike theil
Footlets deep, and q good many years mus
pass, and some rich, lOamy natures bt
parched 10 thin arid coils before the crop o.
household interests quite s:rangles those
hardy growths.
Well, / was not there to seize the old
boys hand, march him off to my own snug
gerry, and laugh with him over the vernal
days when be daubed my class. books with
nymphs and warriors, and revealed his
dream of becoming q great painter These
diversions the young artist lost, but he did
mot want for hospitality during the week he
tarried in Manhattan.
"Of course you come with us, Mr.. Lyon,
to Gramercy park. l dent know how We
shall requite you all you did for us in Lon
don-pOOr, unprotected creatures that We
were-and on the voyage, too. Yeu must
mot think of going to hotels. So that is
settled"
Thus did Aunt Tyrrell prescribe the
movements OF my tractabls friend, and
though Clara said not word, why should
her eyes brighten if she disapproved the
suggestion.
It is true, Robin meekly protested that
he ought to 20 to his people in the country,
but it was clear q studio had first to be
chosen, and some preparation made for the
autumn's campaign, which he admitted
might require day or two. You are aware,
however, that the selection Of . studio, en-
bfacfng grave questions of light, frontage,
seclusi0n, and immunity from noise, not to
speak of the traditions and associations
which evolve an aesthetic atmosphere, is Q
buainess not lightly dispatched. The ladies,
to-, were sincerely anxious to attest their
gratitude tor the patient guidance which
had laid open the arr treasures of Britain,
from Sir Richard Wallace's thesaurus even
to those unfinished masterpieces (yet sacred
from the vulgar eye) of embryo academi-
clans, and we're fain, by way of quittance,
to show their guest those unrivaled collec-
tons which sffluence and enlightened con-
nOisseurship have accumulated in this
island. And it may be that ono of his COM
paniOns in that edifying round could go
back further than those London days, and
recall long rambles in FlOrentine galleries,
when few, plain, thoughtful words had
provoked q wistful sympathy and quickened
. girlish mind to unaffected zest.
1t is scarcely possible to know less, in
worldly sense. of a young gentleman, whom
ono chance or another has repeatedly thrown
in your society, than the Tyrrells knew of
Mr.. Lyon. Concerning his outward circum
stances and personal history, beyond the fact
that he was a class-mate and friend of mine,
those ladies were quite in the dark. Not that
Robin could lay any claim to that austere
discretion and nice reserve which some Cir
cumspect but rather empty-pated fellows
succeed in passing for the very finest breed
ing. On the contrary, he would chat most
freely about his little triumphs and re-.
verses, his aversiens and private hobbies,
and cOnfide to you, on moderate encourage
ment, the cherished dreams and wishes of
his heart. But then. these all happened
to be bound up with his vocation
of painter, which did, in truth, evoke
what solicitude and fervOr he had;
and it NO more occurred to this eccentric
youth to call the roll of his connections and
acquaintance, OF descant on domestic mat
ters and the dOings of the people at home,
than it occurs to many lively persons to talk
of anything else. You might as prOhtably
applaud the sprouts of potato for feeling
their wsy toward sunshine, a. try to make
Robin comprehend that his own earlier
struggles were anywise commendable or
Aoteworthy.
A capriciOus, fancitul, rather arbitrary
young woman was my COUSIN, VINO, re,
member, at our cbildren's parties, would
often tease me with her Maynard behavior,
and WAS accounted by some juvenile ad-
mirers of quite q captiOus and sarcastic
turn. And to this day many ingenious gen,
tlemen, whose sprigh,ly anecdotes hnd
favor in drawing rooms. do not esteem
Miss Tyrrell sympathetic.
Now an ariless, he ad!ong enthusiast, IKE
INV friend Robin, would make, should
suppose, q capital butt for female raillery;
vet, strange to say, this variable damsel
bore herself very humbly in his society, and,
after those Florence experiences before re-
ferred to, would let him pour fourth his
ouirks and theories wild enough, l dare
eay), tor hours together. Or 1t might be,
when pause fell, che would hazard some
queer little notion Of her Own, which Bob
Vas sure to proclaim vastly suggestive. will
NOT quarrel. however, because 9 high-fown
rhspsodist may have preferred girls com.
pany to my own, for, while l have read
faine, and can impsrt to my discourse,
when choose, . very delicate aesthetic
flavor, l trust I graduate too justly the
claims of life to dswdle away my mornings
In art galleries, or climb steep hills. -
lara will, to zee the sun pop out some Sec
= nds earlier.
-~.II .o< Aanv that Rnh'a aha0Fnti0n