The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-01-20
But. to my surprise, Jack seemed in no

mood to talk, and kept staring out of the
window, taking no notice of my remark.
Feeling aggrieved at not being met with
the opposition and contempt | expected
for proposing such q thing, went over
and slightly shook him. at which he ran
his fingers through his long curls, and
looking up with an expression of innocent
surprise, ask ed: "W hat is it ="
"Wouldnt you like an Introduction to
Miss Ilallam - repeated.
"Who. yes; of course. Harding; you
needn't have shaken fellow half out of
his senses to ask that silly question:" and
Jack readjusted his broad shoulders and
relapsed into silence again. tried to
talk of Miss llallam, music literature,
politics, but all to 40 purpose. He sat
staring out Of the window. as if the seven
wonders OF the world We're visible on our
path OF moonlit lawn. Rather disgusted.
left him star gazing and retired to bed j;
but as went upstairs | must own to Il
little curiosity as to the cause that made
my amable and talhatve friend suddenly
50 laconic ane dsagreeable.
The warm August days ripencd into
mellow September. Since the night of
Jacks revelry. a change had certainly
come over him, but as Yet he left me un-
informed aS to the cause. Sometimes his
old gayety would return but it was sure
to he followed bv a fit of more sombrc
silence than before. chatlcd him about
it often, but his testy replies invariably
shut me up. We never met Miss llalam.
and the only time we saw her was in the
morning among her flowers, or the eve
ming, when, after having rayiShed us with
her music, she stepped out on the balcony,
leaning on her fathers arm to enjoy the
moonlight On such occasions Jack seem
ed strangely affected, and would either
break forth into voluminolls praises OF her
grace and beauty. or sit gazing merely at
the apparition. Such 4 state OF affairs
led me naturally enough to the conclusion
that whatever might he the matter with
Ferrars, the fair cantatricc had something
to do with it.
One afternoon we resolved to have It
row down the loch, and as crossed the
lawn. with an oar over each shoulder,
CHANGED to glance at Colonel llallam 5
window. where the two ladies were seat
ed sewing. The younger one was sean
ming me with half-amused expression
in her brown eyes; and as Jack came
stuntering down the gravel path, with Il
hand in each pocket, Iuuietly said: Miss
llallam's at the window"
He looked in the direction indicated,
and to my surprise, he Immediately blush
ed up like a girl
"Why. Jack, old fellow, what is the
matter?" | asked, with a smile | could
not rcpress Miss Italian was viewing
us with the aid Of an opera-glass.
"Pshaw' Harding, get on board quick
and row as well as YOU can" he answered,
throwing himself in the stern Of the boat,
in n position where the sunshine struck
forclbly on his handsome face and auburn
locks
! bent as gracefully as could to my
oars-I had been a fair oarsman at Cam
bridge - and soon the little craft was
skmming far over the sunlit ripples
As it was still early when we returned,
we strolled down the road until it would
he time to 90 in for dinner, when. turn
ing Il corner, we came suddenly upon
Miss lIalam and her father, mounted on
Il couple of splendid grays. As She can
tered past Us with Il smile, her beautiful
tace flushed With the exercise, | certainly
thought had never seen any one halt 50
lovely. Her perfect form; the grace OF
every fold of her dark green riding habit; !;
the indescribable coils and twists of her
brown hair, with the sunshine shad dowing
it TO gold; the coquettlsh little itlt hat
turned up on one side. with its dancing
plume and streaming gassamer - COM
bined to make up charming tout en-
~Htb}c which was altogether Irresistible.
Jack stared hard after her in open-mouth-
cd admiration for such an indecent length
Of time was constrained to accuse him,
'Ferrars. YOU admire Miss Ilallam.
said
lie had his head bent, and was kicking
the dead leaves with his feet rs he walk
ed. When he raised his blue eyes they
We're filled with the expression of Il pas
sion | had never noticed in them before.
and which fully corroborated the tour
words he uttered as his eyes met mine !:
II do love her. "
Strange rs it may seem, was thunder
struck at the announcement. Much as !
had noted the change in Ferrars, had
hesitatcd to ascrihc it to the circumstance
OF his being in love. protested and rag
ed against such folly-tallng in love with
u lady with whom he had never exchang-
ed Single word. For answer, passion
ate confession was poured into my aston
ished ears, in which he vowed he must
a ld would win her. Matters We're made
considerably worse when we received our
letters that evening informing US of busl-
ness engagements requiring our lmmedl-
ate return to town. 1t would be mpossi-
BILE for us to remain more than three days
longer.
'liumph your time is rather limited,
Ferrars," said, with more sarcasm than
| sympathy. you'll be \ pretty sharp tel-
| low if ycu WOO and win handsome girl
in three days
The next morning he came down to
breakfast, locking pale and haggarl.
don't believe he had slept all night, but
made no inquiries, as | felt annoyed al
this alarming impulse of my old friend
and was altogether out of temper will
this adventure of his. He ate little or NJ
| breakfast, and looked 50 detected that a
last my sympathies were aroused. and
shouted cheeriully:
"Cheer up, old fellow; We'll manage i
all beautifully, and you'll 90 up to Lon
don the accepted suitor Of Miss IIallam.
Gradually he became more animated
and began to talk, and finally quite shock
ed me by declaring that he was going t
write and propose to Miss Ilallam tha
very day. | considered him to be simpl,
mad, but he had apparently thought i
we'll over, and was determined wha
course to adopt.
But, Jack, the thing is preposterous,
| argued; ''she knows nothing about you
Can you expect anything but distinc
reusal?"
And what would you recommend !?
he asked, curling his upper lip as he wait
ed for my advice.
"Why, get introduced to her first, AM
wait at least until you know her littl
before you make such a proposal" saiC
"IIave | not been waiting for the las
two monthsr he answered. ''And do yo
forget that in two days must leave thi
place There is no time for waiting now
it must be action, immediate and peremr
torym
And are you quite determined to do
this-ths thing?"
"Quite.''