Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-10-13


seQuestered and the neighbOrhood is thin, but
we We will do our best TO make your stay
pleasant. Yours faithfully,
"LkSCoMBE LESCOMBF."
IL was quite new sensat on to Major
Eveleigh 10 find himself 10 the pleasant guest
chamber of the old mansion at Lescombe.
From this chamber he caught distant view
of the sea, and in another direction he lookei
beyond the carriage drive and the meadows
TO the little village and its gray tower,
standing four-square to every wind that
blows" Major Eveleigh afterwards declared
n at quite remarkable mental mood came
upon him as he awoke that first morning in
Il assure you, Hardy" he once said,
months and months afterwards TO his old
friend. :" felt most singular sensation.
The room and every object in the room
seemed strangely familiar to me. Was 1t
transmitted feeling from my ancestors that
was sharing in what had been their expert
eDces, or was 1t prophetic feeling about
times to Gomez"
He had wondered very much who the "we'
could he; he had accidentally heard that
there was 10 Mrs. Les cCmbe. Did Lescombe
have an editorial habit of describing his own
individuality as "we," or had he any people
OF his own who would help to make his visit
pleasant one? He discussed the matter as
he went down by the express, and came TO
the sage conclusion that time would show
He came in late, for the train had been de
layed, ard, after some sherry and water, had
gore to bed.
We have made him express his feeling
when he awoke next morning. He tubbed
and felt prepared for brea fast and business
When he came down, the 1--WE" was mos
satisfactorily explained. Miss Lescombe
was presiding, fresh and fair as morning
Itself, perhaps with little constraint about
her, but with natural graciOusness which
would not for moment allow him 10 sup
pose himself an unwelcome guest. Great
Roadway was made with the breakfast but
noI e with the business. The curious thing
was, this business soon relegated into the
background, and then Sc med to vanish.
Squire lescOmbe showed his guest over the
house and oUtbuildings, COnser atOrieS and
garden =; IL Ow Ell his horse S, dogs and stock;
but ii was entirely in The way that country
gentlemen tire al their visitors. Then be took
him into the OLD church, where the Major
worked up The arrivals. functions and de
Iarjures" OF his ancestors. II was very
strange that The old clerk should RENE aber
more about h y grandfather than he did n m
self, and The old clerk was literally &c wardet
for his good memory. Then they went down
The bay, and hencefOrt1 the Major euGstI-
tuted n plunge in the sea for his morning
tub. MI. Lescombe was most generous
type of host Nothing was left undone that
could add TO the happiness of his visitor, and
that without the slightest thought OF selfish
ness. But, somehow, Gertrude Lescombe
formed the chief element in that exceeding
happiness. She steered when he put the boat
Out 20 SEA; she rode out with him or took him
out in her basket carriage TO see the chief
POINTS of interest in the neghboIhoOi. She
took him out TO ST. Julian's Point, that he
might sketch the old ruins, and the white
cliffs, and the great and wide sea beyond,
depths not far nom shore. AS for business,
he left ii 10 his man of business, Mr.. Parker,
ard to the gentleman, whoever he might be,
WHO was the Mr. Parker on the other side of
the question.
y, why couldn't things go on in the pleas
ant way in " INCH they were going on? Why
should the ugly business element be always
obtTuding itself in the midst of pleasant
thing?
one day they were sitting over their wine
sitting down over Port and ciaret, which the
old ste OK jobber had had down half a century
The Major was holding his glass to the
light and enjoying the rich ruby tint.
. Do you think you will like the place,
Il do, indeed; more especially as 1 find
that there viii be good deal OF land in the
market soon, and Mr.. Parker sends me word
that he has secured the refusal of it,"
My man, MI. No rdaunt, will give your
man, Mr.. Parker, all the deeds and parlicu
lars"
81 have told Mr.. Parker that 1 shall be
perfectly content with any proposal that Mr..
MOrdaunt makes" II will be seen that our
Major was Lot a hard man OF business TO
deal with.
Il assure you, my dear fellow, l shall give
up TO you with greater pleasure than TO any
other living man; You are the right man in
the right place. \ our peOple Were here, and
il seems only right that you should come
back 10 II again"
And II certainly was case Of more poet.
icai justice han ole often finds IN The world
DC 1,es connie bought the estate with his city
money, aud here comes a descendant of the
Old STOCK who buys IL back.
Mr. Lescompe wanted 10 sell bis estate
Land sells well and hardly produces two per
Cent. 10 the buyer. He wanted the money
which would be some 10000, which would
pay OF all his liabilities aid leave him the
money thai wou u suffice for watering place
existence. But ii did seem hard lines TO him
that be must give up the old place. He had
taken TO the country as thoroughly as his
father before b M had been unable 10 do so
. IL
iiOas of sdle there was q sentence respecting
"1mint diate pOss session" The immej iate
posse e. sion was allvery well on the side of
receiving Immediate payment, but 1t was
not SO well on the side Of Immediately turn
ing out.
But ii must be done, thought the Squire re-
morsetully; It was now becoming high time
in Bath or Cheltenham. He must put things
IN order, gather up his scattered sheaves.
He must begin at once, and first of all with
was piteous sight to see the old man in his
den, bringing together fishing rods and lines,
books and papers, disturbing things which
all his life long had never been disturbed.
He 'ound, when the time now came that be
could be transplanted, how deeply his whole
being had taken root in the soil. He was
soon tired and bewildered, leaning his face
on his hands and moaning.
just then Gertrude entered the room.
Papa dear" she said, feeling uneasy, aud
moving quickly towards him, - What is the
There is nothing the matter, dear only
an rather put out this morning. 1t makes
me sorry TO leave the old place"
Sorry! / should think SO, indeed. / be-
gin TO hate that Major Eveleigh. The notion
OF his tuning Us out OF doOrsn'
All, Gertrude, Gertrude, is this statement
strictly veraciOus and historic? After all
those walks and rambles, is there only q
spirit of hatred implanted in your celestial
breast?
"It is 10 fault of his, my dear" said the
old man. " He only comes because / want
to 90. And he comes in much more pleas
ant aud liberal way than many would
cOme.'
' But 1t is so hard that We should have to
go, owing to those shocking banks and rail-
ways
{" You will erjoy the change TO Bath or
Cheltenhan, my dear. Plenty of society,
promenades, balls, concerts"
" Some girls might enjoy II, papa, but not
j; at least not for more than q week or two.
i think LescOmbe the most beautiful spot in
the whole world; the sea, the combes, the
moor, the mountains, the woods"
a. know II, my dear. / know II as we'll as
you do. But, Gertrude, you are not a child
You know all my affairs as well as / know
them myself Let US be grateful that this
sale will enable US TO leave the place with
md lxrn r1noc In IN ,~lx