The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-11-03

! has the same name rs the estate, Dut he "aIi's
to sell it, and will take fl fair price. | must
get Parker to see if there is any more land III
| the ncighborhood have written to Mr.. Les
combc to say that I shall probably run down
and look at the place, more especially rs had
an old association with it,"
Just at this moment a page entered the
smoking room and handed Major Eveleigl, a
| letter on "A salver.
"By JOve, its the Lcscombc postmark' EX
cusc me if read it. Light up again, old man
| The major read the letter, and appeared
much gratitied by the contents
This is really very kind and gentlemanly
Read 1t, Hardy
"LEscoMBE HALL, June 10"
Anniversary of the battle of Wartcrloo
murmured Mr.. Hardy
Quite right Hardy. Whatever else We
forget, we will never forget the battle of Water
! loo"
| Mr. Hardy went on with the letter;
DEAR SIR: If you have any idea OF com
| ing into our part Of the country, we shall be
extremely pleased if you will come and stay
here as long AS may suit your convenience. II
YOU think of purchasing the place, this will
give you an opportunity of acquainting your
self infinitely with all the details Of the prop
crty What you say about the hall having
originally belonged to Your family, is full OF
| interest 10 me. Their tradition still fingers in
the countryside, and is uniformly favorable &c
them | shall be extremely pleased to have
| the opportunity of showing hospitality to one
who no doubt is worthy descendant of the
old owners, and may be the owner himself
You probably know that we are rather scqucst
cred and the neighborhood is thin, but We will
do our best TO make your stay pleasant. Yours
faithfully, "LEsCoMBE LEsCoMBE"
1t was quite II new sensation to Maj Or Eve
leigh to find himself in the pleasant guest
chamber of the old mansion at Lcscombe
From this chamber he caught distant view
Of the sea, and in another direction he looked
beyond the carriage drive and the meadows to
the little village and its gray tower, standing
foursquare to every wind that blows" Major
Eveleigh afterwards declared that quite re.
markablc mental mood came upon him as he
awoke that first morning in the guest chamber
! assure you, Hardy" he once said, months
and months afterwards to his old friend, II felt
a most singular sensation. The room and
every O. icct in the room seemed singularly ia.
miliar to me | seemed TO be in place which
seemed perfectly familiar to me. Was it n
transmitted feeling from my ancestors that
was sharing in what had been their eXperien
ces, or was it propctic feeling about times to
come: :"
He had wondered very much who the we"
could be; he had accidentally heard that there
was no Mrs LcscOmbc. Did Lcscombc have
an editorial habit OF describing his own indi
vdualty as I'VE" or had he any people of his
own who would help to make his visit pleas
ant Oncy He discussed the matter as he went
down by the express, and came to the sage con
clusion that time would show He came in
late for the train had been delayed, and after
some sherry and water, had gone to bed.
We have made him express his feelings
when he first awoke next morning. He tubbed
and felt prepared for breakfast and business
When he came down, the we was most sat,
acknowledgement Miss Lcscombc wa, pre-
siding: fresh ana fair as morning itself, per.
haps with "a little con,traint abou, her, but
with natural graciOuSncss which would not
for moment allow him to suppose himself
an unwclCOmc guest.
1t takes three generations 10 make gentle
man. arguing on the untiiyorablc hypothesis
tina, ia" original jcscombc of Lc-combc hard
" came under that denomination. But in tho
| third generation the Lcscomhc line burst int
a radiant flower, Gertrude Lescumbc was
| lily among lilies, lady among ladies. Ar
! only child mothcrlcss, living in remote par
of The country, her fathers companion and hclI
! in everything. she had an unusual strength and
decision of character. Her father, born and
bred in the country had taken heartily TO the
pursuits which his own father had not cared
for The ncighborng squire called on HIM
and liked him. The lordlicutcnant of. the
county invited him 10 dinner, and asked him
To be u magistrate The bishop of the diocese
! holding confirmation AT LcsCOmbc church
stayed at LcsCombe Hall, and hoped that il
! Mr.. LcsCombc came to town he would look
| him up at the AthenGum club. People common
monty said that Gertrude Lcscombc would bC
an hcircss and capital wife. A capital wife
she would certainly be 10 any man fortunate
enough to get her, but rs things were gOingoI
| il was by no means so clear that She wOul real
! ~ he an hcircss.
Great Roadway was made with the break
fast, but none with the business, The curiOu,
thing was, this business was soon relocated in
to the background and then seemed to vanish
Squire lcsCOmbc showed his guest over In,
house and outbuildings Conservatives and gar
dcns showed his horses, dogs and stock; bu
it was entirely in the way that country gentle
men treat their visitors, Then he took hin
into the old church, where the major WORKED
Iup the arrivals, functions and departures o
his ancestors. II was very strange that the ole
clerk should remember more about his grand
father than he did himself and The old ClCrl
was literally rewarded Tor his good memory
Then they went down the little bay, and hence
forth the major substituted plunge in the SCI
for his morning tub. Mr. Lcscombc was
most generous type of host. Nothing was lief
undonc that could add to the happiness of hi
visitor and that without the slightest though
of scltshncsS. But, somehow, Gertrude Les
Combc formed the chief element in that exceed
ing happiness. She stccrcd when he put th'
boat out to sea; she rode out with him or tool
him ont in her basket carriage TO see the chic
points of interest in the ncighborhood. Sh
took him out 10 ST. Julinn'S Point that h
might sketch the old ruins, and The white cliff,
and the grca, and wide sea- beyond, and III
Contortcd rocks which rose ont Of the depth
not far from shore As for business, he lcil
to his man Of business, Mr. Parker and to tn
n gentleman. whoever he might he, who was III
Mr. Parker On the other side of the question.
O, why couldn't things 80 on in the pleas
| ant way in which they were going on: VIII
!, should the ugly husincss element De AWAY
obtruding itself in thcmid>t of pleasant things
| One day they were sitting oycr their wine
sitting down over port and Clarct, which tn