Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-12-04
ADA'S FORTUNE,
A STORY OF ENuLISH LIFE,

STORY OF E>UL4SH LIFE.
On the evening of tn, ara of March. at nine
O'Clock, twas raining eats and dogs on Barnes
Common. a gentleman. who had been taking
tea in small villa of the neighbOrhOOd, had
his umbrella blown inside out as he emerged
into the road on his way home. The voice of a
SympathiZing maid servant called at him from
the doorway. suggesting that she should run
and fetch cab: but he CONSIDERABLY answer
ed that If cab were prOcurable he could find
II for himSelf-which was said. however. in a
tone implying that a cab on Barnes Common
Al such an hour and on such night was a
Thing the stranger did not expect tO meet. He
was. therefore as much surprised as delighted,
when. before stepping into the twelfth puddle,
he deserted an undOubted GROWER jogging
along with horse and driver both in a state of
saturation. score of yards separated him
from this cheering sight he hallOOed ran for
ward, and had Just ordered the man TO drive
him To 81. James street. when a buxom lady of
nifty and young one, apparently her daugh-
yer. who were both struggling with their UNI
brellas as he had just been doing, arrived pant
ing on the scene. and exclaimed in dismay nj
1 t.g ms solitary eao already engaged; As
the elderly lady's fOrtifude, she lowered her
umbrella and allowed the rain to shower as it
listed on her detected face and the two sausage
eurls that fianked it.
"Oh, dear. dear.' said she wretchedly
The stranger was not of an age To hear any
was young and well dressed. You could tell
by his manner that his anxiety TO escape a
soaking was promoted by sense of the phys
parsimOniOuS regard for his coat and boots.
Lifting his hat, he at once impaired comfort
70 the mOurners. and stamped himself as a
person of polite breeding.
"Praytake the cab" he said. - / will only
beg your leave TO sit on the box until We come
across a hanson or something" and he assisted
both ladies To step into the vehicle before it
could occur 10 them TO say yea or nav.
He was not allowed TO ride on the box, how
ever. The elderly lady naturally insisted on
his getting i'm with them. They were going to
Fnlham, said she. which was not far. If he
would deposit them at their door, he could
pursue the rest of the way alone, and like a
person who is particular in money matters.
she added that She would pay her share of the
fare. BY this time, the cab having started.
the riot of its springs rendered speech inaudi-
Bile, but the matTOn, DESTROYS of proving her
gratitude. screamed that she was much Obliged
Tor what the stranger had done, for she would
have caught her death of cold in that wetting.
He bawed back that he was most happy, and
50 forth.
"Our name is TwiIes." proceeded the old
moment to take glass of sherry or cup of
tea, To warm YOU up"
Every day this entire winter he shouted
in answer. thinking she had spoken of the
long continued rains
And cigar with it. if You like. for Mr..
Iwilles is 4 great smoker retOrted the old
lady. still deeply intent upon hospitality. till
her daughter-whOm the occasional flashes of
1he roadside gaslamps showed to be pretty
girl of eighteen or sO-nudged her mother with
smile. and whispered that she and the gen.
1eman were playing at cross purposes. The
hvitatiOn, then renewed with louder vocifera-
mon, was declined on the ground of a late ap-
pointment. and soon afterwards the cab
stopped at pretty detached house, with gar
den IN front, The old lady honestly RENTED
kng piece He helped her and her daughter to
Shght, and made them both bow. and there
his adventure with them would have ended, il,
An hour Later. on arriving at his club he had
not found on the cushion of the seat which the
young lady had occupied. gold bracelet, with
me name OF Ada" engraved on il i'll tur-
qHOise.
The finder of this trinket was young and
nearly ruined baronet, Sir Charles Aylmer. A
good looking fellow, too blithe- tempered to
reckon the cost of pleasure or to sickle about
the company in which he sought it. He left a
handsome fortune on the turf without losing
his reputation along with it. He possessed Ger,
tain domestic procliyities which had survived
his acquired tendency toward dissipation.
Thus his visit to Barnes had been for the puT-
pose OF seeing an old nurse who had been pen
stoned by his family and with whom he went
TO take tea once regularly every quarter.
Modest "a these entertainments were, he rather
looked forward to and enjoyed them. for ma
ture had made him. like other pigeons. to live
In doye-eot, not to fly in the company, of
rocks. However, Charley Aylmer rather
shirked the idea of visit to Fulham to renew
An acquaintance with people who We're evil
IDENTITY not of his set, and il Is probable that he
would have simply sent back the bracelet by
his servant, with note. if the following day
had not been Sunday-that is, of all days he
truth, he was also little curious to see
whether the girl of eighteen was as pretty as
she had seemed TO his indistinct scrutiny in
Abe cab.
He consequently went to Fulham, arriving
Just as Mrs. Twilles and her daughter We're
SaK IN ib IRON anS hi g s
one who was expected. Ada had missed her
bracelet and was afraid she had dropped ii in
the road, which distressed her, for il was a
keepsake. Blushing slightly, the young lady
echoed her mothers thanks, and appeared to
She baronet very comedy girl, indeed, quite
gay and sensible too, with no misSish awk-
Wardness. but sparkling blue eyes that looked
you softly in the face and a complexion which
poets wrote about before the days when peren-
NAL rains soaked the lands. Sir Charles had
Just handed his card 10 the maid-servant when
the ladies' debOuched around the corner of the
road, and, as soon as Mrs. Twiles had read
the name upon IL, she evinced middle class ap-
probation OF aristOcratic prefixes by cOloring
% the cheek bones, and earnestly entreated
Abe baronet to luncheon. To have refused an
Invitation so cordially rendered would have
been discourteous act not in keeping with
Charley ,Aylmer,s character. He accepted
the guest would have been pleased also il
good Mrs. Twies had not begun Sir Char
losing" him at every phrase, and apologizing
for a number of things which called for no
apology, as for instance, the simplicity OF her
bin Of fare. the Plainness of her furniture. and
fhe absence of MIR. Twilles, who had gone 10
spend the day with friend at Putney. All
this did not prevent the luncheon from being
, m excellent two o'clock dinner OF joint and
Hr. Twilies but little. Besides Ada and her
mother, the family circle include three small
, eonsins-one boy and two girls-whO giggied
much and ate largely
Who Mr.. Twilles was did not transpire dur.
ing the banquet, nor did Aylmer trouble him.
self upon the point, seeing that Miss Ada,s ac-
eomplishments would have fitted her to grace
any social circle, even the highest He was
fairly eaptivated, and had not worldly wisdom
% conceal IT, Though the amusements of the
day were restricted to conversation the piano
remained closed and the garden untreadable
BY reason of the unusual dampness Ada wac
drawn into showing that she could talk on
most subjects, cleyerly, without fOrwardness