The Morning herald., 1878-05-23

village. I says to Mrs. Haghes one-aay, =
when I went up there with fresh eggs, as it
must besa dull life fora young thing like
that, and it were.a pity Abe didn't make no
friends, but she snapped me up quite short,
and says: She's best as she is, she says.
Shell get mora harm than good from
friends, as you cal EN-. She's got her boy,
and don't want nobody more But, for all
that, maintains that it sint good nor q
natural life for purity young lady like her
to lead, aud dull work for that blessed child
of hers, bless his art ,a
"Perhaps she'll get over it in time" re-
marked Geoffrey, pushing his chair back
from the table. 1T must have been great
shock to lose her husband so young. You
can clear away Mr. Williams"
Lighting his pipe, ha LETT the tiny room
for lis usual evening walk, but ON this
night he did not turn his steps toward the sea.
He strolled slowly up the village, the low
white houses Of which ran straight back
from the beach up d gentle incline, ill he
came TO read whiel brancheG off to the
right and ran along the top of the cliff,
Down this he turned feeling pretty sure
now whose was the cottage he had SO many
times admired. It stood back from the
r0;sl in its pretty garden, nearly hidden ny
the high plantation that ran along inside
the rustic wooden p..iilgs, & tlatched roof
and tllatch1d yeraDda, over which roses
and honeysuckle cGcpt, giving picturesque
look which pleased the artistic eye Of GooE.
frey Chetwynd,
1T would make a pretty sketch, " thought
he, as he looked over the little gate. i
wonder if there is any place near where |
could good view OF i4?-~in this field pei
hlps, and, opening n fye-barred gate, he
entered an adjoining meadow. lie WAS
standing first in one SPOT and then another,
absorbed IN his an&ietT to get q favorable
frs that stood behind tAa cottage, when q
sweet young voice fell upon his ear, singing
the old ballad The Banks OF Allan Water"
1t Was fayorite air OF his-ono that his
mother had sung to him many and many
time in the old days, and his heart sWcll7d
with mingled piin and pleasure as the sad,
sweet memories OF childhood came thron8lng
back, The voice that sang it now was full
of pathos and expression, telling OF deep,
strong feeling in its owner; and Geotireys
interest i'll the pretty young widow was con-
siderably deepened. The song ended; 81
lence followed.
I'm glad she did not sing another" he
thought, ''to destroy the effect OF that and
then, with the sad strain ringing in his cars,
he wandered on along the cliffs, reyeling IN
the beauty Of the night and the Stiffness ard
loneliness Of the place. 1t was nearly mid
night when he re-enttred the village Every
window had long been darkened, for the
primitive villagers wisely eschewed late
hours. Mrs. Williams was sleeping soundly
as he quietly let himself i'll and sought his
tiny bedroom and, in spite OF gray eyes
and sweet singing, Godfrey also was soon
in the land of dreams when once his head
had touched the pillow, for his was not
susceptible natures
But with morning sunshine came the re-,
collection of his previous days adventure,
and Sandbeach did not seem 50 utterly dull
and featureless as it had hitherto. Perhaps
the young widow and her boy would be ON
the sands in the morning, and he might be-
come better acquainted with the former,
who certainly would be more companlonable
thon his small friend. The tide was too
low for him to bathe before breakfast, and
he was too wise q man to do so Immediately
after; sO having given his orders i'll bach
elor style to Mrs Williams, mentioning two
or three things that he should like for din
ner and being met in each case by some IN
surmoulGable objection, he wound up with
the customary remark: ''All right, Mrs
Wllla.4is-give me what you can get, SO long
as it isn't boiled mutton" lighted his pipe,
and walked off to the beach. 1t was the
same scene there as llsual-a few fishermen
in groups, passing casual remarks on the
weather at long intervals, one or two mend
ing their nets here or there several children
searching for shell-tish in the pools LETT by
the tide among the scattered rocks on the
sands; the three daughters Of the Vicar pa
tiently waiting for chance to bathe, one
reading Macaulay aloud otwo who talked,
all three being far too decorous to raise their
eyes as that strange and dangerous animal,
a young man, passed by; but, as Geotfrey
had discovered at q glance that they had
white faces plentifully freckled, black hair
and small eves-throe abominations i'll his
sight-he did not heed their cruel coldness
but passed on in search of fairer FORM
He soon discovered the pair he sough
seated on a projecting slab of rock under
the shadows Of the cliffs. the mother stitch
ing away diligently at. some tiny garment,
the child dabbling in pool by her side with
a gutta-percha dog. At sl8nI " Neolliey
his face glowed with delight, and he shouted
loudly: ,
"Come up here, man. It's SO cool-and
I'm teaching my dog to SWIM" .rr
Godfrey hesitated, raising his hat as the
mother looked up. He scanned her face for
any look Of disapproval or encouragement,
but perceived neither-nothing but the
calmest Indifference; and, nettled once
more, he answered:
"Thats ysur mammals work-room. Ask
her if may"
"Oh yes, you may come! Mamma
doesn't mind" declared Mister Cecil, pa
an wan pn