The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-06-30

, the choice hae to be made They were clos
to the &c Gsss,s nov While John ssooped TO on
! long considering look at the building befor
her. Its stragglipg front, with the ivy grow
; towers and irregularly shaped doors and win
: dove, the neglected premises behind, the ram
bling untidy garden all intensely uuhomelik'
In her eyes, but from that moment her homo
She swallowed the bitter portion with gulp
after. taste bitter.
'Johu," she said, putting her hand on his
shoulder, 90 he held open the gate for ber
"you misunderstood me. I was only making
up my mind slowIy, SIS you know do. 1 have
| looked ct it all round, and If really have q
veto, decide on staying here. There is q great
deal to be said in favor of Lesbia's plan"
You really think so My dear Bride, how
glad am"
1t wac provoking to see how his face bright
ened. Bride hurried up the walk, and, to
escape further conversStion, set herself vigor-
| ously to work TO rub the mud from her boots
on the door mat, as if she could think of moth
ing forther till she had obliterated all trace of
her wet walk from her person.
| "!t's of no use." she said to herself as she
worked away; II don't come into the house the
same person that / went out. know it's q
! to forget this wet walk as long as live. In
il have turned leaf in my book of life, and
| 1 can't put back the page. Whatever the new
reading is, I've got from this time to begin to
spell it out"
There were other people in Castle DAILY that
day besides Bride Thornley, who always had to
look back upon that wet afternoons walk as
one CT those turning points in ife-places
where two roads meet-which in after hours
tempt the thoughts go often to recur to them
In vague wonder ss to how it would have been
lowed.
Ellen and Sir Charles Pelham entered the
house minute or two after Bride quilted the
ball, having also come to the conclusion of q
conversation that decided the principal events
of several lives. Ellen orept mp. stairs wearily
looking. very pale and subdued; and Sir
Charles ruddy face. as he turned into the H.
6rary and stood warming bis hands over the
fire, wore an unusually thoughtful, puzzled
expression. He was bnsy making up his mind
whether he was most annoyed or gratifed at
the result of step he had taken on q sudden
good natured impulse, aroused by the pisiful-
ly red and swollen state of Ellen's eyelids
well, Marmadnke, my boy" he said to his
son. who entered the room in the midst of bis
muslpg, so you've come in I was just think |
ing about you, ana wishing for q chance of
speaking to you alone. I've had it all out with
your cousin Ellen. thought it best, for you
and she seemed so down hearted aud misera-
BILE, poor girl, thought it would cheer her to
know there was better prospect before her |
than she had any right to expect"
"You don't mean to say. father, that you've |
been talking TO Ellen about what con6ded to |
you last uightf Why, I've never said word |
of the kind my self to her yet"
II was paving the way for you, and very
grateful you ought to be to me for it, knowing |
as yon do the opinions 1 hold against cousins |
marrying, aud the little inclination I have to |
this match there are not many fathers who
would have set about suoh piece of businesB
for their eidt 81 sons, can tell you"
she listened to what You said you think
have chsncei'
"Of course she listened to me, and though
you may fancy have not the matter as deep
~ at heart as yourself, you may rest assured
that if she can't be induced to see your offer in
the light you could wish, it is not for the want
OF having had its advantages placed before
her. My dear l said, 'Marmaduke eusprised
mo very much yesterday after the funeral by
9 speaking to NE about the affection he says he
has long entertained for you, and then went
on. OF course, did not pretend that il was
precisely the match thst your mother and I
shonld have chosen for. being cousins. and SO |
on, bot nothing could be kinder or more en-
coursging than my manner to her. We are
all very fond of you, my dear, said, and We
would give yoa q cordial welcome into the
family, and do our best to make you heppy,
and take good care of you. You know yon are
boz exactly fit TO take care of yourself; I Bgid;
you are unfortunately like your poor dear
father, too full of generous feeling to be able
to cope with the WORLD and then, to prove my
point, just instanced her imprudencs in GO
ing ont with those people on the night of her
The inquest, which has set everyone in the
neigh hood talking of her, when she came
forward u second time to give evidence in ia
vor of the old bag whom everyone bat herself
believes to be in league with the murderers,
aud who is, at all events, doing all she can to
shield them from justice now. 'Of oourse,' |
'dlu, neltner nor any or my family would !
think for an instant of accusing you of want
If proper feeling. 1 only speak Of these things I
20 show You how liable you are to be miscon-
'trned when You follow your quick impulses {
without consulting anyone, and how much I
better off you will be under the guidance of o {
sensible, kind hearted husband, such as Mar.
naduke will make you, who has known you
Ill your life, and will understand better than {
anyone else can how to take care of you'" &
II am sorry you said all that, father; che /
will think am not satisfied with her as che is,
md that's not true. She may say and do what 6
he likes for me, there's not an English girl /
we ever seen fit to hold o candle to her. g
wish you bad let me speak for myself" {
ut would have been o waste Of words. It's '
10 suoh great privile &c to be refosed, should t
ay, that you need look black ct me for taking Q
he bront of your first offer on myself. Pii l
lever take SO much trouble again in any of c
our love affairs can tell you, for I've argued I
md talked iu the mist till I've made my throat
ore. She has just the same kind of obstinaoy /
hat her poor father had. You think che ia Y
greeing with every word You say, and then t
he turns round and twists it all to prove her Q
wn side OF the argument. She'll marry some L
out at.elbows Irishman, who will O
ak 6AntiInenk 6O her hv ha IND hr;r | +