The Morning herald., 1878-05-23

iher. He had noticed the sad beautiful
young face in the little village church on
the previous Sunday, aid woadered who she
was, and how she came to be there all
alone, for Cecil was not with her then.
II did. not see your sister sitting there"
ne said, turning to the child once more; II
! wondered at your being here alone. So
! Cecil looked up in amazement.
+ Il haven't O sister he said, in puzzled
tone; "theres only mamma and me-"
"That can't be Your mamma p exclaimed
Geoffrey, puzzled in his turn; ''she's quite
'.she isn't girl she's my mamma. and
ever SO old and big" answered Cecil, def
antly "but some day shall be bigger than
she is she says, and older, too, most
likely"
II don't see how you are going TO manage
the latter part, my llll!c man. But where's
your papa!" @s
q haven't papa only @ mamma" an !
swerad Cecil, dropping the string and diving /
after it, thereby wetting his sleeve nearly to !
the elbow. ''Please catch my boat again; |
it's gone, and i've had enough Of playing .
with it now I'm going 10 take it to nlltln- ,
ma to keep for me-" .'
"All right. And ask mamma if you may
come for a walk with me along the sands.
Tell her III carry you # you are tired, and
bring you back in hall al hour th d - !,
'Ycs, that viii be fine, said the child
clapping his hands with delight "but
must have my shoes and socks on. Can
you waltz r.E
eyes, I'll wait. Run and ask her. an
swered Godfrey fitting Ills hat over hi3
eyes and looking ont to sea, whilst Cecil
Soampered to his mother, shouting LIS re-
quest ~ he ran.
Gaolrey C4etwynd was lonely ana was
ic1d OF children, but for all that Cecil bor-
roYed III interest from his mothers beauty.
Saudbeach would net be SO dCll if enlivened
b. al occasional chat with this pretty
widow, and he listened with some anxiety
for the answer.
Go for u walk with lila?" he heard the
sweet clear tones say. ''les, it he wants
you, and you will be back in hall an hour.
It will be tea-tlme by then, and we must 50
home.
The utter indifference Of the tone piqnel
Geottreys vanity If he had been al ugly
old woman, she could not have shown less
interest in his doiugs. We're all men to her
now like shadows? Geoffrey Cletwynd did
not believe in any young member OF the op-
pcs ta sex feeling 10 interest whatever III q
good-looking man it was contrary to his
experience.
Her heart is still in the grave Of the
loved and lost But she will gut over tlMt
at her age, he thought, as he waited tor the
child ''What child she must have been
when she married She can't be more than
two or three and twenty now, and that boy
must be four OF five years old. Perhaps
he's step-child. No, that can't be either,
because Of the likeness Here be comes -
as the boy came scamperins toward him
with glowing checks.
sLook at your watch, please, and see
what time We must be back, he exclaimed.
eve may be gone whole half-hour. Can
we 60 far away in that timer i.
'Ear" enough for those small legs ex-
pect-perhaps as far as that Big rock out
there s's
"Yhat's not very far vay,s Cecil said,
sccrnfully. ''Why, mamma can go as far as
that, and she's only woman! 1thousght
men could walk q lot more than women.
$50 they can generally, answered Geof-
frev, smiling but I've been ill., and, as
shall probably have to carry yoa part OF the
way, / don't think We Will be too ambi-
| tious." E - Sa
II thought men were never ill only wo-
men and little children2 What made. you
illY" "~~+ -'ah@"- "&.---1 8,.3
| ttDoing too much, working g,r too=.hard,
learning too many lessons, replied 4Geof-
frey trying to make himself understood
! "Now, then, I'll tell you q story. There
was once little boy" .i "a511 q
And Jack aud the ioanstalk' was recited
in such thrilling sentences that Cecil lis
tened entranced 1t listed till they reached
the rock, and there they seated themselves
| to rest and finish it, by which time twenty
| minutes of the half-hour had fled, and Cecil
| had to be mounted on his friends back that
| they might return at swifter pace: Flush
ed and breathless, they reached the spot
where the young mother stood waiting tor
| them. With slight smile, she looked up
at Geofrey. -.
"Thank you for your kindness to him."
she said, taking the boys hand 'Im
| afraid you have made yourself very warm
"a little" he replied, lifting his hat and
| tossing back his hair. 1--WE were afraid VIC
| should be late. Good night, Cecil"
"Good night. But why can't you come
home to tea with us?" said the child
you're such fun-do come" ,
Godfrey laughed, whilst the mothers
| cheeks Redeemed slightly.
"You wouldn't like it if I did ; eat such
| lot that there would be nothing LETT for
| YOU. Wouldn't that be dreadful? Good
! night we'll have another walk some day"
| And then Geoftrey Chetwynd stood alone,
watching the recoding figures OF his new
| friends.
! CHAPTER IL