The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-04

lishman about him. He didn't draw, he
didn't lisp, he didn't say dag for dog, or
gel for girl: he didn't seem at all inclined
to talk about his home-a tendency
which we attributed to oaristocratic reserve
he didn't even wear side-whi,kers, but
the smallest of fair moustaches and, alto
gether, he was in no respect just what we
had expected 70 find him.
Charley, however, appeared to have
been singularly fortunate in extracting
his information, and brought us the re-
suit of his Investigations the next morn
ing after breakfast. Mr.. Nugent, he in
formed us, came from the parish of Liuth-
waite, in the West Riding of York,
which sounded beautifully. He was
second son, with delicate brother-this
always seems to be the case-and not
having devoted himself to any profession,
with view to succeeding to the estate,
he was merely travelling for pleasure.
Other particulars of les, importance my
brother gave us, but this was the sub
stance of his report, and to my great sur
prise, instead Of being grumpy and dis
agreeable about it, as / had feared, he
seemed as much interested in our Eng
lishman as we were ourselves, and APP
peared to find mysterious pleasure in
sitting little apart and benevolently
watching us whenever Mr.. Nugent hon
ored us with his attentions.
This state of affairs lasted three days,
during which we all became so extreme
ly English that there is no telling where
we were likely to stop. Our lion was
most impartial in his devotions, had
rowed Lilly, and walked with Minnie,
and proposed river excursion for us all.
which we sat discussing in the moon
light the night before it was to take
place. The beauties of the Hudson
formed the theme of our conversation.
Julia Terry, who had been abroad, said
she thought it far lovelier than the
Rhine. Mr.. Nugent, who appeared to
have been everywhere, warmly agreed
with her. Minnie Neal, who always
made a point of sitting on the porch
steps when there was moonlight, for the
sake of the effect on her fair hair, asked
him if he had ever seen it before. He
seemed surprised at the question, but
said, "oh, yes, he was familiar with every
turn of it."
"You must have improved your op-
portunities wonderfully" I thought,
considering what short time you have
been here"
"And what was the prettiest river in
England" asked Lilly, who appeared
devoured with sudden thirst for in
formation. ... .... .,ft.t...
"That he could hardly say. England
was full Of charming scenery, in some
respects it was unsurpassed; but nothing
at all like the Rhine or Hudson"
This we all knew before and there was
! little pause. Mr.. Nugent stroked his
fair mustache and looked dreamily hand
, some. We supposed him to be thinking
, of his far-off home, which he 80 proudly
refused to talk about 1t really was quite
romantic, if there were five of us, and
we hesitated to break the spell. Finally
he returned to me. "Apropos of Eng
land" he said, do you know, Miss Wes-
ton, you remind me very much of En-
glish girls"
"Do IT' l said, deliehtedly, while four
heads were turned to my direction, and
d four pairs of eyes looked envyingly at
my hitherto despised charms.
"Yes" he went on, sit struck me
when first saw you, though could not
, say Just where the resemblance lies.
Have you any English blood in you?"
"Not drop" answered, with a pang
of regret.
"0ddp he said, with laugh, neither
have l." .,.'
There was pause now in earnest. We
all sat as il spell-bound, waiting fol
what would come next, but as nothing
: did come, Lilly finally burst forth:
"But you were born in England
: weren't your "
r ''Certainly not" was the composed re
| ply. 81 was born in Poughkeepsie. NJ
gent sounds rather English, does it not
, but my father was an Irishman and IN,
e mothera Yankee"
y These were developments with yen
geance. .
: "Then, why. gasped, "why do yo7
= live in England?" ''
uoH u He sdlu, HoW sur pIlStu Ill III
y turn. II live in New York when a
y home; but Itravel good deal, both il
; this country and abroad, for my firm
e Humbull, Smith & Co." ''
"Humbull, Smith & Cop A dr.
d goods house, store where l had ofte
- bought my dresses; and he had merel
:, travelled on business through that Eng
e land where we had fondly dreamed wa
e planted his ancestral home. A ligh
flashed through my mind. Charley ha
I, betrayed us; had lied in wholesal
z fashion terrible to contemplate, and fc
l the last three days had quietly enjoye
e seeing r,s make fools of ourselves. LintE
It waite, the West Riding of York-th
u delicate brother-all had existed only i
'r his fertile imagination and on his ev
J. tongue. .t.......'
How shall I write more7 The nez
is day the real Englishman arriyed-a Ii
t, tie gray-haired, wizened man, who locke
r at least sixty-fve, and who signed hi
If name in tremulous little hand, Pete
a S. Smith. Thus perished our ILLUSION
o Mr.. Nugent suddenly found himsel