Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-08-01
An Independent Opinion.

Arabella was my beloved object, and
with Arabella and her aunt | was to
travel from London to Exeter. She
was young and charming, but, as even
then perceived, somewhat frivolous in
character. She liked dancing, and
what was worse-dancing with military
men rather than with civilians and she
had no opinion of her own as to books
that is to say, she was not quite so GER
tam as she ought to have been (for |
Was) OF the supreme excellence of par
ticular story of mine which had not only
been given to the public in q three-vol-
ume form, but had recently obtained the
honors of a cheap edition. She liked to
hear what other people thought about
IT." which was clearly an act of disloy-
atty to me, as well as proof Of her want
OF Judgment and independence of char
acter. She said "she didn't care for the
opinions of friends and relatives about
1t, q remark which showed her to be
deficient in natural affection and the rev.
erence that is implanted even in the
breast of the savage; and she wanted to
know II L was personally acquainted
with my reviewers, which argued sus-
picion of the basest sort.
Nevertheless, / loved Arabella, and
would have married her if an allowance
of one hundred pounds year and tastes
that would have done honor to one of a
thousand, would have permitted it. AS
it was, we had agreed to wait and live
in hope, which is certainly preferable to
living on it.
At Paddington Station, after seeing
the ladies comfortably settled in the car
| 1.ia of / tn {hn c+o
to see if the Bandit of the Apennines u
Git was meta domestic story like this by
any means) was properly displayed, and
| to put few careless questions as to how
it was going off. In point of fact, !
meant to buy it, for | always encouraged
sale in that way whenever took jour
ney. To my surprise and horror there
was not a copy on the stall. "This is
the way" thought |, that great reputa.
tions are burked." However, COM
manded my temper (Which is beautiful
but hasty) so far as to ask of the person
in charge how this infamy had occurred
"Well, SIR" said he, "the explanation
is very simple; we have just sold thc
last copy of that book" - ~ n
If | had had one to spare--but th,
fact was, that fare to Exeter had made
great hole in my quarters allowance
could have given that man a sovereign
"Is there any other book, sirpp h
continued, winningly.
"Other bookp No, indeed" though
I. 81 hate your railway literature.
And had / not got my Arabella, tn
prettiest picture-book in the world, Il
look at throughout the journey?
1.-THE sale of the Bandit is prett
good, suppose?" remarked l, indiffeI
emily.
"fts very quiet" he answered, dryly
Now, what could be mean by that +?
The term "quiet" as applied to til
Bandit of the Apennines 50 was a mon
strous misnomer; he lived, in fact, in
lurid atmosphere made up of combats
escapes, and wholesale massacres; til
man must, therefore, have restricted hi
observations to the sale of the book only
In that case he probably meant "quietl
prosperous mot influenced by fits an
starts of public favor, but growing MOI
: and more into popularity as its merit
became known.
"You say, my man, that you hay
just sold the last copy" said |, atfabl,
"Would you kindly tell me--for hal
pen to take an interest in the author
how many copies did you take to begi
+ WITH"
"Jem," cried he to q small boy at h
side, whose head was only half aboN
the counter, How many had we ;
first of that ere Bandit Of the Apel
ninesp'"
"Oh. that? We never had but one
replied the small boy,
Again l say that,I trust the desire I
blood is not so culpable in the eyes
the recording angel as the actual imbru
ment of the hand in human gore.
| fled to my railway carriage with Il
smothered execration of Dear mel"
found there not only Arabella al
her aunt, but another passenger--a mi
dle-aged gentleman (but old in my eyes
who would have made very nice cor
panion for the latter, if could only ha-
persuaded them to remove into anoth
. compartment and to leave us two alon
Z But the selfshness Of old age is prove