The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-10


then, with the sad strain ringing in his ears,
he wandered on along the cliffs, reveling in
| the beauty OF the night and the stiffness and
| loneliness of the place. 1t was nearly mid
night when he re-entsred 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 in and sought his
| tiny bedroom and, in spite of gray eyes
and sweet singing, Geoffrey also was soon
in the land Of dreams when once his head
had touched the pillow, for his was not
| susceptible nature.
But with morning sunshine came the re-
| collection of his previous days adventure,
and Sandbeach did not seem 80 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 companionable
than his small friend. The tide was too
low for him to bathe before breakfast, and
| he was too wise man to do SO Immediately
after so, having given his orders in bach
| elor style to Mrs. Williams, mentioning two
or three things that he should like for din
her, and being met in each case by some in
surmountable objection, he wound up with
tllb CuEbOultIy IiRHt, MIS-
| Williams-giv me what you can get, so long
rs it isn't boiled mutton" lighted his pipe,
and walked off to the beach. 1t was the
same scene there as usual-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 left by
the tide among tho scattered rocks ON the
| sands; the three daughters of the Vicar pa
| tiently waiting for a chance to bathe, one
| reading Macaulay aloud to two 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 Geoilrey
had discovered at q glance that they had
white faces plentifully freckled, black hair
and small eyes--three denominations in his
| sight--he did not heed their cruel GOODNESS
| but passed on in search of a fairer form
He soon discovered the pair he sought
seated on 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
gutta-percha dog. At sight of Geoffrey
his face glowed with delight, and be shouted
loudly:
Come up here, man. It's SO cool-and
I'm teaching my dog to swim"
Geoffrey hesitated raising his hat as the
mother looked up. He scanned her face for
any look Of disapproval or encouragement,
but perceived neither-nothing bat the
calmest indifference; and, nettled once
more, he answered:
"Thats your mammas work-room. Ask
her if may"
"Oh, yes, you may come! Mamma
doesn't mind" declared Master Cecil, pa
tronizingly. "Do you, mammal"
mo, dear" she answered, quietly--'f
the gentleman is kind enough to play with
you !" and, moving her dress aside to make
more room, she worked on steadily whilst
Geoffrey, feeling shy for the first time in his
life, climbed to the tiny plateau.
'I'll make her talk or my names not
Chetwynd," he thought, as he seated him
sell on the other side of the child. 1.-THE
deiunct Elton shall not put me SO utterly to
rout. A live dog is better than a dead lion
any day"
you've forgotten my name, suppose,
Master Cecil?' he said aloud.
yes said the child nodding /; 'you tod
me such a lot, l couldn't remember them.
Say them again"
Geoffrey repeated them, with glance at
Mrs. Elton.
She raised her eyes-those soft, clear gray
eyes, the lovelIest he had ever seen--and
loo ed at him thoughtfully.
"What pretty name w she said, quietly !;
and then her eyes went back to her work.
'Do you like it2" he said, quickly.
Then, Cecil you must learn it, and call
me by it. Which do you mean 10 call me p
Cecil looked grave.
"a shall call you 'Geofrey,'" he replied,
after a moments pause to consider "What
does your mamma Gail you?
Il have no Mamma" answered the young
man. in low tone. "She used TO call me
'Geotfrey' when she was alive"
The great eyes were lifted wonderingly to
his face the little face reflected the shadow
it saw there.
"Shes dead then, and you're sorry,
shall die when my mamma does l don't
care to stay here alone, and I've nobody else
except old Martina and she's cross some
times. Mamma never is. ."
A faint pink rose to Mrs. Elton's cheeks
and her lips were compressed. She turned
look on her boy which made Geofrey 70
heart beat faster, it was SO full OF love and
sadness.
''Theres something in a woman's love il
it makes her mourn one as that wom0'
mourns her husband" he thought; 'bu,
then, l fancy, there are few women with
such depth of feel ng as that face shows /
should like to pgint her. l wonder if she
would sit to me? It's worth while to cult
vate her acquaintance for the mere chance.
care you very unhappy because you've Nc
mamma?" asked Cecil, after thoughttu!
pause.
His mother laid her hand on his arm
saying hurriedly:
Hush, Cecil dear Mover ask people
about things they are sorry about"
'No-I forgot" said the child, quickly,
You're sorry I've got no papa, and that's
why you don't like me to ask about him.
isn't it? Martha says l mustn't speak oi
him"
Geofrey WINGED for the mothers sake,
and half expected burst of tears at this
home-thrust; but to his utter surprise Mrs
Elton voice was far more composed and
emotionless than it had been as she said
= quietly:
, II will tell you all wish you to know oi
t that or anything else, SO you need not ask
/ any questions, You are a terrible littl,
chatterbox.'
Tho child colored and turned to his dab
bling once more, whilst his mother con
tinued her work.
:. Geodrey was silent, occupied with hi
|, own thoughts. There was more of hardness
than sorrow in her tone, and conviction
= = flashed across his mind that she had been al
!, i'll used wife, and that her Indifference t.
= men, her reluctance to make friends, arost
. from cruel treatment in the past rather thai
:. serrow He scanned the lovely face NOR
y narrswly, and detected certain hsrdnes
= i'll the perfect curves of the lips and chin.
# 81 would give q good deal to know he