Sharp County record., 1879-01-09
MY STEADY PUPIL.

"Now, Mr.. Baker, let us understand
each other at once" Lord Hunsdon had
said, leaning back in his official arm
chair, and tapping the massive signet
ring on his fiat finger with the official
paper-cutter. 81 have great pleasure,
as have said, in intrusting to you the
task of my nephew's education. All |
have heard of you, and what little |
have seen of you, induce me to regard
you as an excellent travelling tutor. 1t
only remains for ME to state my views,
as briefly as l can," here glance at
the official clock, "for | have to receive
deputation Immediately. Cecil Man
vers has fortune of his own-his
mothers money-and will in all proba-
bility succeed me in the title and prop
erty. l don't want the boy to turn out
bookworm, or scamp. Make him a
well informed, honorable English gen.
tleman, with enough knowledge of the
world to steer clear of its worst perils,
and shall be more than satisfied. And
nothing could conduce better to this than
two years on the Continent in such good
hands as yours, Mr.. Baker. l shall see
you again, of course, before you leave
England, but, just now," another
glance at the clock, "my time is possi-
lively not my own"
And took the under secretary's hint
and retired, almost tumbling over the
excited deputation as made my way
down stairs. Next week, Cecil Man
vers and went abroad.
Our first year of continental travel
passed off pleasantly enough. The
Rhine, Switzerland, Tyrol, each and all
of these we had visited in the pleasant
summer time we had wintered in
Italy, and the next spring found us in
Paris
1t was the time when the grand Paris
Exhibition-exhibition had not as yet
grown common enough to be classed as
bores-attracted myriads to the then
imperial capital of France. Emperor,
court and empire were in their first
freshness, decked, too, with the pres
tige which success conferi; for the
great struggle with Russia was going
on victoriously for the allies, and the
cordial feeling between France and Eng
land was at its warmest. In 1855 peo-
pie had not yet become ashamed of en-
joying themselves, and whatever the
merits of the show might be-. it certain
" secured the suffrages of the well
dressed, we'll pleased crowds of holiday
makers. My pupil and | made the new
Palace of Industry our daily lounge,
and so did French friend of ours,
destined to play no unimpoltant part in
this story.
1t was by accident that we had made
acquaintance with Colonel the Baron
Duplessis. Cecil had walking cane,
which had handsome gold head, which
had belonged to his father, and this
cane he chanced to leave on one of the
marble tables of the Exhibition monster
restaurant. Half an hour later, when
my pupil discovered his loss, and went
back in hot haste to seek for his miss
ing property, it was courteously restor-
ed to him, with bow and a smile, by a
tall, elderly Frenchman, with the inev-
liable red ribbon adjoining his tightly
buttoned frock coat, and Of what his
compatriots designate as distinguish
ed appearance This old officer had
observed ourselves as the occupants of
table near his own, and had been
prompt enough to prevent the costly
walking-stick from being purloined by
light fingered Underwater. This lit-
tie Kindness led in time to friendship
which might be called intimate.
The Colonel, as became a man of an