The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-18

was dressed as gentleman, but he failed
to impress one as gentleman. He was
well and even gorgeOusly dressed in q
handsome suit of velvet, which set off to
advantage his fine person and sunburnt
foreign face. He was speaking in low
voice, and with an earnest, impassioned
| utterance. Only a few Imuttered words
came within earshot, but they were words
which were evidently full of power and
effect for the agitated girl by his side.
At the head of the avenue there was
big handsome black horse held in charge
by page-looking youth. Despite the
outward show about the man, he was
only half-breed; and if ever man had
"roue" stamped on his face Gland manners.
this fellow had. When be came to the
gate at the end of the avenue, the usual
adieu followed, and, ,vaulting not ungrace-
fully into the saddle, The waved his
adieux, followed by devouring eyes. She
watched him for time, and then turn
ing away somewhat abruptly, we hap
pened to come face to face. With
slight gesture of impatience, she rapidly
gided off to the left, and proceeded to
join one of the festive groups that were
still making holiday beneath the spread
ing beech-trees. l thought at first that
the gesture of disdain was intended for
my own special behoof, as reward for
my near-sighted stare. There came,
however, within eye-shot, in the same
line as myself, a young man, who took
off his hat to the retreating maiden,
which only elicted an acknowledgment
that was more like snub than cour-
tesy.
1t was not very easy to tell what this
young mans station in life might be, for
every one looks so fine in holiday-gala
like this that it is not easy to realize
what the ordinary appearance in every
day clothes may be. But this young
man had frank bright face, with a
sweetness of eyes and breadth of forehead
which contrasted very pleasantly with
that of the horseman to whom l had
taken an instructive dislike. Neverthe-
less, an expression of anger and chagrin
passed over his face as he noted the re-
treating cavalier, and angrily shook his
fist after him. .f..
Ialways feel conversationally disposed
towards my fellow-kind, and saw in
stinctively that this young man, despite
of his angry mood, would be ready to
fore-gather with me; so l said:
"You don't seem to have very cordial
feelings towards the man who is riding
away so fast" 80.
ri should like to have him on the grass
here, and give him a jolly good hiding.
What does he mean by coming here and
interfering between me and my girl7"
40, she's your girl, is she7" retorted.
II should hardly have thought it by what
l witnessed just now. She didn't take
to you very kindly when you raised your
hat to her. My own idea was that she
was the other mans girl"
"She might have promised to be my
wife by this time, if this internal foreign
er had not come interfering with his airs
and graces. Louisa and / were coming
to good understanding but since she has
taken to walking with him we are nearly
cuts. And l expect that he wants bit
of her money"
'She is an heiress as well as beauty,
then?"
81 had deal rather have the girl
without the money than fifty times the
money without the girl. / expect that
it's all the other way with him, though
he does make himself such big chap"
'Do you know who he is"
"He's staying at the Castle, at Lord
Bullingford's; that's all I know. He
might be lord himself, by the way he
gallors about on that big horse of his.
But don't think him a lord, and am
sure he's not Il gentleman"
Now it so happened that I myself was
a guest at the Castle. Certainly l myself
was not a lord or lordling | was bar
rister; but some time back I had done
something-let the reader suppose that i,
was the writing Of poem or the paint.
ing of a picture-which had furthered
my social status and almost ruined my
professional prospects. Itwas common
thing for me now to be visiting county
families when it would be much more tt
my interest to be staying at the houses
of country attorneys, more especially al
I may candidly say that I was wanting
very much to get married, but had moi
. sufficient means to carry out the idea.
l returned to the Castle, quite in tn,
dark, about three-quarters Of an houl
before dinner. l had just time to ex
change few words with my kind host
ess, and then dressed. The Earl wa
{ chiefly known as the husband of the
Countess. We got on very pleasantly
, / remember set next to the clergyman
of the parish, an old man and widower
whose children were all grown up anc
scattered about the world. He told m,
that he almost found second home q
, the Castle when the Squire and his wif'
were at home. l looked, but, as / hat
more than expected, looked in vain fo
the big foreigner. Thinking that as tn
T Vicar was so domesticated at the place
he would be sure to know everything,
; asked him if he knew anything of a tall
Italian-looking man, very well dressed
! riding black horse and attached to TIN
Castle in some sort of way. the Vicar
after good deal of rumination, said tina
though he certainly ought to know ever.
!, one in his parish, in this case he was a