The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-02-06

terval of two hours Mrs. Downes carriage re-
turned, the same gentleman put her carefully
| INTO it, and she must have driven at once
home, for when Mark passed the house she
was sitting in her plain merino dress at the
| window, nursing his namesake She ran to
the door and begged him to come IN, but
Mar. was full of his discovery, and answered
grutfiy, ASK George to come to me after din.
ner; have something to tell him."
George heard what his godfather had to
say, with face half angry and half incred-
ulous' ut must have been my wfes sister, u
| he said
Mark laughed scornfully at such defense
and, moreover, stoutly asserted that it was
| Mrs. Downcs, and not Mrs. Downes sister
Come on Thursday, and see for yourself
George"
"lf do, godfather, it will not be because /
suspect my wife, but because | am sure to
prove you wrong"
Still George thought it singular that he
could not by the most adroit questioning get
from his wife any allusion to these mysteri.
Gus visits. AT length he said, Emma, will
ask for Thursday afternoon, and we will go
out to Aldborough Woods and get the holly
and misletoe for Christmas What do you
say"
Il can't go Thursday, George, dear; have
so much to do"
what have you to do?"
More than | can tell you. Is it not near
Christmas, and does not that imply all sorts
OF housekeeping duties? But I will go Fri
day, dear.
George was n little cross at the refusal, and
| answered, gloomly, "No; he had lost the
wish to go now" Then both were silent,
and the evening was not pleasant one. Ali
| the next day he told himself that he would
not go and watch his wife, Thursday; yet
when the day came he was sitting with his
godfather at the window. At the usual hour
the carriage arrived, and Mrs. Downs, with
her hair as deliberately dressed as if she was
gong to state dinner at the bishops palace,
ran down the steps, and was soon driven rap
idly away.
swell, godfather" he said, pleasantly,
that is Emma, certainly, and she is very re,
markably dressed but for all that, am sure
she has some good reason for what she is do
ing. believe | will wait until she tells me-"
Don't be such fool, George; go and ques-
ton your servants
After little reflection, George crossed to
his own house and rang the bell The house
maid seemed astonished at his appearance,
and when he asked where her mistress was,
said she had not seen her since she had taken
her orders for dinner. Then George went up
10 Ine nursery.
where is your mistress, Amp"
rs she not in the parlor, sir?"
You know she isnot Where did she go
in the carriageg"
Indeed, sir, it is my business to mind the
children; the mistress knows her own affairs
without the likes of me meddling in Them"
he turned round impatiently went back
to Mark Ripon, and got an accurate descrip-
ton of the house to which he had traced Mrs
George and in half an hour the halfcurious
and half angry husband stopped at the pretty
cottage. All was quiet about. it, there was no
appearance of company, it looked almost de-
serted in its wintry garden.
An exceedingly lovely woman, though evil
IDENTIFY in frai and failing health, opened the
door for him, saying, in an inquiring voice.
You want the signor Sir?"
mo, | wish to see Mrs. Downes; she is
here, | believer"
"Ah, yes she is here. If you will please to
go up, one stair. am so weak and tired al
ways"
She pointed to the stairs and George went
thoughttully up them Halfway there was
little landing and door, and here he heard
a strange, musical voice, and then his wife's
merry laugh to its observation. 1t netted
George; he knocked sharply, and before an
answer could be given opened the door and
went into the room.
"oh, George, how provoking! What made
you come, dear"
His wife was sitting in all her bridal finery
on little elevated platform, and Signor Sarti
was putting the last touches to a very lovely
portrait of her.
81 meant it for your Christmas gift, George
and you have peeped beforehand Is not that
too bad?"
"Indeed it is, Emma" But Emma was al
most satlsiled with his peeping, so proudly
and lovingly did he take her home.
Glow did you find me out, George?"
"Oh you are easy to find out, Emma Of
course knew you went out in a carriage,
that you got the carriage at Morrel's. But
how do you come to know this Frenchman?"
You think all foreigners are Frenchmen,
George. He is an Italian, and so is his bean
tliul wife. He came from London to paint
my lord bishop and the cathedral, and the
signora was so much better here that he re-
solved to spend the winter in Yorkshire, and
try and make enough to take her home to It
ally in the spring My lord asked me to have
my picture done, and papa paid for it in or
der to surprise you | think, George dear
you had better not let papa know you have
spoiled his surprise"
George felt more and more sorry and hui
hiliat1d uS iic loohcu Ill lHc pretty, frank lace,
and thought how cheerfully, after all she had
taken the forestallment of her Christmas Sc
cret
81 will do as you say, Emma Has the Sig
nor plenty of work p"
"He is painting many of the principal Ia
dies in the city. The Bishop thinks very
highly of him. Indeed, have seen his lord
ship there at nearly ali my visits"
Gorge let the subject drop now as quick
ly as possible to Emma; but he talked good
deal about it-and in no very good temper
to his godfather For once Mark had no ex-
cuse for his suspicious. He was quite awed
by the fact that he had dared to think wrong
of interviews which the bishop had arranged
and honored with his presence.
He had lost faith in his own penetration
regarding the sex, and George and Emma
were quietly at some pains to convince him
| that good and true women are the rule, and
not the exception.
And though cannot describe exactly how
it came about | know that the next Christ
mas Mark was the gayest old bachelor in
Ripon, and opened the festival ball at Georges
house with Signor Sarti's handsome sister
the very same lady whom the bishop himself,
very soon afterward, made Mrs. Mark Ripon.
SOUND EDUCATIoN.-John Ruskin has said
that the basis of sound education lies in a
knowledge of three things. 1T is advisable
that man entering into life should accurately