The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-01-22


ton which is generally striking. His
features were fine, his dark eyes deeply
sunk under eyebrows still dark like
his beard. There was gentleman on
the other side of him whom he did not
seem to care to talk to, and he was
sitting scarcely speaking, his face in
repose.
"Do you mean that handsome old
man?" | said.
'Old, said my companion, slightly
startled; he was about the same age
himself if I had thought of it. :::Well
| suppose he is DID," he added with a
little laugh. you should talk to
him. [ don't know a more interesting
man; and, as tell you, he is the man
to whom, if there was railway to be
made to the moon, everybody would
turn. If he took the Channel tunnel
in hand he would carry it through .
But that must be impossible" said
|. Il hate the crossing; but l would
not trust myself in tunnel under the
sea, not for But you are laughing
it is impossible"
Impossible e!-not in the very least
ask him. l think myself he's too
speculative. But there is one thing
certain. If Oakley took it up, it
would go through He'd do it.
He is a man who does not believe in
difficulties. There might be great
catastrophe next day, but one way OF
other he'd drive it through"
| am a very quiet person myself,
therefore it stands to reason that |
should like man who drives things
through. Besides. he was hand
some old man. | looked at him again
behind the flowers, while my compan-
ion went on talking, and I saw some
thing which interested me. Miss
Stamford came to pause in her con-
versation with the man at her right
hand, and she seized the opportunity
to turn to the man on her left. At
the first sound of her voice his alb
stract countenance lightened up. He
turned hastily round with look of
recognition. How could he know
Ursula Stamford, l said to myself?
His face lighted up with a CLEAN Of
intelligence and pleasure, and some
thing which, not knowing any other
word, can only call sweetness. He
turned quite round to her, and began
to talk with an interest and warmth
which reused my immediate sympa-
thy. | seemed to be looking ON at an
interesting scene in the theatre, seen
from so great distance that it was
only the dumb-show which made it
Ineligible. And my neighbor carried
on his discourse all the time.
''He has sprung from nothing" he
said. II don't know if he ever had
father. He began in the humblest
way. The first time | heard of him
was about thirty years ago, when he
was not what you / would call a young
man then. (You ladies are hard upon
age-you don't like it talked about
yourselves, but you stamp us down as
old men without bit of fellow-feel-
ing-)"
Here | interrupted my instructor.
Il thought it was a weakness of ours
only to dislike to be called old. [
thought men were superior to such
little vanity-as to so many others"
"You are satirical now. You think
we are superior to any vanity, and [
shouldn't wonder if you were right. |
was saying old Oakley was not
young man to start with. He was a
sort Of an engineer, self-taught, all
self-taught, and he was trying to get
into business as a contractor. Mrs.
Musgrave," said my companion SOL
emnly, 'have you any idea what that
man is worth now? l thought so, as
you didn't seem impressed. He is
worth more than a million, that is the
fact-he is made Of money; losses
don't seem to touch him. do not
suppose" my friend added, with awe
in his voice, ''that he knows how much
he has
This information did not excite me
as he expected, but I looked again be-
tween the geraniums at Mr.. Oakley.
| am afraid his handsome head inter
ested me more than his fortune.
And there are so many people who
have nothing at all!' [ said; ''but to
look at him he might be a philosopher
without penny"
"That is just like you ladies-you
would think more of him if he were a
philosopher without penny. What
an extraordinary mistaken cried my
companion, las if money were not
power quite as interesting and great
deal more tangible than philosophy"
His countenance flushed and chang
ed. He was an enthusiast for money
| have met many such among General
Georges city friends; not in the sordid
way we think of, but really as a great
power.
When Mrs. st. Clair gave the sign
to go away, | was quite sorry to break
off the conversation, which was so
much more interesting than the ordi-
nary kind of talk. It was a beautiful
June evening, and, instead of going
into the drawing-room, we all went
out upon the lawn where Simms had
laid down the great lion skin, of which
they are all so proud, and some rugs
which the General brought from In
dia; for it is unnecessary to say that
we elder people were afraid of the dew
on the grass But nobody could have
taken cold on such a night. The bor-
ders were all red and white with roses
standing out against the deep green
of the shrubberies behind, and the col
ors seemed to repeat themselves in the
sky, which was all one flush Of rose
above the blue, deepening into crimson
as it descended, and burning like fire
between the trees on the horizon line.
Dinglefeld stands high, with the
broad Thames valley lying at its feet,
of which you could get glimpses