The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-06-01

anxiety to his relatives that they decided
on sending him out to an old friend who
had farm in New Zealand. There Dick
had quite retrieved his character; the
life suited him, and the accounts of him
that reached home were better than and
better each year. The obnoxious girl
had long since married; and though her
husband was dead, and she was living
again with her father at st. Denys,
Dicks aunt did not feel much anxiety;
she thought he had quite forgotten her:
At any rate, no second thoughts seemed
to be troubling Dicks brain that even
ing, as he sat and looked out over the
calm blue waters of the Mora.
II call this peace" he said presently.
"Here, you know, one could read poetry.
l used to read lots when 1 was at home
that year-do you remember? Tenny-
son-I thought nobody like him. After
wards, at Auckland, | thought he was all
stuf-but since l have been with the
Herberts 1 begin to understand him.
Herbert says it is just his perfection
that makes it difficult to appreciate him.
Do you sect One takes more fancy to
things that are rugged, and have ups and
downs and faults in them; but his things
are splendidly cut like a gem, every
word in its right place, and thoughts
and words belonging to each other, and
not too much Of either. o, he's mag
nifcent. l used to read him down in
the Combe, and now I mean to do it
again."
"But not to meet Flora Lancaster
there, I trust" thought Miss Northcote,
remembering those twilight appoint
ments with pang, as if they were yes
terday, and the late half-hours she used
to spend at that very window, listening
for his slow, reluctant steps coming up
up over the stones.
There are plenty of old friends wish
ing to see you," she said. "You must
go over to Carweston one of these days.
Mrs. Strange was so glad to hear you
were coming"
$50 be sure. Very good of her. Is
Anthony Strange as mad as ever~
eyes, and as nice as ever"
"Ah, Aunt Kate, he was always a
fame Of yours. What fool he has
been," said Dick, smiling.
Here their talk was Interrupted by a
message from an old sick man in the vii
lage; he had taken worse, and would
Miss Northcote come down and see him
The sun had set, and the soft lovely twi-
light was sealing over everything, when
she and Dick left the house together.
"You don't often walk about by your.
self after sunset, l suppose" said Dick.
"Now and then. Are you home to
keep me in order? You will find it 6
hard task, Dick. l am so used to liberty
now; and you must remember that every
creature in the place knows me-
"But when l was young" said Dick
"there were often ragamutfins from More
bay hanging about here. And remem
ber that you used to object very much
to my being out after dark"
"That was quite a different thing
You were sixteen, and Pm sixty"
"a very well preserved old woman,
said Dick, laughing. '"Take my arm
ma'am. You will certainly slip on thes
stones"
Old Fenner lived half way down on,
of the lanes, steep, winding one, partl,
overarched by trees. He and his grand
daughter inhabited two small, low room
at the top of an old house that was le
in flats.
Miss Northcote turned in at the oper
door, and mounted the broad, clear, un
even stairs, leaving her nephew outside
He lighted cigar and walked up ant
down. 1t was SO pleasant to breathe
native air again, and see the purple shad
ows advancing and the lights beginning
to fash out on the old river, to hear thl
familiar accent of the people as the,
talked in the streets below, that it never
occurred to him to be bored by hisaunt'
charitable doings. Aunt Kate was al
ways running after the poor people. Sht
spoiled them, of course, but that never
mattered to Dick, as long as she contin
ued to spoil him. And now, with hi
older ideas, he was inclined to think tina
she was quite right. They were much
: to be pitied, though certainly not fo
living in St. Denys, which to him wa.
still the prettiest and most homelik,
place in the world. How jolly it uset
to be in those old TIMES, when all tn,
boatmen were his friends, and he knew
the rivers as well as any of them.
"Tll pull Aunt Kate round to Pensant
tomorrow" Dick decided. "The tid'
will be right in the afternoon.
He had strolled some distance up tn
lane, as far as the shade of the trees A.
he turned to come back, advancing slow
ly into the clearer light, lady, who wa
climbing the hill with some fatigue ant
and trouble, stopped short as she passet
him.
"Dick! Mr.. Northcdte, don't thinl
/ am mistaken"
30, Miss CaSdewr' said Dick, takel
quite by surprise, and beginning t.
blush, hardened old traveller as he was.
"Mrs. Lancaster, please" she said
gently.
eyes; I beg your pardon. I heard, 0
course, but l forgot for the moment,
said Dick, taking her hand and squeezin
| il with quite sufficient emphasis.