Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-11-30

that lady and her husband travele'
abroad, unhampered by Master OH
yers presence, Her home was som,
miles away inland, and her acquaint
anccs In tho city were few and far be
tween, while even these few were gen
orally out Of town at this season Of tn
year. However, she was surprise,
one morning by n call from u friend
who having become tired of the noun
tains, had returned to tho city for
few days,
How lonesome you must be, Nora,
said Miss Elphnstonc, You mus
drop in upon US often; the horse cars
run within u block of our door. An(
wen have such larks! BY the way,
We are going down the harbor to-mor'
row IN cousin Lucius's yacht-hc'i
just home from Europe, you know, and
you must join MS,
I'm sure | don't know said Nora
never heard Of cousin Lucius's exist.
cnce before
Never heard of cousin Lucius =
Well, live and learn. But you'll come 7
The day Thomas and old Russei
took Nora down to the wharf, where
the Sunbeam was ready to put out
What day it was! Not II cloud in
the wide heavens, and cousin Lucius
on deck, brown-bcardcd and white
handed, with great liquid eyes, aud n
smile that set the pulses beating when
it bcamcd npon one, and that one hap
pcncd to be girl Of twenty with an
untcnantcd heart. The party was
quite u family affair, Mr.. and Mrs.
Elphinstone, their sons and daughters,
with one or two friends making up the
list.
This is II regular snare, Nora, said
Ellen Elphinstone, when they were
dropping down the harbor. Il don't
know how you'll feel about it my dear
girl but you see, we are not going to
sail for the day merely, but out into
the broad Atlantic, and along the
coast, and Heaven knows where, Just
as cousin Lucius plcuses. We may DO
ship-wrcckcd or cast on desert shore.
But we shall be away a week at the
very least
'Oh, how superb cried Nora; and
then her face heightened. But Nell,
whatever shall | do? | have no things
providence will provide. You see
l had no time to notify you after our
change of plan: but l picked up Il
double supply of things so don't
worry
But there's the housekeeping, and
the servants, and the burglars
But you've a housekeeper?'
And there's Oliver, and-Oh dear,
it's delightful, but I ought to be at
home
But your nephew has nurse?'
why, he's eight years old, Nell.-
To be sure his nurse lives with us still,
and regards him as the apple of her
eye, and Thomas looks after him like
a detective
oh come. throw your conscience
overboard,' begged Lucius, coming up
TO close tne argument.
I'm afraid it's so light it will float,
laughed Nora. But 1 may as well en-
joy myself which she straishtway
proceeded to do, after the most ap-
proved method of Irritation, as Nell
called it. Lucius got his chess board,
and they played for hours together.
what ever can you see in that
game?' Nell would harangue. Life
isn't long enough to learn it,
1T is linked sweetness long drawn
out, Lucius returned.
On wet days they read Browning
below, or repeated. in turn all the old
ballads they could recall, or danced to
Nell's violin. So they drifted along
the coast, touching here and there at
some port, going ashore in merry
groups for books, or mail or garden
party. Nora acknowledged she had
never had such gay time. before in
her life.
'Oh, if could live on yatcht for
ever, she said one star-lit night, when
she and .Lucius were sitting apart as
they had contracted habit of doing.
so you like sea-faring'lif
Yes; how dull it will be to return
to commonplaces Just think, Mr..
Elphinstone, fortnight ago l had
never heard of you; aren't you morti-
fled!
Such is fame And nOw?'
why, now l feel as if had known
you a hundred years or more;' and