St. Landry democrat., 1881-10-01

I 1eSStl uc was III q somewhat unsettled
state of mind.
"You see, Regy," said Jim. NELLY
will not disobey her parents in any way.
That she cares for me she has con-
fessed to me more than once. But when
l press her to consent to be married at
once, and to make me happy, she won t
hear of it.
My dear jim" responded, in my
new-found capacity of guide, counselor
and friend, ''she is not the first girl who
has had to struggle between love ami
duty; or at least what she conceivcs to
be her duty"
''She is so thoroughly conscientious ~
replied Jim, " that [ fear even to press
her to take the step which would make
me happy man for life. When | ask
her in my despair whether she will ever
choose between her step-mother's
wishes and my love, she implores me
not to tempt her; AMI so,' added Jim,
here am, miserable as need be-"
| All this interested me exceedingly.
She was evidently girl OF sterling
worth and with a high sense Of the duty
she believed she owed to her parents
wishes. Thought over Master Jim's
love affair as | lay in bed that night,
and came to the conclusion that the
case was difficult one You cannot
always mold human minds to your own
bent and purpose by simply speaking.
Hence came to the conclusion that
Mis-, Spaldlngs love for my old friend
ought to be tested and tried in some
other way. AS my experience of
human nature goes, there seems moth
| ing like putting love. OF all human
emotions, to some rigid test But how
the test could be applied to the case in
which had thus been led to feel d spe-
cial interest knewnot
l confessed as | rolled over to sleep
that did not see my way clear to help
/ them. Little did | think that the NOR
row was to bring the means and the
man. The man was Josiah Bla rden,
Esquire, iron-founder. of the firm of
Blagoen, Bilge u Co, OF Birmingham
and elsewhere; the means was nv
humble self.
The day after my arrival at Rock
hampton Jim proposed that 1 should
drive with him on his morning round,
''And,' added he, 1--WE II call at Mount
Grove was the residence OF Mr.. Spald-
ing; and two o'clock found US at the
gate of a very nice villa residence over
looking the river. and standing within
it's own nicely kept grounds.
We were ushered into the drawing
room, where we found assembled GER
tain persons whom Jim had not ey-
pected to see. Mr.. Spalding received
me courteously. as also did Mrs Spald- /
ing. Miss Nellie greeted me most cor
daily, adding that she was much |
pleased to make the acquaintance of
DR. Brooke's old friend Of whom he so
often spoke. In addition to the family |
circle OF three, it was clear there We're
strangers present. These latter were
Mr.. Josiah Blagden and his sister. AIr. |
Blagden did not impress me favorably. |,
He was a stout. ilorid- complexioned !
man, remarkable for the extreme |
breadth of his white waistcoat and for I
the profusion of jewelry DISPLAYED |
thereon.
ga safe man. nv dear sir; very
safe man. said Mr.. Spalding to NE at |
lunch. "Why, l suppose his turnover
is about half million year-the iron
trade, you know" added the old gen
tleman by way of explaining that Mr.. !
Blagden was one of the metal kings of |
England.
"Seif-made man, too said Mr..
spalding; began life as a foundry
boy"
From what I saw of Mr.. Blagden
within the next few weeks, his origin
could have been pretty accurately
guessed from the manner in which he
impaired the foundry-boy s" man
ners into the sphere in which his indus.
try and success had led him He was
essentially a vulgar man, who bullied
his.sister, a meek, silent little woman,
with a good heart and a kindly nature,
as discovered later on.
AS we drove home from lunch that
day Jim was strangely depressed. 1
guessed his thoughts pretty accurately,
for he burst out into a TRADE against
Mrs. Spalding on our arrival at home.
II shouldn. wonder, Regy,' said he,
8. if that fellow Blagden has been in
vited down here as a suitor for Nelly.
He's a friend of Mrs. Spalding's, L
know. because she herself comes from
the Black Country ......
Jim's state OF mind, from the mo-
ment he preached this theory. may be
better imagined than described. For
the next three weeks am bound to say
that his temper was well-nigh unendur-
able. One evening at dinner at Mount
Grove, I felt half afraid he was going to
nhics personal chastisement upon Mr.
Blagden, a feat should have much re-
ioiced to have seen skillfully performed,
after the iron-masters coarse invectives
against the medical profession, which
had been called forth during some ar :
sument concerning doctors fees, Mel
US attitude toward Jim appeared TO
nave undergone no perceptible change.
She was loving and gentle as before;