The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-07-21

SenIleInenS gigs. we never take III
tramps at the Royal George.
"But, Mrs. Brown, what, is this young
lady to do? You say that all your flies
are out, and she is quite unable to walk
to the Wilmslows Of bennington"
"The Wilmslows Of bennington don't
expect the like OF her, Mr.. William.
Those sort of people who run about the
country always get hold of a good name
or two"
"But this is dreadful, said poor Will
| liam. ''What am to do with this lady ?"
"You should have thought of this sir,
before you took her up into your fathers
carriage. Therell be a fine talk all over
the country about this bit Of work. |
know you mean no harm, but you always
were wild and wilful, Mr.. William, and it's
my belief that if you put pair Of tongs
into petticoats you would want to drive
them fire irons all about the country"
"1ou are talking utter nonsense, Mrs.
Brown; you are quite insulting"
II know what | am about, Mr.. Curtis,
which is more than you do, when you
let yourself be taken in ia this way. You
will make yourself as bad name as John
Blades himself who is the terror Of all
the decent girls ten miles round.7
"But only come and look at her, Mrs.
Brown. Look at her for single moment,
entreat you, and you will be more than
satisfied
ooh, I'll take a look at my lady, never
fear"
She came round to the door and look
ed, and in return she encountered the in
| al pf oh ri
who, although almost heart broken, had
enough spirit and energy left to hold her
own. Directly the landlady saw me She
became suddenly and strangely altered.
She gave me smile and curtsey and
came forward to greet me. She did not
know that had overheard this strange
conversation, and | am glad to say that
had enough tact to refrain from alluding
to it at the time.
Dear me, Miss" she exclaimed
"AIrs. Wilmslow will be dreadfully sorry
that you have been prevented coming to
her tonight, by any accident or unpleas-
antness How tired and hungry you must
be. Come in"
She led the way into a very pretty lit
tie room furnished as a drawing-roon
where a tall, handsome, bouncing girl
was sitting at a table copying music
and introduced me to her as her daugh-
ter Kate. Rectors' daughters and inn
keepers daughters do not as Il rule, see
much of each other, but this was a whole
some, pleasant, pretty, lady-likc girl, as
much Of a lady as any girl whom had
ever met. We shook hands heartily, and
at once became great friends. The good
people brought me tea and cold chicken,
and made me as comfortable as | could
have been at home.
"1ou have never been at an inn before,
have YOU, my dear ?" said Mrs. Brown,
now mollifed beyond all description.
"Not to sleep, ma'am; only now and
then ! have had lunch with my father
when we have been at hotel in our mar
ket town."
"Perhaps you will be a little nervous
at night in a strange place. she reioined.
'Not at all, ma'am," | answered, at
tempting to be polite, although expect
ed that should feel rather uncomtort
able
81 think, my dear, if you don't mind,
you had better sleep in my daughter
kates room. There is little bed there
which will just suit You, and you will net
feel lonely
Hates room was a perfect boudoir.
See had all sorts OF pretty things and had
been at good boarding school near Lon
don. She had little swinging book
case, Just like my own, with the same ad-
mixture of novels, poems and devotional
works My little white couch was charm
ing. In girls fashion we lay in bed ever
so long talking. told her all the story
of the morning until Mr.. Curtis drove me
into Manningham. | was glad to hear
her gossip a little about William Curtis.
He was the son Of a big farmer, or rather
a Squire, Just such another as Nh Wins
low, to whose house was going. He had
been the head boy Of the Manningham
Grammar School, and he had also travel
ed in foreign parts. 1t was quite clear
that Kate regarded him as one Of the ar
istOcracy Of the neighborh00d. There
was no difficulty in identifying the young
man who had been driving tandem. Kate
denounced him aS a ''pertect brute" and
| heartily agreed with her energetic Ian
guage. 1t was the very Mr.. Blades whom
| heard her mother alluding to in her
conversation with William Curtis. When
ever he came to the inn she took care that
she never came near him. She had seen
him the worse for liquor 0nce-Which she
believed was his usual condition and
her mother would never let her run the
chance of seeing him thus Il second time.
The morning came genial and brilliant.
| slept soundly, and rose refreshed. \
pleasant breakfast was spread in the
sitting room, where | had been over
night. There was a little matter that
was sorely perpleXing me. Being at the
inn, ought to ask for and pay my ac
count, but on the other hand, had been
treated with such m0therly kindness and
hospitality that really did not like to
offer them money. | remember, however
having heard my dear father say that it
was very rarely indeed that you could
offend people by offering them money
which might be thought their due, and
he also used to say that whether they
took it Or not they at least liked to have
the offer of it. Accordingly, though with
some stammerlng, | asked for my bill
As soon as ever uttered the monosylla-
ble | was ashamed Of it, lor my good land
lady took both my hands in hers and said
that | must not say another syllable on
the subject, for they were charmed to
lave me there, and were thankful that
should have been their guest.
"-And now, my dear she said, II de-
clare there are visitors coming to see you
Already
And sure enough, just underneath the
archWay, there was a low pony carriage
with a pair of white ponies, and a dear
old lady and gentleman, white headed
who exactly matched the ponies. In a
minute they were within the room, shak-
ing hands with me very warmly.
"We are the father and mother Of VIII
liam Curtis, who brought you here last
night said the old lady introducing her
self. ave are 50 very glad that he was
able to render you this service. The
Wilmslows are old friends of ours, and
we thought it might perhaps be wiser for
you if we drove over this morning in our
pony chaise. We are afraid that they
4