Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-09-08
miscellaneous.
THRICE.

Twenty years ago there was NOT more
popular man in the service clubs than the
present Lord Pendleton. A captain in the
til hussars, had seen some service in In
dia whiie yet hardly out of his teens; he
had plenty of money. and he was frank.
hearty, and good-looking, favorite with
men and women. No one would have
said there was bee in the honorable Eus-
tace Preston's bonnet yet in the smoking
room he would, on rare occasions. express
q belief. and tell tale, ay. and seriously,
too, which in the case of a more visionary
man would have started that theory. His
belief was that he was in some degree en-
dowed with the powers OF the evil eye;
and his tale was the one am going TO tell.
His Lordship il now seldom seen in Lon
don society. his Scotch estates taking up
all his time; 50 that the circumstances
once familiar to a good many are now al
most forgotten even in the clubs.
Portland Place, 10 O'Clock in the fore
noon Of . July day, thirty-iour years ago.
The sun was shining holly on the broad.
white pavement. The great gray houses
flashed and sparkled in its glare. A slee-
py brightness lay upon the street, which
few hours earlier was gay with sounds
Of carriages and the sights and sounds of
'.reyelry BY night" One or two early RI
ders-sensible folk-were starting tor the
park. The butcher-boy, like a bluecoat-
ed Juggernaut. was doing his best to sac
rifice the Needless passer-by. At the
areargntes the servants were exehapg-
ing gossip and discussing the arrange
ments for the coming dav. or lazilv watch
ing the water-cart going its welcome
round, No. one hurried. The quietude
a A. IL IL.
fashionable street at an questionable
hour was over it all. Everywhere heat
and quiet No sign Of vulgar stir was
there, when the door Of No. % was noisi-
ly opened, and a peal Of merry laughter
announced pair whose appearance in
stantly dispelled the languor Of the scene.
Short black jacket. deep white collar,
orthodox high hat, declared the Etou boy
while fair straight hair, a ruddy well-cut
face, and honest gray eyes-ah. they are
the same eyes now. though the shoulders
have grown broad and bent. and the bronze
face Is wrinkled. and the hair is necked
with white His companion is an odd
contrast. but his breeding is just as perfect
in its way, for he is white and fawn-
colored bulldog OF Lord Pendleton's ia
nous strain. His big head and short legs,
broad chest and well-rounded barrel. in
fact. his whole six-and-thirty pounds of
dog flesh are the envy and admiration of
half the cadgcrs Of Iioundsditch But
Bryn is too saoacious to be hoclissed.
and too formidable 10 be captured by other
means. When his young master il not at
school they are inseparabe companions
and this is not by many one the first
morning that the Honorable Eustace and
his bull terrier have careered with shout
and bark through the solemn neighbor-
hood, to crown their mornings pleasure
with run in the park. But they will not
get 80 far this morning. They are pretty
sight; rude life and vigorous youth are so
apparent in their every movement that
the butler, half asleep after his night 5
vigil. gazcs long after them and predicts
that the young master'l II be pretty rack
ct whom he grows up" As tor Bryn he
IL wild with delight. 80. indeed, he is on
every one of these periodical expeditions,
and welcomes each recurring one with a
noisy pleasure that no amount OF repet-
ton seems 10 diminish. The pair sweep
merrily round the corner into Weymouth
street. the dog leaping upon his master
and barking loudly in the plentitude of
Joyous freedom. But. alas shabby lit
tie girl about the boys own age, who, la
den with basket, is making for Oxford
Market, has not had experience that. saw
age rs he looks. Bryn's bark is worse
than his bite. except where strange and
ill-intentioned dogs are concerned In
bounding from his master he makes
toward her she shrinks away. runs into
the road; there is faint scream. a cab
pulled up hastily, but too late and the
next moment Bryn is licking white I'M
conscious little face down which the blood
is trickling from wound in the forehead
.You beastly fool ~ cries the boy. hotly
to the driver. who was really no more in
fault than the dog and SAYS So The usual
crowd gathers from some invisible source
the policeman picks MP the child. and
looking round with the GOODNESS of Gus
tom, says interrogatively. ITO the hos
pital''
mo. put her in the cab, peeler. and
take that clumsy fellows number. Tell
him to drive slowly. And you. fellow
drive to No. 80 Portland Place" said the
boy, giving his directions with the calm
authority which an Etonian acquires at II
years of age. No sooner said than done.
and, with an added sense of Importance.
he drives home with his charge. Hester
Lennard. when she recovered her scat
tered wits and opened her eyes, found
soft cushions under her and soft hands
tending her forehead. Her mother was a
charwoman, and to the child's eyes, hith-
erto accustomed to the dingy surround
ings Of Great Tinchfeld street. the we'll
furnished breakfast ROOM where the meal
was still unfemoved. was splendor be-
yond imagination.
Eustace's aunt-his mother was not in
town-was only too glad to find that
THAT boy" was not to blame for the catas-
trophe; and true woman as she was
showed herself ready enough to look to
the little victim of it. A deep cut run
ming across the forhead. was the only real
injury. the fright excepted. which the
child had sustained. This Miss Preston
bathed and bandaged; the old butler held
the basin and water; Eustace fed the in
FAINT with strange dainties, and delighted
to see her enjoy them; and Bryn licked
her hand. fully conscious that something
dreadful had happened. but uncertain as
to the share of guilt which justly fell To
him, state of conscience which he eN-
pressed by lowered wagging of his
whilom feathering tail The elder ones
had forgotten the matter in fortnight;