The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-12-17
ken them," she replied, more than half
| uau hoxur, Stai.a auidantlu

ken them," she replied, more than half
way down stairs, evidently.
Walter carefully avoided looking at
his sister as certain muffled humping,
announced the approach of some one
who evidently had no shoes on his feet;
but he furtively glanced at his watch
and saw that it was almost one o'clock.
And then the door was pushed open.
and he saw short, thick-set man, with
high and shining forehead and gen.
eral air of untidiness, enter, and sud-
denly stand as if petrified. A few des-
| perately awkward seconds passed.
At length Walter came forward. "We
must apologize for invading your prem
ises in this manner Mr.. Moffat, Clare
introduced me-"
Clare contrived to mutter few
words, and Walter held out his hand,
which he felt was by no means cordially
my sister and I only thought of this
little visit late last night, and SO we
couldn't let you know of it, ..
Clare and Mr.. Moffat had silently got
through the ceremony of shaking hands
by this time, and the girl, nearly upset
by the whole mornings experience,
was glad to take the nearest chair,
which happened to be the armchair
under which Mr.. Moflat's slippers were
lying, so that that unfortunate man-as
if to put and keep him at still greater
disadvantage-was forced to entertain
his unexpected guests with no other
covering to his large and badly shaped
feet than that afforded by coarse home
spun stockings.
In vain Walter essayed his most ge-
NAL manner; nothing could make the
visit other than wretchedly awkward
one. Clare seemed unable to utter q
syllable, and ayerted her eyes carefully
from the mans unsupported feet and
unshaven face. At length, seeing that
her powers of endurance were being
tried to the uttermost by various un-
happy attempts on Mr.. Moffats part to
assume the tone of an accepted lover,
Walter suggested that they should leave
Mr.. Moffat to eat his breakfast in peace,
while they would go back to the inn for
the lunch which must be awaiting them,
and invited Mr.. Moffat to join them
there as soon as was convenient for
him, and spend the rest of the time with
them until the train was due by which
they were to return.
On getting out into the street, Clare
convulsively clasped her brothers arm.
"Walter, could we not get train soon
er than three o'clockP"
clam afraid not. But do you know
it is almost two clock, nowP-the time
will soon pass. 1t is this wretched
weather that makes everything look so
miserable"
Clare shivered, and wished she were
away.
On reaching the inn they found their
lunch waiting for them; but the chops
were tough, and had been burned in
the process of cooking, and Clare at
least found it impossible to eat. A large
party of convivial miners were in the
next room, which was only separated
from theirs by thin wooden partition,
and they had the benefit of the Jokes,
oaths and squabbles that passed among
them. Mr.. MOffat was some time in
making his appearance; but when he
did, he was much more presentable,
more like the man Clare had seen and
believed in, at her own home. But his
! shaven face and correct clerical cos
| 1uluO Cdiuo uOO idGes anu H0 WAS S6uSl-
BILE enough to see the matter in its true
light Nothing could re-establish him
again on the pinnacle to which Glare,
in her uncurbed imagination and secret
love of excitement under any form, had
raised him.
: On getting home Walter explained to
his mother that she had no longer any
thing to fear; and next day wrote to Mr..
Moffat, by his sisters desire, breaking
off all further connection, and then tel.
egraphed to his wife to expect him and
his mother and sister the following day.
George remained under the impress
sion that her mother-in-law's state of
health required a change. Not even to
her did Walter ever divulge the severe
practical lessons to which he had SUBJ
jected his sister; not even, when he had
the qualification of seeing her make a
suitable and happy marriage within a
year or two from the time when her
self-will and self-ignorance had so near
ly wrecked her life Chambers Journal.