The Owosso times., 1882-01-27

! to Coniston, with the intention, so ia
as the younger ones were concerned, o
ascending the Old Man. 1t was
bright and gloriously fine morning, on
of those so sparingly granted ami,
this beautiful scenery. The party wer,
in the highest spirits; the careful moth
er had begun to contemplate changin,
their plans, and running away from
that vulgar young man, who had las
evening crowned his other enOrmities
by openly drinking beer out of pew
ter at the table d'hote dinner; but now
she congratulated herself on his ab
sence. 1t must be confessed, Mary was
a little dull; no doubt the scenery was
beautiful, and her sisters were prepared
to join in any amount of loudly-ex.
pressed admiration of it. as they swept
past Esthwaite Water, and over Con.
iston Pass. and through the thickly-
wooded slope that, like a shrubbery,
surrounds Coniston Water, and forms
so rich contrast t. the bare gigantic
sides of the Old Man. But she bright
ened up directly.
Il declare now, cried Mrs. Salway as
they came in sight of the village hotel,
If there's not that dreadful young mani
Now, Mary, remember what l told
you
The child can't be rude to him. said
her father, who had sneaking prefer
ence for Mary. and had seen the faint
blush which that figure lounging there
at the porch had brought to her cheeks
long before her mother had noted the
gentleman's identity.
We had better wait and let him go
up the hill first, said Agnes, dark
handsome girl, who always attracted a
circle of admirers, and had brought
two or three with her on this expedi-
ton.
'NonsenseY cried Mr.. Salway. If
we are to 60 up we must start at once:
the coach will leave at 6, and that does
not give us any too much time. What
will you and Laura do? added he to his
wife.
oh, we will walk little way round
the lake, papa. do not envy you
your climb, especially il you will bring
me nice root Of the parsley fern
Laura was the studious and learned
member of the family, seldom visible
without spectacles, and more attached
to ferns and botany than to anyone
outside her own circle.
1t is a very long pull uphill from
Coniston village to the top of the Old
Man towering nearly three thousand
feet above it, and so our party foundit.
They started five, but had not gone far
when the Objectionable young fellow
joined them. and, seizing his opportun-
ity, soon detained Mary from the rest.
l believe that, on this occasion at any
rate, she made some resistance. But
Agnes had her hands too full of her
swains to look after her sister: and as
for Mr.. Salway, who was stout and
more at his ease upon the pavement of
the Stock Exchange than the side of a
Westmoreland fell, he had enough to
do to mind his own business up the
winding path, even though for a long
distance that path cannot be called pre-
cipitous. Mary was far lighter and
more nimble than her Juno-like sister,
and so the pair, in no very long time,
took the lead. That the young gentle
man had not been wasting his time,
may be inferred from scrap of the
conversation.
Il wonder whether this week has
been as pleasant to you as to me,
MaryT
1T has been very nice. The lakes
are delightful
'Ah. of course; you must have had a
pleasant drive this morningp' anowered
he with some haste.
oh, yes, pretty WE'LL assented Mary,
but obviously.
i am going away tomorrow
She turned her face the other way,
and diligently rooted up bit of pars-
ley-a very scruDby bit too, though
there were plenty of splendid clusters
not far off, Then she said frankly,
though still with her face turned
away.
Il am 80 sorry
Are you really, dear2 Won t your
mother be glad, though? She doesn't
like me much
No. said Mary candidly.
do your
You have no right to ask me that.
Have l notp And why not Miss
MaryP'
'Because-because you have not told
me-whether you like me-
Il think 1 called you, something,
Miss Mary Salway, a few minutes ago,
glancing up and down the path: they
were Just in the centre of the gorge
near the Low Water Tarn, and there
was no one in sight. Mary did not
answer. You've forgotten, perhaps,
what it was, dearp
She shook her head.
meant it. You are very dear to
me-
You've only known me nine days.
His arm, which had been assisting
her up the steep puth, was now Civ.
ing her much surer support.
'And to know you day, my darling
is to love YOU
And Mary, her arms full OF parsley
fern, was kissed before she could es
cape. Then little reaction of feeling
took place on her part.
Il don't even know your name,' sh'
said, standing still.
| OF course not; Harry. It's rather {
common name, isn't itp'
'HarryT murmured the girl softly
'and-and what elsep'
oh, never mind that. You have no
yet answered my question whether yo'
like me-
Yes, like you
That won't do, Mary. The question
is now altered to-lOve me?'