New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-01

| try to make himself at home tneIe' tnau 10 ouo
| be allowed to talk to Della when he woud. Meah
| while neither of them was to give the gifl even n
| biut of Lord Richards wishes As they eranuafiy
came to an agreement ON Decame more 5;t, q;
He did not conceal his hopes that the absurulty VI
the whole thing would become clear 10 NV lreuu.
| See her as often you likep he SAID at last zee
| horp repeated Lord Richard softly: an! crieu
the other again sharply. az If something nur' li,
what a foui am Forgive me, and come as oI'eu
he thanked him but he spoke with deepest feeling.
| Tom is strange beng lt Is my delDeIato Jpn H.
| ion that lie was not III any sense eager tha; n,o
| daughter should marry Lord Richard; oelleve
| that his want Of enthusiasm in contemplating luis
brilliant future for his child was real lie Is IAN
tastc. If wished to speak hardly OF my own Kin'
| should say that he was little short OF an idios'
| CHAPTER III.
| Though freely confess that was astonnden ny
the discovery OF my friends new purpose, IL heeueu
! but d few minutes solitude to make his motives
clear. After 10 few minutes OF peIpeAlty again
did full Justice to his extraordinary aoility. na9
found out long ago that story OF ms youth nad
made the acquaintance OF the lady who had treated
| him badly. 1 had smiled often 10 mysel1 at Tue
J thought OF her chagrln; for the gallant boy whon
| she mad thrown over was becoming pefSOnaRe IN
| the world ana tue rich man whom she had married
was UNEXPECTEDLY ebay OF d'am IS and ponies
| Now il Lord Richard IN his RI er manhood male up
his mind at last to take a vile, 1t was certainly
| wise OF MIN to seek one who was naturally modest
ana v no bad been brought up to expect HUE ior
herself and to look after the younger children.
| The care and devotion OF sucl "a girl might be
bought by corals as easily as by diamonds but Oh
| co..r>e considerations of the sort would nave
occurred TO my friend. had he not met with ms
great calamity. That much he had admitted, though
| with graceful veil Of sentiment, IN his converse
ton with my cousin Tom II to see clearly what IS
tor ones good and to lay firm hand upon It, be TO
! be great then my friend Lord Richard is great
man. lightning flash strikes HIM blind: In
moment he has fixed upon the best substitute Tor
his eyes within twenty four hours be has put
every hing in motion to insure mis- success what
would be the vaue TO him nov OF fashionable
woman with heart g!N EN- wholly 10 society, snu
vii eyes for other meD He proposed to secure Tor
himself dear little modest maiden who would
ask no better fate than TO devote herself to great
man and member of he aristocracy. Ono mistake.
however even Lord Richard made. Even he must
have cverrated her gentleness. l confess That l
oy GRATED IT, | have been rutely corrected but
as the professional romancers say--to my story.
For some tune after Lord Richards sad accident
was assiduous in my attentions: Not only did
his comparative helplcssness aud the claims OF
friendship make au appeal which would not ignore
for moment; but eager also to see the con-
clusiOn of this little cOmedyths skifuily man.
aged iJyil of the middle aged statesman and the
gueless suburban maiden. Moreover. bad my
own part to play. had determined at once to do
all | could to further the marriage IL was the
safest course. Even now. though Inc result has not
agreed with my expec atoms cannot see that
wrong If had tried to hinder the match for
the sake OF my own influence with my friend
should probably have failed; snew Lord Rich
ards power. Even if ] had succeeded in separat-
ing the -assoried couple. could not have done IT
without creating such a GOODNESS between my friend
ana my self, that our old familiar and delightful
converse woula have been impossible How famii
iar--how easy it was! What would you do with
cut me 2 asked loosely one day, when had
written handful OF notes fiom bis dictation and
addressed them 10 his political friends; ana re-
member exactly the quick movement with which he
turned his sightless face toward and cried ont
with laughter: Upon nv soul should miss you
you are good for the nerves; I've almost got
jumping when hear you suddenly at my shoulder
But must not nger over lrreevent "reminiscences
1T is one OF the temptations 10 which my abnor- |
mallv accurate memory lays he open; must come |
to the climax of my little story.
In pursuance of my. plan prepared myself to ac-
company my friend almost every day 10 that river
side suburb where my cousin Tom presided over |
big caravanseraI; but here ! was unexpectedly |
foiIed. soon found that on this road at least it
was not buC his faithful valet who WAS to play |
little dog to the blind man. | have nothing say |
against Lord Richards excellent valet; never saw |
him drunk; it was his interest to preserve an eY-
cellent place. Still il is only fair to conclude that
like most OF his class, he Was prying and inqus-
tive Certainly he was no fit companion "a |
sentimental pilgrimage. When my offers of attend
ance had been MANY times refused, | saw that | |
was wasting my tIne But could not abandon nv |
design. must appear 10 Della as important |
agent In the business. or where would be- my claim |
her gra.itudef | must see her, or how could |
insinuae that she owed Lord Richards attentions
to my diplomatic management WAS determined |
TO impress this view of myself upon my pretty
cousins mind. Imade up my mind to zee her with
out delay. Since ny friend refused my arm a.
guide 10 the presence OF his beloved, must go to
her alone. it was certainly more difficult had
allowed so LONG time to elapse since my last visit
to that umble-dOwn abode where spent so many
happy DAYS OF Doyhood that feared an attack Of
natural. aud not objectionable, shyness when
However, trusted to that tact which had never
tailed me yet.
Fate seemed to be against me- made three
JOURNEYS to my Cousins house at different hours of
the day; aud three times wac refused admittance
began To thiDk-ncredbe ms it appeared-that
the young woman " no had charge of the door had
bern ordered never to admit me. One day. being in |
"a holiday humor. determined to play my good
cousins a trick felt that our old Familiarity fully
warranted so harmless IA Joke. engaged "a yonng
waterman TO scull me up with the tide lett the |
boat at the END OF the lane which passes Toms door
aud. coming TO the corner of the garuen in a shaay
place. mounted an old Ilckety iron railing and
looked cauti Dusly over the wall. lofty row of
sweet-peas was between me and the house. Smil-
ing at the pleasant trick, which reminded me of |
boyish DAYS II that happy garden, ] slipped softly
over the wall and dropped nOse,essy down to the |
grass. The little garaen was comieallv oil fash
Toned. aud by no means well-kept Through the |
tangled wilderness of sweets slipnel like n SER |
pent remembered how used to play at being a
just stopped myself In time. Two peoul. vera |
sitting on an old seat Though one OF them was |
blind; knew The 4uckness of his ear; held NY
Every word-every gesture remains engrayen an |
my memory. could not have mo,ed to save nv
NE. was-ns the novellsfs say-rooted to the spot
Luckily ~ WAS "a spot whence through "A tiuy peen |
hole in tine ycw hedge could command a perfsct
view OF the iaces Of the actors ~
Lord Richard aud my little cousin Della were
seated side by side on the old stone seat which |
looked ash it might have come in lis old nvs
from the shadow of Hex trees in villa garden ~
Rome. Even then the charm of the place ana of
the hour WAS not lost on me. But. in moment.
all " mind WAS busy with the stran 90 pair beiors
Inc. The first thing to be noted was the air of wsiI
tried friendship which was common to the man az
the worll and To the young girl They might have
been friends Tor years. Della pratulinv like n
child, as If she would amuse her COMPANION and |
yet with this childishness there was httIe arr Of
protection almost mothprlv. which was comicoi |
enough. She seemed 20 have taken charge of him |
She went on talking, until 1t struck me that sh. |
was half afraid To stop-ufraId OF what he might |
say hIs turn. lie tor ls part seemed IN no hurry
10 speak lIo sat with his face turned straight ~
the place where lay II could scarcely assuIe nv
self that he ~ least could not see mel and he liz
tened to his pretty little comrade with that braad
smile Of contentmeat which was worth q Kinys !
ransom Tor Its persuasion Of simplicity At last Il