The Portland daily press., 1883-06-18
Whitehall Review.l
If My First Wife,
BY G. MANvILLE FEM.


into tears.
sLesbia has not a beaming eyer ciied
Frank Reston, barrister, who had Just eaped
down from the dog-cart after cold drive
FROM the station at Ramford to his brother
in-laws handsome place, the Coppices,
Calkston, where that new relative had set
tied after his return from Australia where
he had been sent-the younger son of
good old country family--to see what he
could do as what is euphoniously termed q
squatter. He had squat,ed to some adyan-
tage, the Fates having been kind: and, after
making moderate fortune, he had sudden
ly doubled 1t by marrying the widow of a
colonial magnate.
At the lady's desire--her will being para
mount-they were on their way to England,
when one night they were awakened by an
awful crash, aud, rushing on deck, they
found all in confusion. Some vessel had
run into them during fog, cut the great
Austral liner down below the waters edge,
and during the next half hour there was
fight for life.
John Audas behaved admirably. When
the rush was made for the boats, he knocked
down half dozen towards one after the
other, and by sheer strength helped the cap
tain to send off the first boat properly mann
ed, with half the women passengers, mere
ly STIMULATING that his shrieking elderly
wife should be one. Then he helped with
the rext, and got that off safely, before be-
ing overpowered, for mad rush ensued, the
other boats were filled anyhow, and at last
the captain, second mate, half dozen men
apd the brave young passenger were left
alone upon the deck of the sinking ship,
with just time enough to lash a few spars
together, throw them overheard, and trust
themselves to this frail support before the
vessel went down.
From this raft they were picked uD ex-
hausted, half dead, by passing ship, hav-
ing seen no mole of the boats, all of which
were lost, presumably, in the gale which
came on before many hours had passed; and
thus it was that John Audas found himself
wdower, at thirty five and far from incon-
solable, FOR report said his existence with
the relict of the colonial magnate had been
of the kind to which some people give a very
unpleasant term.
So little indeed was the handsome young
coionist affected by his loss that, after set
ting down at the Coppices, where hsrevell-
ed in the life of a country gentleman, year
had hardly passed before he was a sIitor for
the band of Lesbia Reston, the daughter of
the old vicar of Calkston, and the belle of
the country ball.
Matters followed one another in the most
prosaic way. John Audas was beyond re-
proach for a son-in-iaw; his wooing was
downright and honest; and the lady found
the bluff, sun-browned, well-informed fellow
-albe it he was far from clever-uuite
contrast and relief after the insipid locals
of the neighbolhood; so the result was that,
after rather short intimacy, John Audas
proposed, was accepted, Frank Reston came
from the Temple to be present at his sisters
wedding, and now that, six months later,
he had run down to spend few days at the
Coppices, to have little shooting, he found
her thin, pale, careworn and ready at word
to burst into tears.
why, little Lesby,' he cried with all his
cd pelting ways, what is it? Surely Jack is
not behaving badly to you?
NO. Oh. mol 1t is nothing, Frank; am
little hysterical'
But it is somethingp he exclaimed. sfil
have it out with john
!. MY dear Frank, you'll make me wretched
if you say word
oh well, if you take that tone, of course
will not said ther brother; but came
down here for rest and to have bit of en-
joyment, and find you in tears.
Yes, yes, and it's all my nonsense,
Frank, dear. There, it's all gone now. It's
the weather, think
Where's John2'
Either in the stables, or down the garden.
dear. P.l send for him.
oh, al go and look him up. / suppose
he'll be glad to see me-?
Why, of course, dear. He has been talk
ing about nothing ellie since he heard YOU
were coming, and making no end of plans
All, that's right said Frank Reston snil-
ing.
And I'm so glad you've come, Frank.
dear. You see, I'm afraid Pm not much of
company for dear John-not such good com
pany as-as think his first wife was.'
We'll, yoare deal better company than
she is now"
'Pll try very hard to take an interest in
his pursuits; but Pm so stupid, Frank, that
Pm afraid he gets out of patience
'Pll tell you what it is, Lesby,' said Frank
Reston bluntly; If you two people can't be
happy in this glorious place, with every lux
ury about you, and only to speak to have
whatever you please, you deserve-you de-
serve-there, don't know what you don't
deserved
, Yes, dear, we do said the lady meekly.
sAh, here comes dear John. Pll run away;
don't tell him I've been crying
Stuff! Is it likely?'
And pray, pray Frank, don't let him
think that | have been mnrmuring. 1t
would make him SO unhappy
AS she spoke she ran off, and Frank Res
ton crossed the hall to meet his stalwart
brother-in-law, who looked the beau ideal of
acountry gentlemn n, and striking con
trast to the pale, careworn student, fresh
from his gloomy chambers in town.
vs.
you. Why, you pale, bleached bookworm-
here, come out in the open air, and let's get
some color in your cheeks. Come and have
a look at the dogs
They went and had a look at the splendid
settlers and retrievers in their kennels, and
as Reston admired them
'Ah,' said Audas, If my first wife had
been alive, how she would have idolized
those dogs
Better have idolized you,' said Reston
bluntly.
Yes, of course said Audas, in nowise ap-
peased.
E-sWe'll have grand ride or two while YOU
are here. Come over to the stables. I've
got mare that will!suit you to T. There,
he said, as Re patted first one and than an
mother satin-skirned beauty, as it turned its
head rodnd with rattle Of the head-staIl
for the expected bit of sweet carrot or cake,
they're right, aren't they? All, if my first
wife had been alive, she would have loved a
lew gallops over some of the wolds.'
'Humph! would she? said Reston
Yes; she was a splendid woman on horse
back. Well, come in now and dress, and
let's get to dinner
well, shan't be sorry to have it, said
the London guest; and with his brothei-in-
laws hand affectionately resting upon his
shoulder, they went in, and in due time
.dined.
But somehow that was not so pleasant a
meal as it might have been, and the acute
bsrrister was not long in finding that the
grit that showed itself in the cooking, the
acidity in the wine, and the jar in the con-
versation was all due TO one thing, which
found voice in the words, 'Ah, if my first
wife, etc,
Jack loves her. said Frank Reston to
himself, as he lay in bed that night, she
worships him, and they are not happy. Jack
Audas is a good fellow, but not over-wise.
Lesby is the most amiabe little darling that
ever breatbed, and yet they don't seem as
they should be. Hang his first wife!
sHumph! well, no; she's deceased. What
fool the man is to poison his cup of happi-
ness like this! BY Jove, what good thing it
would be if Lesby had a dangerous fit of
sickness; it would bring Jack 10 his senses,
and-heigh, ha, ha, hum, how sleepy am
and
H That was all, for he dropped off to sleep
at once. But he had similar thoughts to these
every night during his stay, and again on his
way back to London, after doubling the
length of his visit, and even then his brother
in law being half offended because he would
not as Audas said, make il few more DAYS.