New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-25

II
Hawkes. opinion to interfere With my chance o
wooing his lovely daughter; Ihad hoped that NO
reference to the business, IN any shape or form
would have been made, and had i rested With my
aunt and cousins, nothing, probably, would have
been said; but my uncle who spoke whatever came
into his head tumbleo all into the topic at lunch
| by asking Amelia If she had seen Miss Hawke
lately My aunt tried to catch his eye to make a
| face at him. but he would not look.
:" saw her yesterday, but only to nod TO-" replied
Amelia.
"Does anybody know how young Morecombe is
getting on r continqedJ my uncle. How's his
q II should be well by this time" said Sophie con-
! temptuousy.
Pm not sure" exclaimed my uncle: "A sprain's
| bad job ] have known a man to be laid up for
! twelve weeks with twisted ankle
g saw him in the Hawkes. carriage, as came
here, sad His suiierings did not seem acute"
Was that the first time You had ever seen him y
asked my aunt. replied that il was
What dye think of him ~ said my uncle.
That he's decidedly good-looking fellow, with
very gentlemanly appearance Sophie seemed to
regard me with establishment. My aunt said 1t
IS very honorable of you ID praise him, Mr.. Jack.
lie is certainly handsome to look at From q
distance" interrupted Sophie. But" continued
my aunt, when you get to know him and converse
VII, him, his looks seem to fade away am afraid
! II is because he has very little intellect"
"Tho fact is, Jack, - said my uncle. " his beauty
! founders in his mbecility The moment yOu stir up
MS manly ms appearance gets swamped and sinks.
teal touch that pleases me-
"Only Mr.. Hawke could endure so silly person
rs guest" observed Amelia.
Do not let us talk Of Mr.. Hawke dear said my
aunt Sophie, pass the sherry to your cousin, my
love-"
Before we shelve old Hawke, Sophia" SAID my
uncle IN the manner of one who rises after dinner
| to make a speech want to say a word. | told
Jack yesterday, why you object to the girls med
eXplaned to you, my dear. 1t is not because you
like MIR. Hawke, nor because you approve of his
wish to marry his child to an ass nor because You
would not be delighted to see Florence Hawke be-
come Mrs. Jack Seymour; but because you think
It's right that people should do as they'd like to be
done by: by which mean that if you were carry
ing ont some marriage speculation for Sophie there,
you would not be pleased if Hawkes. nephew Sup
posing he had onel stepped ill., backed by Hawke
@ little game There re- nde G be M no Og q on the
sJH aGEf Jack Is young man OF Sen'''r'nt you
All this was distressing enough to me- and ! could
only blush and try to smile and look amlable. My
aunt, dragged into topic she had not wanted to
NEEDLE with, was forced to speak.
Il am sorry said she TO me, TO have felt obliged
and | really hare felt obliged-to say or do any
thing that that You might not think kind. My
husband knows, and so do Sophie and Amelia, that
would be very glad to see you the accepted lover
of Florence Hawke. Do not imagine | wonder at
your admiration of her, or that You should be in
love. for greatly admire Florence myself, and have
"A warm affection for her. But il was out of the
question that Mr.. Hawke should be allowed TO sup
pose that we were abettng you against his wishes ;
nor, in my opinion would my daughters be acting
with propriety, in calling at Clifton Lodge after
what has passed and under the mask of visiting as
friends helping YOU In your-your-p
.1gaire de oOoa put it politely Sophia said my
uncle.
and so virtually acting as the enemies of Mr.
Hawke" concluded my aunt wha was exceedingly
nervous, and extended her hand to Sophie for the
fan the girl wore sung by a lanyard to her waist.
There's reasoning against that said my I'M
Gle. Girls your mothers right. We all Of MS wish
Jack plenty Of luck: he deserves IT, and in my
opinion he'll get IL, But he must haul alone Yes,
my lad, IL must he a single-handed job. It's pity;
but women the best judges of what's proper and
decorous in behavior, and what your aunt says
we're bound to ndoTse. both of u.s.
Once more say all this was very distressing be-
sides being fiat. stale and Improbable, for IL was
going over old ground. However, | put on pleas
ant face thanked my aunt for her good wishes apol
ogzcd for having been the cause Of Mr. Hawkes.
rudeness and, by backing and filling, managed to go
clear of the cOnioundedly narrow channel into
which my uncle's candid soul had warped me. and
then with deXterous twist, changed the subject.
ITO be- Continued