New-York tribune., 1883-11-04


guest could expect, and in this country perhaps
| better than he would get-wnh an open window
looking on to the front grounds which lay dark in
! floating up out of them ON the dew-laden folds of
| air that stirred softly. The stars were dropping
into their places faint haze of crimson fingered in
| the west, and now and again the sky was tinged
with the delicate gTeenish glare of lightning, and
pretty, amid the stiffness, was the tinkling music
| played by the fountain.
"After London" said l. " this is indeed delightful
"Well, my boy, you are heartily welcOme-most
me on tbs shoulder don't trSnbe ' TO- dress for
diuner-we're very homeIy; at least am, and hate
any sort of fuss"
| fIe then went away and shortly afterward ! fol-
| lowed him to the drawing room, where found all
| the family but my cousin Amea-Miss Hawke, as
| | supposed, having left. ! took seat near my
aunt and was about 80 tell her how surprised had
! been by her husbands visit when something under
my chair touched my leg hOP6ed mp and on look
ing perceived that il was Miss Hawkes. old terrier,
| cried my uncle, laughing at the manner in which
had whipped to my feet
| Isn't II Miss Hawkes. dogT said /.
| "Yes," replied my aunt; ave have induced her to
| stay and dine with u.s."
"Not the dog, but Miss Hawke, Jack" said my
a.DOn't you think her very pretty, Mr.. seymourp
said my cousin Sophie.
Mr.. SEYMOUR shouted my uncle. "WhOever
heard girl call her cousin mister beforeH Ny dear
Sophie yOnder young fellow is Your cousin Jack
Pray call him So and make him feel that he is with
Ay, please do,D said l.
She blqshed and laughed, and said: "Yery well,
ayes, Sophie" replied, Pumping out her name
al do think Miss Hawke very pretty-wOnderfully
pretty"
my travels / never came across anything sweeter--
the object of my earliest affections alone excepted"
giving his wife a bow.
She's an Australian" said my aunt.
| /" IndeedV i eXclamed-though why should
| do not know; for is not Australia as rich in pretty
women as any other country or continent, allowing
| for numbersf
| I" "Yesn said my aunt she was born in Australia
Her father made his money out there, and we be-
lieve he is very rich man. He lives in fine house
short walk from here"
| | made his acquaintance in journey to Lon
| dOn," said my uncle. i" His Christian name is AL
phonsO, and | have heard Florence talk of one
Damaris Hawke-an aunt who lives in Australia
What dye think, Jack, of Alphonso and Damaris
| as pair of names for small tea-r9Tty9 He's
pOmpous old chap-between yOu and me, a bit of
| prig-with strong aristOcratc leanings: man, you
should see his crest Yet, in spite of my democratic
| wdeawakc and the republican cut of my ib," said
| he, looking down ut his clothes, which were of the
| samcpattern as those he had worn when nc called
| upon me, " he was pleased to exchange cards, and
on his return from town called with his daughter"
| "What | like most in Florence Hawke" said
Sophie, is her unatlectedness. She is very pretty
she will, no doubt, he very rch-but she is quite
unspOiled, and artless and simple a little girl"
| "She will, of course, have many admirers" said l.
| "Shc might have, you may take your affidavit"
| answered my uncle; 81 but her fathers taut hand
my girls say, and nobody dare go near. What's the
ing TO fetch ~
RRcginald Morecombe,D' replied my amt. His
| father is baronet, and Mr. Reginald will get the
| title. There's something | do not much like in
views of that kind in parents. have only met Mr..
| NiOrcCOmbe once; but once was enough TO discover
that he is very simperng young man, rather con-
ceited very much given to bOastng about what he
and Mr. Hawke call blood, and quite capable, no
doubt Of believing that he would be doing this
| beautiful girl much honor by taking her papa's
money in exchange for his name"
"Self-made Australians are generally fond of
| - said
Were all fond Of titles" said l. "I. for one,
should be well pleased to be lord, not because
value the rank, but because l value the worlds
| valuation of it,"
f" In my opinion" observed my aunt; " the very
worst man girl can have for q husband Is a fool"
| "Quite right" said my uncle; "A woman can
never get lower than that"
"But Florence has to marry Mr.. Morccombe first,
| mamma" said Sophie
At this point of a conversation that was both in
! tcresting and instructive Miss Hawke and Amelia
| came in. Amelia was stouter-let me say fatter-
! than Sophie; she had three chins, and bust as
| plump as the bows of n galiOt. doubt if Miss
| Hawke could have chosen better contrast for her
| own delightful shape; and as they entered and
+ crossed the room side by side not only found my
eyes riyeted TO the beautiful face of this young
Australian lady, and my head rotating after her. as
you may see little metal duck in a basin of water
! following magnet, but was SURPRISED by queer
| futtering sensation under my waiStcOat-a feeling
if my heart had got out of gear and were rolling
| about on q grOund-sWell of emotion.
| However no time was allowed me to consider
what this might mean; scarcely had the young
! ladies entered when the man-seryant seen
| standing in the door announcing that dinner was
ready. We trooped into the dining-room, my aunt
| on my arm and Miss Hawke on my uncleS and
| took our seats. Here was another fine apartment
with large portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Seymour facing
each other, and the soft light of wax-candles and
sperm-oil to dine by. Miss Hawke sat opposite me-
Just clear of the flowers in the centre OF the table,
| so had her full in sight throughout the dinner.
will not say that she looked more bewitching with
out her hat let her go dressed rs she chose she
| would have been fasclnating-npon my word, even
nv unclc's wdeawake would have become her; but
| CHI ~ hpWitClinQ
| less so, that her hair was exposed, with lts
! dainty little parting the left side vanishing
her white forehead, and coils of thick platS crown
| ing her and q rOse-a small, newly blown rOso--
| glimmerng like Il jewel among those most lovely
For the first time that ever can remember felt
| nervous in the presence OF lady. Yes, this glri
| sitting opposite to me- aud bringing from time to
time the whole brOadside of her beauty and ntcl-
gence to bear by letting her eyes rest on with a
kind of inquiry IN them. as If she were quietly TAX
ing stock of the young sailOr6ed chap fronting her,
| and wondering if he were really q nautical man.
and if not what business he had in seeming one-I
say that at the start Miss Florence Hawke made me
| feel as shy as sChOOlboy at an evening party;
| Positively, at one moment was SO nervous that
did not dare lift glass OF wine for fear OF spmg
| it over what tailor would call my combinations.
Fortunately for me, however, my uncle talked
necessarily. so that what with having to listen to
him, and with having to attend to what the sery
ants put before them, the Others were too busy TO
| notice my manner. At all events thought so, and
| that helped me greatly in working myself on to q
Ali the conversation at the qOug-off was about
my father, about my uncles discovery Of Inc, and so
| forth.
How nice it must be, Mr.. Seymour. to meet with
| relations unexpectedly" said Miss Hawke to me.
"Yes," j starnlnered " very nice indeed AT least
| mean it depends" And here seeing that babe
| fair to make an ass of myself, laid hold of my
nerves. 4" When say depends, should explain,
| Miss Hawke, that relations Unexpectedly met are
not always nice. As an instance, imagine a man
| addressing q room full of electors He wants the
| voters to believe him not only a Tory but a we'll
| connected man. In the midst of his speech noise
| is heard, and q woman Disguised in liquor, with
| bonnet on her back shOyes through the door. say
ing: have a right to be here. He is my brOthoT.''
| This produced q laugh, and reminded my uncle
! of an anecdote the telling of which took the con
yersatiOn off the course ii had been steering, for
| which was grateful, az | nervous and apt on
| such II topic as relations to be gaache and even
offensive without meaning it: Ny aunt now a ked