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

darling girl did not haul her fingers away from me
as if she had been burned. But there was nothing
to whisper nothing even to be looked, with old
Hawke, like policeman, looming closely alongside
He gave me a fnger-nail TO shake, bowed ponder
ously his waistcoat but expressed no pleasure
at all at having made my acquaintance, nor limited
the least desire to have the honor of seeing me again.
Not very much was said as we drove home; the
wheels made too much noise for comfortable talk
ing it be said that our postures were Of tho
easiest, l. as before, being squeezed between my
cousins, which forced me to give my uncle and aunt
opposite the benefit of my knees, so that all can
remember my uncle saying was: Damme, Jack.
you seem all legs tonight" on which Sophie painted
into my ear: I" Papa should say all heart" But the
drive only occupied few minutes, and presently we
were in the dning-room at home, grog Oh the table,
my uncle in slippers and my aunt and cousins ing
ering for a chat before going to bed OF course our
talk was of the dinner and if were not as kind
in our remarks about host people usually are
of the friends who entertain Them let 1t be remem-
bered that my uncle thought old Hawke prig and
that my cousins objected to his ideas marriage.
"Do you really think Mr.. Morecombe sprained his
ankle !" asked Sophie generally.
"NO doubt of it," replied my aunt. "Why should
he shamT
Eyes" says Sophie, "but, having killed poor
way to prove the thing accidental was by pre-
tending he had hurt himself"
You should suggest that to Miss Hawke" said /.
Shamming or not, wish he had dined with us.
should like to have seen him, and heard him talk"
"A foolish wish Jack cried my uncle. " Had he
been present what chance of flirting would you
have hadf
~Don't call it flirting" said 1 warmly.
HEh" cried he, turning TO his wife, You should
have heard me lecture Jack this evening, while Dir.
Hawke upstairs balsaming his young friends
arstoerato tendons" and he repeated pretty nearly
| all be had before let fly at me-
Sophie" said l, when he was done, please take
a note of this. will youi Ipromised Miss Hawke
that she should know through you what my uncle
said"
81 am Jack doesn't stand in need of such adj
vice." exclaimed Sophie. "What you think of
him, papa to talk about silver-plated hearts, and
stnff of that kind ~
Stuff, dye call it 7" cried my uncle; why, it
was first-class imagery. II. Jack means to make
love to Florence, l want him to be in earnest She
knows hint through me. | respect, admire, and am
very fond Of her. and don't want any tomfoolery."
aThere Is no tomfoolery hore,' said l. Sand yet
-really-ths talk of my making loye-these refer
ences to my being in earnest-are rather-weu let
me say and not knowing what to say, stopped,
blushed cOughed and, catching my uncles eye,
laughed.
II cannot help thinking II is pity" said my
aunt, tanning herself, and looking somewhat anX-
iousy from one to the other of us as she spoke,
that should be In any way, even indirectly, the
means of interfering, as it might seem, between Mr..
Hawke aud his domestic views. mean that it
would not matter one jot, and. indeed, no one
would be gladder than /, if Mr. Jack shOud be tho
Of uniting vouno Mr. MOrecOmbe down.
and of saving Florence from what have often said
fear will be an unhappy future; for no woman can
live happily with fool But it would have been
better | think If Mr.. Jack could have acted indie
pendently of us-if he could have fallen in love With
Miss Hawke and paid her attentions, as he did to-
highland how annoyed Mr.. Hawke looked with
out our having, it might be, anything TO do with
it,
swell. and what have we to do with it ~ ex-
claimed nv uncle. "We're only responsible for his
introduction We can't help his falling in love-"
"No. | quite see that" responded my aunt
| thOughtfully; "but, still, / am afraid that Mr..
Hawke is annoyed"
with us. dye mean, SOphiaV cried my uncle.
ayes, think he was. lie was cool, thought
And what them
"Well, !" said she yOu'see were neighbors."
"And what then ~
"Well | should not like him to think that
mean it would seem unfriendly on our part to act
as if it gave us pleasure TO thwart his wishes"
"Nonsensew said my uncle. "What are we sup
posed to know about his wishes Why. conlound
him. I'm an honester man to his child than he Is.
Here see my nephew admiring her, hanging about
her. and behaving as ayOung fellow would who
wants to get a girl to love him: and thereupon L
give him lecture upon the subject of wOmens feel
ngs worth its weight in gold, and dismiss him with
! ,.. Ra honest bp sheer of.
But how does the father actG lie meets an old man
called Sir Reginald Morecombe; he brings this old
mans son to his house, and in a manner forces him
upon his daughter not because he values her happi-
ness not because she is restless creature, who had
better marry u sucking baronet than her pupa's
coachman, but because he is eaten up by the par
venus ambition of improving his social position by
importing blood INFO his family"
- agree with every word you say Charles ex-
claimed my aunt "but," added she, inconscquen-
tally, Il know it will end in Mr. Hawkes. cutting
! us"
"The sun will still shine, mamma" SAID sophie.
And the flowers grow" said Ameia.
Well if nobody WiU understand me-" cried my
aunt. there is no use in my, going on talking
understand YOU" said |, who had listened 10
tlis conversation with very mingled emotions as
any man may suppose. you consider that am
not acting proper part in doing anything likely TO
disturb the friendly feelings which exist between
your family aud the Hawkes.
aTwaddew rumbled my uncle in his gizzard.
4You consider, perhaps. l continued, that did
not behave very decorously in 50 bearing myself
this evening toward Miss Hawke rs to veX Der
ftber. and 10 make him feel cool toward You for III
Producing me-
sBosh~ growled my.uncle.
aWen" continued l. not noticing my uncles in.
terruption if this is what you think must admit
! that YOU are right But what was to do! Miss
Hawke invited me to her papa's house and went.
! took her in to dinner, and sat next to her. How
! was to behaved