New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-09

oughly respected the feelings which made me de-
cline.
Sand how long dye mean to stop in London ~
l looked at Sophie, and answered, at will de-
pend.n
"What will Florence say when she returns and
finds that her faithful shepherd has given up watch
ing the landscape which has been sanctifed by the
feet Of his lovely ChloeV asked Amelia.
i gave her a nod and q smile, much as to say
Don't trouble yourself; I'll arrange for all that"
"Jack knows his own business" said my uncle /;
ave have no right to interrogate him. more especi
ally since we have all been prohibited from having
a fngeri n his pie looking at his wife.
And so the matter ended, so far as this particular
passage was concerned; though that same evening"
being alone with Sophie had long talk with her,
in which gave her all my reasons for not stopping
Mt her house, and then went on to e1plain that my
wits were growing rusty in the Bristol lodgings,
which were horribly dull, and that return to Lon
don would freshen me up, and enable me to apply
myself with livelier spirits if not with n sturdier
resolution, to the job of winning Florence Hawke.
"My programme, then, is this, Jack, is IL ~ said
she; if Florence writes to Inc from Scotland, | am
to answer her letter and to speak of you in it,"
"Yesp
"What shall say about you"
"All that you Hke--all that feel, Sophie. Tell
her that grew dull in lodgings, that have re-
turned to london to recruit my spirits, and to Kill
the horribly tedious time Which her absence makes
life to be- hut that shall come back to Bristol by
the first train that follows your letter in which you
tell me she has arrived"
"Very we'll" said Sophie, mamma can't object
for it is really only ne'Cs; and must say some
thing when one. writes lottor. But suppose my
cpstlc should fall into Mr.. Hawkes. handsp
must take our chance. If Florence wishes to hear
from youth the hope of hearing about mel dare
say she will manage to receive the letter and keep
GWel well see first whether she writes, and
can then decide how to act, by what she says" ex-
claimed Sophie. "And what else must doW
keep a lookout for my darling, get any news Of
her return that you can lay hold Of and forward it
to Inc slapW
""On which you will come to DrStolp
"Yes"
"To your present lodgingsT
"Well don't know: I'll see about thai, !" said l.
And what is your policy aftcrwardp said
@Why' cried l. to meet her as often rs ] can, to
get her TO that she loves me- to hang on to her
and yes, Sophie" said ], qasping her arm, if her
father refuses his sancton-if she will consent to
to"
"whatl" whispered Sophie, looking thrilled;
A secret marriage" I exclaimed. "Why not
would IT be the first that had ever taken placer If
Is to be- pull devil pgi bRker between l2w 1H
anything candcstne. Much | hate marriage
ceremonies, with their fayors speeches, dresses and
blubbcrng I'd rather 90 through fifty weddings
with my sweetheart tGan bolt with her. But if
Florence loves me and love her and we're resolved
to have each other, and Hawke won't hear of it,
what's the right stepf Yield to the old man
Never" cried |, brandishing my fist.
SOphie's fat face was full of emotion. Upon my
word Jack she exclaimed, 4" believe you end in
making a real romance OF your love. What desper-
ate ideas you have! Pm sure Florence ought to feel
very much BATTERED"
But let me coil these lengths of plans down, and
hang them over the pin they belong to, out Of the
road, for when | come to think how they, like
good many other schemes have formed in my life,
warped me not an inch forward, though all the beef
that was in me ] applied TO the capstan-bar as
showed, feel ashamed To write Of them want to
put nothing bu tho truth into these lodgings, and
arrangements which never came to anything, some;
how, don't strike me As facts. You might as well
describe dreams or rrNeries as plans from which
nothing more emerged than would come from an
empty egg-shcll under n sitting fowl. And these,
my hcartes, ara the unpleaSantest parts q man can
light upon while spinning the yarn of his own
dongs: for nothing proves To him more shrewdly
how big fool lie has been III his day than his
having to confess TO a foresight which was about as
perceptiyo as if he had tied his head up In
bag. How big-wgs like chaneellOrs and statesmen,
who want pOsterlty to respect them for their WIS
dom. eau have the courage 10 sit down and write
about their lives hang me if | can imagine unless
indeed they make a lie of their yarns by emitting
whatever would show that at bottom they were not
very much wiser than YOU or me. But ayast now
we've had enough of phosophorizing" as an old
shipmate of mine called all ideas which obllge
man to scratch the back Of his head and heaye-to
for words.
Scotland that went away 10 London. Mrs. Chump
was sorry to lose me- / allow, she would have
riskcd her salvation to the extent OF saying was
out when | was in had agreed to stop on those
terms. But her lodgings were too small there was
no kind of figure to be cut in them they were as
dull as forcpcak; and so gave them mp for good
having resolved to seek bigger and better-looklng
rooms when | returned i pass over the leave
taking from my relations. | wanted 10 hand over
the balance of the fifty pounds my uncle had gwen
me- but the moment opened my mouth on that
subject he fell into passion, asked me What took
him To be- eyed me from head to foot and inquired
in a cold voice whether | was not imposing upon
him when said had been TO sea. since no sailor
man would treat relative so Ill rs TO offer 10 return
a gift THAT sort of thing said he, only hap
pens between sweethearts. When Florence has be-
come thick enough with you to receive your geW-
gaws, then when you and she quarrel and she sends
your Brummagen stuff back yOu may pocket it
there's no insult. But to offer to return Gitt-not
"A loan-but a gin 10 n gentleman you're on good
terms with-ltoast me. If you don't deserve To DO
ropes endedW
SO kept the money, nor can consccntiously say
that il went against my grain to do 50; for, after
all. why shouldn't wel-to-do uncle tip his
nephewi and what's fifty pOundsf Why could
spend twice that money IN week. and then, ialth,
have little enough to keep by me IN memory of IT.
| was pleased to observe that my aunt did not
much like saying goOd-by ito me. dareSay she
thought that on the whole she had not acted very
toward the mOtherlcss shellback who
had given his heart 10 beauty and had no friend,
if he had not his relations, 10 say word for hun or
give him hand. She held on to Inc when we bado
each other farewell, said hundred kind things, and
almost gave me 10 understand that II went away
counting upon Sophie she was not disposed 10 balk
my hopes. Ny, cousins accompanied me 10 me sta
ton and had confidential chat with Sophie on
the plat form while Amelia stood little apart IN
recognition of the mission that her kind,
lflectionatc loyal sister had made her own.
You shall hear without fail, said she, " the mo-
ment get the news of Florences return"
And Won will write her "A letter all about me
when you hear from herr and you'll send me her
letter Sophici aud | wish that you would look
about at your leisure for some comfortable
rooms. nearer To Clifton Lodge than my lodgings
werc' And was mumbling on when the guard III,
tcrrnpted me by loud Jump III, please, sir II
rnn'rr Going" God bless you. Sophie; shall
never forget what you have done and are doing.
Ne shall meet again soon. GOOd-by, Amelia; and
m q few minutes Bristol city astern of me.
TO be COntnuedl