The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-10-18
THE MAJORS LUNCHEON.

aitnough people Seemeo 10 ma " nOt, yes to me the atmosphere had only just the chill oa, for was lately home from . heightened sojourn in Bombay. had been ts the India office to see one of the officials on a little matter of detail connected with my furlough, and l had two or three hours to spare before my train-l live at Sevenoaks. and had re- turn ticket by the London, Chatham and Dover-was due to start and didn't ex- actly know how to employ the time. strolled across the parade. ascended the steps by the duke Of Works column, and stared at the statue they have just put up of Outram horse standing on three legs, and Ouuam looking back, leaning on the flank of his horse. Well, hadn't much fault to find with the statue, except, per haps, as to the horse being a little heavy, and that I'd have made him splashing ou: with hts near fore leg, seeing that his rideI's leaning over the off flank but, notwithstanding, it's spirited thing. and that's good deal to say in these days. When I'd had a good look at Duran turned into Pall Mall, and took a long stare at the print shops, and then saun- tered along the opera colonnade, fra grant whiff of some cooking going on at the restaurant there making me all of a sudden feel as if was hungry.
 Perhaps you wilt say that was in the right quarter to be satisfied; but didn | feel so am. like John Gilpin, of fru- gal mind. haven't toiled all these years in foreign land under blazing sun to dissipate my modest hoard on cooks and restaurants; moreover, my appetite IS a masculine one, and IS not to be appeased by outlets as big as half Should I take the ' bus to Paddington and lunch with my Sister Emilyf Paddington IS a long way; Emily as hkly as not would be out, and if at home she would probably be lunching of cream cheese and Os- borne biscuits, and glass ot Gl4dstonian ciaret. Should retreat to my station, and refresh myself calmly at the dining room there and await my train? There was something ignominious in the idea Here was in one of the most wonderful cities in the world, and all could find it in my heart to do was to get out of it as quickly as possible
 lrresolute stood at the corner of the Haymarkes, not having made up my mind which way to 20. l hadn't stood there second before an old frishwoman asked me the way to Bethnal green. vas rather Hurried at this, as, although have a good general idea of the direc- ton of Bethnal-green, found it difficult, to methodise it with sufficient rapidify for the old Irishwoman, who gave me a glance of contemp, and passed on. Bc fore had recovered from this, twe very nice-looking girls, moved, suppose, by my fathe1iy appearance, besought me, with charming smiles, to direct them to the academy. Now in my young days the academy used to be al the national gallery, and although l ought to have known very well that ii was now at Bur hngtoh house, yet somehow never real ised the fact, and so sent of these two very nice young creatures entirely in the wrong direction. My heart smo,e me the next moment, and l was about to rush across the street to stop them and put them in the right way when I was seised by Aorid young lrishman, with all the superfuous energy and Auency of his country, who insisted on my directing him ts the chief commissioner of the civil service, and Fas very angry with me when assured him that there was no such functonary. He insisted in pro- ducing an official envelope addressed to Michael ODonovan, Esq, at some bowling wilderness in Tppesary, which certainly bore in tho corner the word, @Civil Service Commissions"
 And would there be a commission widout commissiones ?' cried Michael triumphantly, but scornfully; and then saw what he wanted, of course, and sent him oil 10 Deans yard but don't know, aAez all. whether he wouldn't have com. mitted an assault upon me with th. idea he'd got that vas desaving' him. Il hope to goodness the civil service com mission hasn't moved too, or 1 shall fear to fnd my tall Irish friend waiting for me at the corner of tho Haymarket with a big stick next time pasA
 But next minute l was paid Cor all, when such . sweet voice fell upon nv ear, and lady with . little boy in her hand asked me the way to Regent street. She had one of those softly-molded sym pathetic faces that give one heartach when one finds that the owners of them are married, not with any idea of selfish aRP1oPssoAsss ooe Wss0 JUG tuOuk0t that such sweet candid creatures should be ses apart for the love and adoration of all mankind, and not monopolized by some one unworthy wretch. She asked me the way to Regent street. and happy was 1 that knew 1t. Aher that deserted my post and darted across to the other side.
 hadn't got mors than half a dozen yards when felt hand laid upon my arm, and saw at my side a very good looking, well-dressed man.
 Ny dear fellow" he said, "how ,re you ?"
 didn't know but what l knew the man, for ono meets 90 many people of his kldnsy; and for aught l could tell, l might have been hospitably entertained by him somewhere or other up the country. % that didn't like to confess my ignorance of his name and quality. And ws walled vesy cordially together towardx c Marfi0se ~hur~h