St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-06-14

manner, than many of the aristocratic
friends he had left in London, and she
had one of the sweetest faces he thought
he had ever seen. With easy grace She
bade him welcome to the house, excus-
ing her fathers absence as matter of
necessity, and then she resumed her
seat and they entered into conversation.
InstinctiYely during it all Henniker felt
that her clear, brown eyes were scruti-
nizing him closely, that she was, as it
were, summing him up and making a
i mental estimate of his value. He began
to take an interest in the girl, and the
more so because he felt that he had
previously done her an injustice.
The butler came in presently to show
Henniker to his room, and, when the
young man went back, he found Miss
Maitland with her hat and jacket on.
Il thought you would perhaps like
to look round the grounds if you are
not too tired with your Journey" she
said.
He answered that he should be only
too pleased, and they at once sailed
out together.
Going along she gave him little de-
scriptions of the neighborhood, showed
him her canine pets, the horses, ct
cetera, and did her best to entertain
him. Henniker found himself listening
in way that he could hardly have be-
IieYed possible,i The girl had wonder
fully attractive manner. She was so
easy and unaffected, so thoroughly I'M
conscious that she was beautiful and
stylish, SO different from the parrot-girls
tsof society whom he had previously met,
and yet so completely their equal in the
finer attributes of good society. in grace
and refinement, with tenfold more
depth ofcharacter and cultivation, that
Henniker enjoyed his walk as he had
never enjoyed any walk before. He al
most forgot that his companion was
only an uncultivated cotton-spinner's
daughter.
1t was about five O'clock when they
had finished their rounds and tea was
served in the draWing-room. Henniker |
was surprised. 1t seemed that these
Manchester people lived like other folk
and were as we'll bred in their habits rs
the friends he had left in London. At
dinner, too, there was none of that COR
geous display of plate that he had been
led to expect. Everything was con-
dncted quietly and unostentatiously. /
Mr.. Maitland, perhaps, to those who
did not know him, was the blot upon
the scene. He certainly was trife
vulgar. But his friends lost sight of
this in their'warm appreciation of his
sterling good-nature. No better-heart-
ed, more generous-minded man than
Walter Maitland ever lived Original
~ the salesman in small warehouse in
Spring Gardens, he had, by dint of /
steady industry and unWearying perse-
yernnce. raised himself to his present
position among the most honored of
merchants; but, unlike the
OF men who have risen solely
through their own eXertions, his success.
had not made him arrogant and self
assertiFe, nor was he IN the habit of
ooasting of his achievement. He knew
that. comparatively speaking, he was
IN ignorant man and he was not l
to own il; but he never did so ]
obtrusiFely. Kind to a fault, always
wiling to assist any one in distress, in
1ocent as child in many of the world f.
ways, wearing his heart upon his sleeve,
md as unaffected as the day on which {
le was born, Walter Maitland, to those t
Who knew him, was man to respect, I
o honor and to love. s
unfortunately Frank Henniker did S
lot know him, and he was obliged to liz
Judge him by outward appearance. He Iii
elf strongly that this old gentleman 1t
Who sat at the. head of the table, who i
aughed SO loudly and so heartily at his il
wn Jokes, who often dropped his ''h's'' y
nd Fmlspronouneed his words, was Ii
cry vulgar being. Hennikcr had been V
'rought up in an exclusive set, with
Thom faults of breeding were iniquities e
hat could never be atoned for, even by Y
be best qualities of disposition. At n
inner, unconsciousIy to himself, he V
onld not help showing the direction in n
hitch his thoughts lay. However, it
assed off very well, and Mr.. Maitland b
id not perceive that his guest was a h
'lfie offended, not to say disguised, D
18th his ways. But once OF twice Hen IN
iker caught the daughter looking at Sc
I'M with an expression on her face "
.hich he could not understand. 1t puz- a,
led him.
After dinner, in the drawine-room. ,sa
ne sang songs for him; and again Hen / n
lker was thrown into state of won d
ermcnt. Such thrilling voice, SO Y
'uching in its tender pathos, he had "
ever heard. 1t entranced him, and he Fl
fascinated by the piano all the su
me that she was singing. But when al
showed symptoms OF the great de- ne
ght that he felt Miss Maitland at once tn
sc from her seat, and rather cold1y OF
fused to sing any more, Y,
Henniker's thoughts, as he sat in his be
droom that night, were anything but so
easant. Above everything he felt &c
oroughlY angry and dissatisfied with WI
srnrclF L. Il u e.