Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-07-03
THE LOG HUT OF CHAPMAN.

The Lug Hut OF CLAPHAM.
Of all the suburbs south of the
Thames, Chaplain has the appearance
OF the most homogeneous prosperity.
Its ways are broad and open, its houses
substantial and we'll kept. An air of
comfortable competence is to be found
in its quietest hooks, while the splen-
dor of city riches shines on its most con-
=spieuous 8 ,uares and roads and ter
races. The Common is its glory, the
crown of its atfiuence. To live on Clap
ham Common means an obliging
banker. efficient servants, gallant
horses, and no more personal knowl-
edge of bankruptcy than kaffir has of
@estheticism.
Of all the houses on Chaplain Com
mon the most spacious is the Log Hut
1t stands with four fair walls against
the four lights of heaven. The exterior
aspect is large and free; responsible
without pretentiousness; comfortable
without $ sordidness; liberal without
prodigality.
The interior more than confirms the
outward promise. In summer it is full
of g bdued sunlight, and open to she
wandering perfumes of the garden be-
yond. 1t is still without being hlshed.
The silence seems always either BROOD
ing over music fled or awaiting melody.
Sounds which abroad strike harsh upon
the ear come mingled with murmur
of leaves, and are no more than the
astray, full-bodied notes of an incomplete
tune.
In winter huge fires blaze for well
come. The silver shines, the pictures
CLEAN. the drapery grows mellow, the
>carpefs catch the warmth, the ceiling
throws down the glow of the rudy
light Soft chairs and couches WOO the
stranger to repose, and importune him
to delay. - E3Stt} -ss
The master of this house, Mr.. William
Bayliss, had just reached that period of
life when, fortune having favored him,
and he being untroubled by any later
growth of ambition, he was little dis
posed for new enterprise. and made up
his mind to live what night be yet
given to him of life in all the peaceful
ness of moderate use. He was sixty
years of age.
Mr.. Bayliss was a man of rather more
than the middle height. His figure was
but slightly stouter than forty years
ago. lie had large. kindly blue eyes,
a broad. unwrinkled forehead. and,
save where fringe of gray hair ran
round the lower part of his head, he
was quite bald. He did not wear
WHISPERS, beard or mustache. In youth
he had been good looking. In age he
had singularly gracious, benevolent
face.
Mrs. Rayliss, five years his junior,
and married to him thirty years ago,
reflected many of the leading charac-
teristics of his expression. She had
been his good wife all that tine. She
believed there was no better man than
he in all the world.
To this good couple one daughter had
been born. Kate was her name. And
now this day, in the middle of leafy
June, Kate was to be married. She
was to marry Edward Mayne, the
choice of her own heart. the only sweet
heart of her girlhood. and the sutton
who had won the love and respect OF
her father and mother.
Kate was twenty-five, tall and 1.-the,
had dark eyes and round, red cheek,
and red lips and dark brown hair, with
here and there flaws of lighter brown
that made rich gold of the sunlight.
She smiled oftener than laughed, but
when she did laugh there was such a
tone of exquisite enjoyment that peo-
pie paused to listen as We hush our
rude voices when unawares we are
startled by the lark.
Edward Mayne was jovial, light
hearted fellow; tall too, fat-chested.
lightly built, and 1.-the, with animal
spirits enough for a parish, good heart
enough for a county, and as much good
sense as you would like to see in any
fine, handsome, dashing young fellow
~of seven-and-twenty. Although he had
not been up to this at all blameless, he
of the best kind OF raw material from
which the best kind of Englishman is
made.
! ~ hen all the oratorlcal formalities oil
the breakfast had been complied with,
.and yet an hour was to spare before the
bride and bridegroom set out upon their
honeymoon. the master OF the house
rose and said:
~ here is Just time before the young
people leave us for a little story, VIII ch
has been blameless secret between
my wife and me for many year. Some
of you are old friends. yet l think the
memory cf none of you reaches back to
the circumstance which caused me to
call this house the Log Hut.
at has been my good fortune-good
fortune for which l am ever grateful to
-Heaven-that. having begun life with q
modest education and no fortune.
khave arrived toward the close of my
X years., at apds.tion~ of comfort; nay,
moderate atnueace.
al began life in the city of London
i'm the Office of a large timber firm. Al
sixteen 1 entered the Office. and until
was close upon twenty was occupied IN
the ordinary routine of the counting.
house. l never cared much for de K
work, and was glad of the opportunity
of leaving my desk and taking a posi-
ton in our great timber-yard. Here
was life of physical activity, in which
I found scope for Judgment; at the OF
flee / had done merely mechanical
work.
..Marston & Co. bought and solo
wood of all kinds-Swedish, North
American, West Indian, British Afri
can. / quickly became master OF my
i