The news., 1885-07-14

AAot " ~ ny Nee- = e&NatA oAO
in London town. But there was no
friend at hand to usefnlly direct
my passing mood I; and being left
to myself, why, before l had meas
ured half the distance to my uncle's
house the feelings which had deter
mined me to stick to the district were
once more bhbbling and popping in
| full force in my foolish young heart,
and ] was swearing to myself that
come what might, as long as Florence,
Hawke gave me fraction of encour-
agement to persevere and hope, /
would never lose sight of her nor
cease to believe that might one day
get her to share my future.
On my way to Clifton l turned into
confectioner's shop to get mouth
full to eat, and while ] was munching
sandwich on top of a high stool and
glowering through the window, that
was filled with bottles ofeandy, glasses
of Jelly, and such things, Miss Hawke
and her sister drove past; they swept
by rapidly, yet not so fast but that l
noticed how lovely Miss Hawke
looked in brown hat with star
board brim looped up. l hoped off
my perch, and, sandwich in hand
ran to the door to follow her with my
eyes, but saw nothing but the back
of her parasol, snirmounted by the
large, square figure of the coachman,
as the carriage rolled down hill.
Iproceeded on my way, my thoughts
full Of the beautiful girl, and asking
myself all sorts Of questions. Could
she ever endure to surrender all the
luxury her father was accustoming
her to for poor Husband? was there
the probability ofmy ever getting her
to love me ? and would her love be of
such a kind as TO induce her to
act as one reads of girls behaving in
story-books and now and then in real
life as, for instance, when a noble
mans daughter sacrifices fortune,
friends and family for a fiddler? or,
when Letitia declines a settlement
and the brother of an earl for a mis-
sionary?
On reaching home and passing
along the drive to the hali-door, l
caught sight of my uncle sitting at the
open window of his library. He
lounged in an American chair which
hoisted his legs up; newspaper was
on his knee, and long pipe in his
hand. l caught glimpse of my aunt
behind him, a mere outline IN the
shadow, with a yellow-backed novel
ON her lap and her chin upon her
bosom. She was dozing. And the
right kind of afternoon it was for that
diversion an Indian heat in the soft
breeze that kept the trees rustling;
bees chorusinga sort OF bass to the
clear treble of the bitfls; rich sooth-
ing smell of hay lgled with the
scents of flowers; a one of those
days, indeed, whenf .ae noble form of
the tramp may besheen extended at
full length in the aSsyside dry ditch,
with clout over hiA face to keep off
the wasps, and wispunder each knee
to save the heel of 4 breeches day
in which a man fph despises ants
nests and defies sufS 1-roke would Sc
lect for snooze in the middle of
field of tall grass.
"Hilio, Jack !" sung out my uncle
spying me: "where-kave ye been, my
lad? Sophie said something about
your going to view the docks and that
we were not to expect you to lunch"
His shout awoke my aunt. Istepped
into the room through the window,
glad to rest myself; for a mans legs
should be made of cork not to feel like
a bundle of knots after the ascent of
those Clifton hills in the dog-days.
Il have been into Bristol" said /,
"but not to look at the docks. Where's
Sophie, aunt ?"
"She and Amelia have gone to pay
some visits, l believe" answered my
aunt.
"Not tothe Hawkes., Jack, y said my
uncle, grinning. a suppose you know
what's happened ~
Eyes. l was with Sophie when Miss
Hawke called"
"She's an honest lass" said my un-
Gle, ito come with the news plump
not to delay, but to be here with it the
first thing in the morning, so that
there might be no mistake so far as
she and we are concerned. lam sorry
yon drove her away. should like to
have had word with her."
II don't know that l drove her away
uncle" said l, much confused. My
cousin, of course, had told all.
II say, Sophia" called out my uncle,
"what dye think of this generation
what's your calculation concerning
these times? Fancy youngsters not
only falling in love, but making love
actually whipping out their sentiments
after two or three meetings with the
girl. Don't it beat cock-ighting
What would our papas and mammas
have thought of such energy? I put
it all down to George Stephenson.
Had he left the stage-coach alone, we'd
have been going along at the old de-
corous rate of seven or eight miles an
hour. and long lounge between
whiles at the hostelries Nowadays
the worlds in tow of the locomotive
and we make love, we make money,
we are born. we live, and we die with
our steam-gauges indicating steam
pressure one remove from bursting.
point.
you see, what / feared has taken
place, Mr.. Jack" said my aunt, put
ting mark in her book and closing it
uhilMS Hawke has taken offence; and
lsudaabt, We shall remain OF
IS 81 SIlorence and En-.