Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-12-12
Written for THE EVENING sr.R.
SUCH STUFF AS DREAMS.
A STORY.
By JULIAN HAWTHORNE.
Copyright 1851
(ConciHded.)

ttO5bctHQeQ.)
VI.
At dinner, under the influence OF the claret
which was good. Austen became more than
ever vivacious, and told many anecdotes about
MS early adventures in the town. "If didn't
learn Latin said he, al learnt a good deal
about some of the things that Horace and
ovld and those other old chaps used to write
o. You're such q confounded saint, Ferris,
lnat TO hear of some of my goings-on would
make you blush. don't suppose You ever
spoke 10 pretty woman in your life except
upon cofnpulsIon; I'm sure the Diva the other
night must have thought you had vocal paraiy-
SIS But as for me, 1 was always just as bad
the other way. lose my heart at sight; and
the worst of il is the girls don't help me out
q bit; the best thing that could happen to
me would be TO find handsome woman who
could say no! Now, there was q girl-never
mind her name, poor souI-call her Mary for
convenience-shew was pretty a creature as
ever stepped in slippers and as demure as pie
crust But really, my dear fellow, 1t takes q
cieverer man than I am to see through q
woman, let her appear as simple as she may.
And they all want to get married-that's the
deuce of 1t. Why can't they be content TO
have little fun and done with 1t? Well, it
was pretty close thing for me as regarded
Mary; if she had held out a little longer 1 be-
heve should have given in; and you might
have been sitting in two-pair back lodgings
with me and Mrs. Austen at this moment. But
deuce take it! it's better it Is. My con-
science bothered me little for a time; but
she's all right now, and everything's for the
best Heigho! Have another glass?'
Lund refused. He was q moderate drinker
and the condition of his friend, who had OBJ
viously had quite as much as was good for him.
was In itself enough to prompt him to abstain
"You seem to think, he said, rather severely.
that thing Is good only SO far as there Is fun
In 1t have never had much to do with
ia frFDp- htrtT bod
what a woman might be to a man. If had
talked TO the Diva, as you call her, in the way
some fun in it, but when the time came that
loved a woman, and wished to make her my
wife, the recollection OF the fun had with the
Diva would not be pleasant: or, If didn't mind
IL, so much the worse for me. There are GER
tain kinds Of feelings that q man can have only
once; II he plays fast and loose with them, he
viii have TO do without them ever afterwards.
nyou degrade yourself with one woman you
can never do justice To any other.
spare me-Spare me-! cried Austen loosely.
"Lund, NJ d.. must be a mistake; d. ID. is the way
IL ought to stand"
Il am only talking common sense" returned
the other, reddenins little; "and may
well tell YOU he added after a moment "that
this journey of ours has been TO me thing
more than a mere series of veriiications OF
things / had dreamt. / saw in that dream the
face OF a woman; il Is as clear To my memory
now as II she We're standing before US; and fifty
years hence, II 1 live so long, shall not have
forgotten IL. I have never seen her actual
sell: don't know who she is, or
Is, u
that as il may she is the woman that love.
and shall never love any other. That she does
exist. am certain; and believe that have
come TO this town TO meet her. But If had
lived the sort of life you seem to find so attrac-
tive, then, instead OF feeling it a delight and q
blessing TO meet her, il would be dismal and
wretched catastrophe. For il I had still rever-
enee enough left for woman TO appreciate her,
would show it by taking myself out of the way;
would be gone that is worth Keeping"
"Pon honor, my dear boy, I've not an idea
what you re so touchy about, observed Austen,
taking out q cigar and lighting it over a lamp.
LOT course, you know, one respects respectable
women, and all that; but then. you know,
there's most big difference between one
wo0an and another as there is between her
and man."
In one sense that may be true: but what
say IL, that whoever has had q hand in bringing
woman down, loses the power of thinking
honestly OF any woman whatever"
.Oh, well. 1 don't intend TO keep up with
claimed Austen. becoming impatient "If
you want TO moraliIe, you can get some
woman TO listen TO you, suppose; men don't
care for it. came here to enjoy myself-and
ali your talk has made me as dry as
nsnr, so saying, ne stepped, somewhat un-
steadily, 10 the beii-rope and gave Ii a vigorous
pull.
Presently the door opened. Lund was sit
ting with his back toward ii, and Austen, at
the moment, was STOPPING over the fire lighting
bis cigar, which had gone out, at a red-hot coal
he had picked up with the toB.s.
Another bottle OF wine, AOrkinS," said he
turning round; land ask MT. Lamb--hullo.
Pardon me. thought l was speaking to
Miss Lambert, deciare.'
Lunc also turned; but as soon as he caught
sight OF the youthful and comedy figure stand
Ing In the doorway he started To his feet, and
it was she, yes. IL vas she! 1t was
she, yes, IL was she,
The three persons of this little tableau MAIN
tanned their positions unchanged for several
moments. The girls quiet glance had passed
To- md
up, and she continued TO look straight at him.
Lund was, indeed, a man of striking aspect
DARK, with DARK, deep-se: eyes, delicate features
and his hair long, as Was the custom at that Pc
ROD His habitual expression was marked by
sensitive reserve, but, at this juncture il was
vivid and full of repressed excitement. There
was something in his appearance, moreover
which, ID Mary Lambert, seemed peculiarly
sympathetic and winning. She had never met
him before, and yet there was something NOT
altogether unfamiliar in the impression he pro-
duced upon hcr; IL was a face which seemed to
fulntl some vague anticipation oil her nature.
perhaps in her secret meditations. she had fig
ured 10 her imagination. man like this Such
q vague luea woulc no doubt be stimulated. il
IL were not altogether created. by the intensity
and expectation OF the regard he bent upon her
Ii was "A look that deepi called upon her for re-
sponse-that penetrated through formalities
and touched ali Ia her that was human and
femin NE. 1t drew. her towards him. and IL wa,
only by conscious effort that she restrained
herseil nom pbysicat compliance with this un-
accountable summons.
Mary Lambert was in the prime of her fresh
was not; but the softness o. her eyes the gentle
modesfy of her lips, the clear purity of her com
plexion, and a certain simple. unconscious dig
nifty OF giriish grace made her sweet TO look
upon. Her earlier years had been spent in Sc
ciusion, her father had been almost her ONLY
friend and companion: she mad lived I'm :,
world OF books, OF country walks of quiet
household duties The Change from this serene
solitude ~ the hustle and publicity of AN inn
would have been too trying to anyone but q
sincere and wei-balauced nature, apart from
the social sacrifice involved; but Mary had not
only submitted TO IL lincoln plainingiy she had
even, by her arguments aud quiet urgency
overcome her fathers reluctance to the sten
Nor had she Overestimated her power OF adapt-
Ing herself to the new circumstances She had
at once assumed The main burden of the man
agement, and. by dint of her transparent good
sense and unobtrusiye nrmness the latter STATE
OF the inn Was made better t,Ian the first Mary
Lambert was not afraid OF her guests nor did
she allow her servants to- get the upper hand OF
her; she was unaffected, economical and libe-
raj, and her affairs prospered.
Ii was only few moments that she stood
there; then she said. addressing Austen with
some appearance OF effort, =. 4 am glad fo seq
you here, sir. mad sent Horkins on an errnnd
90 answered the bell myself You shall have
the wine Immediately" And having spoken
she began To blush, unexpectedly as ii were
until her lace WAS pink all over.
"Waii a moment, Miss Lambert-Mary =, ex.
Claimed Austen, as she turned To retire. Don't
run away from AN old friend like that intro
dnce my friend Ferris to yOu-Ferris i,und-
capital feiiow-brought him down here TO see
you How Is the old gentleman? Ask him to
come In and nnish the evening with us-you
and he toSether-or il he's bashfuI come y0ur-
has D. 1.t,