New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-20
AN UNROMANTIC ROMANCE.


escorted to most comfortable seat ny an attehtivG
onard having arranged his various belongings, ana
fnnily unfolded his afternoon paper, reciineu
AGAINST the cushioned back of the compartment 'or
a moment. sighed gently as a relief consequent on
the fatigue and bother of his drive the trouoe VI
buying ticket and seeing that nc WIS t ~ he
T,ndow to survey contemplatvely the busy crowd
hnrrying and busting about. crowd Is always
more or less amusing 20 hang Of gre
carous disposition. rather liked Looking on az
other people working or playing especlal'y wo nt
conducted, respectable KIND q, pe0p0' WIN
The Rev. Septmus hoped he might he fortIna.e
enough to have his compartment conpie.'v 10 ~
himself and had ntimated his desire 10 inc
friendly guard The carriages were rapuiy lille lille
and the train would start in another hve mihutcs'
80 he blandv surveyed the figures n'.sias anu IN
ing to and fro. gazing on their busy actions WIN
iangnid complacency. He seldom travelled beyond
the outskirts of his own Arcadia anu ooJecttcu
strongly to encountcring any discomfort oh HIS
a, his ace-be was nearly sixty, but his dressing,
class in common with his numerous 1Ilchns anu
few enemies told him that ne appeared certalhy
=. we or fifteen years ess-when nigh SIX decades
have begun TO whisper unpleasantly OF acn i anu
Mains bothers and worries, III Is most hceuLui =, w
gently punctil;ous as to personal collloi. Ia' S
had been bounteons to the Rev. Septimus she had
given him all the welcome offerings sue couid
scatter at his feet-good looks ample
a sunlighted path to tread on through ne lie ha
N arried a well-dowered wife, who had been mod
kind % him. hut after ten CT lWclNt Stiio
Of calm domestic partnership, had departed leaving
him not utterly desolate. inconsoable or prey to
despair His only daughter had married wen III
her teens: his only son hau rcceNcu an CIV iaoi0
appointment in India. ,
Nearly everybody was seated the mai slamning
of doors ratified like musk try fire all along the lne
az carriages The Rev. Septimus gently shook his
newspaper. the odor of the printing INK being
slightly offensive to him. At home, IN the rectory
the daily journal was al ways sohcitonsly alreu
before being touched by the dimped white hands
of he uprha faStlUiOuS
tance he had not yet overcome even wnen Alone ne
took his spectacles from their case, wiped the
glasses with handkerchief fine and soft as snow;
such as q duchess might use perched the eoiu
frame across his handsome nose, ana lncditatvoIy
resigned himself to scan the latest news. lato nan,
in one of Der teasing moods. inflicted npoh her
favorte the modification of wearing spcctacies, III
malicious sport frollcsome girls VIII sometimes
scratch their lovers with the thorn of rose; oit-
times did the rector think it too bad, when he
happened to see some wretched old iarll- IaDorer
about seventy or eighty years old reading without
" glasses" and with manifest ease.
A soft melodious voice SAID, so suddenly as ~
starle him
MAY come in here 7"
He looked up whipped his spectaces under the
paper. and stared ut the sPea kerr not only
aasw ering quickly Certainly but rising and
actually opening the door himself, to admit most
beautiful girl who sprang lightly In, and seated
hersel opposite to him. The rector liked beautiful,
fashionablv attred girls, though he seldom enjoyed
the good fortune OF meeting them lie ranked 'Ic,n
among the agreeable. sOlacng things OF thIs uu
life like roses peaches, pne-apples, thinner >
cbocest perfumes. aud 50 on. In IA mild. paternal
ynv he dsapuroyed of young female persons trying
TO he clever or intellectual. or straying outside tue
ca I'm shelterng precincts of domestic duties. as he
deem ed il 10 rrbuke them Tor yieldihg 10
the tempt atoms of friyoty on the other hand.
This Young lady perhaps eighteen or twenty
years old with charming. frank, griish iac,
bewtchngly pretty and no d2nOt was a. anna n,p
terpiece of r;chpess in material combined with
chaste simplicity Of design set oil her beauty TO the
highest advantage.
"Oh thank Won so r0y much" she said, with an
upward glance from the shadow OF her long daI X
evela shes-the glance of trnStiui cana, Win
dangerous CLEAN OF an admiring Young woinan' ne
reverend gentleman WAS accustomed TO he regarueu
with glGnces implying Animation; but even the
gods never tire of slipping nectar ana a crlticaI
little bird might have betrayed the secret that he
now priced these gances more highly as the
remorselcss years sneakrd by.
am so nnaccnstomed to travelling. she con
timed smiling "Of coarse ! am never allowed 70
travel by nyself-papa would Ice horrihed And
mamma say there are so many rude diSagree"o'c
people about.
"Then how" began tho Rev. septmns
pleasantly amd>ed ard gratihcd by the delightful
confidence thus displayed.
@Oh pardon me--ust moment said the
Young lady: an emnenty respectable elderly
woman appeared at the door. iou are very tire
some. the young lady continued, poutingly to TINS
individual
Yes. Miss Ada. but can change my ticket at
.liy maid was so stupid. or the mar was so
stnnid or She did not understand. or he did not
understand-I don't know" explained Miss Ada
innocently. Size ought to have come III the same
carriage YOU know: mamma would be 50 dfedyaHy
cross if she knew. and papa would DC hoTflied, Dut
somehow Bellamy took second-class ticket Tor
herself. and yOu see
Exceedingly stupid blandly assented the
rector not altogether iIl-pleased. however.
"Servants are 50 apt to be negligent and thought
less"
am afraid 50. But must not find fault with
Door BellaIny-she is good 50 fond of me-
The Rev. Septimus smiled who could help being
good to so delightful so charmingly frank
creaturei She laughngy continued: Papa was
to have met AT the station but he had a tee-
gram and was Obliged to 90 by an earlier tram, but
he will meet at tie next station. on can
change the ticket at the next station, l}eamy. or
papa Will to II. Don't look so glum.' he
maid went away. and Miss Ada went on to the Rev.
Septimus d" Do yOu know. | think You are fr end
of papa's; think have seen your photograph III
one of mammals albums
Indeed How very interesting May | ask
Papa. you know, is General" she hesitated. as
if conscious of the :mprndencc OF being so ccm-
muncative with perfect stranger, but then. as If
insured by trust, she added " General NJ rlne'
"Ah. Then have not the pleasure of being
acquainted with him personally: Yet | think |
know his name. Is he not Member OF Parlla-
mcnt =
Yes You are-O. am sure have YOU
where. or else your photograph"
d" am" The rector drew his dressin cease from
beneath one OF his numerous wraps opened 1t, took
ont his card-case from which he extracted card,
and handed it to ms lovely fellow passenger She
accepted ii with smile. glanclng with feminine
curiosity ut the dressing-casc. with It's choice anu
costly contents.
4" am going to London for a friends wedding
ALI, you are laughing. You gentcmc-, always say
we girls never think If ANYTHING but weddings. and
getting married. and ali that kind of thing" con
timed Miss Ada in her lively. chattv way.
" Well, it is matter to be looked at III Il serious
light said the Rev. SeptImus. mixture cf rebuke
and sympathy in his tones. The reverend gentleman
was pleasantly aware that his voice was remark
ably meodlous, and he did not at all dislike to
hear himself talk, especially to ladies, who
appreciate these nice points.
{" / AIN IN fright" Miss Ada went on, because
have papa's wedding present herc-It i so lovely.
| almost " ISL was gong to get married myself,
to have sach a splendid present 1t is a necklace.
must show it TO you. because you are so kind and
although yor. are not really a friend of papas
hope YOU will let him thank you for having taken
care Of III" when We get to the station. How long
shall we he p