The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-02-28
THE EIGHT FORTY.FIvE.
A BRIGHTON lDYL.


Greysark & Co., East India merchants, Of
Rood Lane City, knew Mr.. Jonathan Grey
sark simply as very well.to do bachelor, Of
five and forty - fresh-faced, well.dressed,
genial, and affable al man tolerably we'll
fitted out with the good things Of this life
and unhampered by ties and encumbrances
should be. Mr.. Philip Penn, whose days
were passed within the Office, regarded his
wealthy and popular employer from a some
what different point of view. Mr.. Penn had
by his steadiness and business knowledge
in no small degree helped Jonathan Grey
sark to his enviable position in the CONNER
oial world he had served the house faith
fully for upward Of twenty years, yet he was
still simply clerk, in which position, de-
spite frequent prayers and petitions, Mr..
Greysark was apparently determined to
keep him until the time came for dispensing
entirely with his services. Altogether, poor
PENIS life was by no means happy one,
for, in addition to his commercial troubles,
he had an eternally grinning domestic skele
ton, in the shape Of a blackguard brother,
who had stood in the felon's dock on a charge
of extensive forgery, had passed many years
in prison, and who now could only be kept
quietly in the background by the allowance
which the unfortunate Penn made him out
of the exceedingly moderate salary lie drew
from the Rood Lane office. Greysark knew
this, and was also aware that furnished name
was an almost insuperable bar to his clerk
advance in any other line Of life; so he meanly
took advantage Of the fact by getting most
unfair amount of work out Of Penn, and pay
ing him a miserably inadequate salary for IT,.
Jonathan Greysark lived at Brighton, and
came up TO town every morning on the S:45 ex.
press. In this famous train he had acquired
tvNHf Ba snIk IN q
ticular seat in a particular compartment OF
particular carriage, and the guard suffered
considerable reduction in his weekly lar
gesse If he allowed stranger to usurp this
place.
But, the old guard having been shunted
elsew here, and strange official who knew
not Jonathan having been substituted, 1t so
happened one morning Greysark, his rug
on his arm and his paper in his hand, swag-
gerei gravely and magisterially up 10 the
carriage, only to find his particular com.
partment-and, in fact, his very seat-oc.
cupied. Under ordinary circumstances he
would have resented this unwarrantable in.
trusion in an unmistakable manner, but
upon this occasion, as the occupant was a
pretty, modestly dressed girl of eighteen or
therea bouts lie could only vent his feelings
in grunts and scowls, and betake himself to
he found his place similarly occupied, his
position became somewhat embarrassing,
and only the girls pleasant face checked
audible expression of his discomfort. The
same thing occurred the morning after, and
the morning after that, and the young 8:45
bucks, who, of course, regarded the affair as
a capital Joke, remarked that the great man,
instead Of ramping and raging away to
another carriage, not only contentedly went
into the same one, but passed a much
greater part Of the hour and a quarters
Journey in looking at the girl over the TOP
of his newspaper than in studying the city
article. In fortnight's time it was OBJ
served that he handed her out, carried hel
| lit le parcels, and saw her safely into ar
omnibus for the Mansion House, and in three
weeks time it was poted that he chatted as
easily and Familiarity with her as if he hai
known for years.
In short, 1t became very evident that the
wealthy bachelor of Rood Lane was enam.
ored of the young lady. When his atten.
| tions first became marked she assumed the
proper attitude of unprotected virtue anG
| confined her answer to rather curt mono
syllables; but when her feminine perspi
Guilty assured her that her admirers behavio
was inspired by the most honorable of in
tentions, she unbent and told him that he
name was Phyllis, that she was a student q
the South Kensington School of Art, ant
that she resided at Brighton with her aunt
Miss Phyllis" said Grsyserk one morn
ing, as they walked along the Londol
Bridge platform, las some sort of an assur
ancs that only entertain the most genuine
feelings of respect and-and admiration TO
you, think should mention that my nam
ia Greysark, that / am the head Of one O
| ~ tod In ho oit of v.Ov
don, and that, as l am quite aware that al
acquaintance of this casual nature is apt Il
give rise to erroneous impression in the mind
of people who only Judge by appearance, will
your permission, nothing would give nj
greater pleasure than to call upon you
aunt at Brighton"
At the mention of the name Grsysark tn
girls color despened somewhat, and sh
raised her eyes to his face for few seconds
Then she said:
81 am sure that my aunt would be de
lighted to make your acquaintance, Mi
Grsysark."
Accordingly, on the following Sunday, Nj
Greysark, instead of performing his usua
weekly duty to society by an afternoo
lounge ON the Grean, betook himself to Re
gency Square, and was ushered into tn
presence OF smiling, gray-hairsd lady, VIII
frame, and who received him with the stated
urbanity of a courtier of the old school. B.
ing man of business, Jonathan Greysar
lost no time In beating about the bush, bu
plunged at once IN medals res, described tn
origin of his acquaintance with Phyllis, OK
pressed himself in such happy Language
blew his own trumpet in such pleasant
unassuming manner. declared his devotion
In such fervid phrases, in fact, put matter
before the old lady In such an attractiv
light, that she was completely won over.
"0f course, Mr.. Greysark," she said 1
rcply, "as am only the girls aunt, hav
no direct auth 'rity in the matter. But
Phyllis regards your suit as favorably as
do, can only recommend that you shout
address letter to her father in London
. state the case as you have stated II to me
and abide by his decision"
"But 1t is an extraordinary phase of on
acquaintance" said the merchant, "that
do not know your nieee's surname yet"
Perhaps the old lady was struck by til
strangeness OF his ayowal, but at any rat
} she hssitatsd moment, seemed little COZ
fused, and then replied "Hsr name
Fleming, Mr.. Grsysark; a letter addresse
to Mr.. Robert Fleming and given to me wi
insure its safe despatch"
, "But would It not bs better for me to ca
upon Mr.. Fleming myself" said Greysarl
"My business experience has taught me ths
one personal interview is worth dozen lei
ters.'
i, $50 II is, as general rule, Mr.. Grey sark,
replied the old lady. "But Mr.. Fleming
: movements are so uncertain, his bushes
taking him SO frequently away from hom
that the course have suggested would,
think, be the better"
And after n littla peneral oonyersatio