New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-06
A FREE-WILL OFFERING.

10
the proper amount of warmth RON the nre nn
open novel lay across his knee, and the 1ragrance
OF most excellent tobacco rose from ms PIPE
Yet, in spite of these comfortable nlS
face was sombre and his brow heavy, ana every
now and then he sighed lltte' anu nl"oe "H
uneasy movement -. >,;ou prou,,
had touched his native shores after an elght-years
sojourn in India lie felt that he fully deserved
mis- furlough Then, 1t was dehShtIut 10 Ue W
old England again; he would be able 10 Improve
his health impaired by hot climates ana lever !;
he would see old friends. Visit ola hAuhIS, anu
above all renew that intercourse WIN MISS Netre
lDrayton which had maze lie 80 plISn0 w A'A
eight years before. D, so,h4or
Sweet Netde Drayton. the Rectors aa9 9ii Ia
whom he had found buried IN forgotten VIilase6
Broken visions of that time were passing DeIOre
him now and he seemed to see hlmsel once nOre
the gay young fellow who had wooeo anu WI
her They two were together beside the luice
river under the shadow OF the great chesthuO
trees and he was teaching Nette now 10 bsI.
The lowing of the cattle was IN DIS cars nc Iei'
the scent of the new-cut grass ana saw IiIe WIZ
ing of the meadow-sweet on the lurther g qa
and the tall reeds that grew at their leeI; HOW
younp and fair and tender the Slrl looked III hcl
simple white frock and broad hat' diIw of tbaf
and proud he felt as he watched her ana knew VA
she loved him, and vowed to her that nOtllins'
nor time nor distance, nor fresh and falrer laees,
could move him in his love ior ne b;cb had been
broken by the assurance that, IN few years az
most. they would meet again, and that then there
would be no more Par 0G ON toeeher quietly
and bssfully as the peaceful river at their feet
Major Brown shifted uneasy in his char bar t bn1
the fox-terrer raised his head' ya"heu' anu onen
relapsed again into slumber. .,, :.
How was il that impressions faded SO oulcKr; OF
was it the fault Of his own character III seemed 10
him now that the first splash of the salt waves
against the sides of the ship that bore MN away
from home has washed away those quiet country
pictures. And then had come the novely anu III
excitement of the Indian life: the hunting eX-
petitions the threatened native mutlnleS ana Ine
wears had glided on Harry Brown had soon
won the character of being good COMPANY S ana
this though very pleasant, he found expensive
10 keep up When the time came. therefore;
for his regiment to return to England ne ma
been only too glad TO exchange, ana lnis oPpora
tunitv missed he had, as last almost ceaseu
70 long and look forward to that happy reunion
of which Nettie's letters still spoke 1et IL was
good to have some one TO whom 10 IIi al ro onv
adventures and plans. and who sent one IN return
long, regular letters by every mall 80 satlId I
with the spirit of the quiet home life that as one
read them one almost seemeo 10 prt eau rCt "a" an. NV
near relations, had no one except Nettie 20 III
this place. And she had filed 1t well ana 1alth-
fully
But eight years is a very long time.
Though Nettie recognized him Immediately, she
saw a very different man. when Major Brown
landed at Southampton, from the young fellow
who had embarked eight years before lie WAS
much thinner and looked even gaunt
His face was tanned deep brown, and he had
brought away one or two scars from hahu-to-
hand encounter with tiger. He was not py
any means handsome, but he was the sort OF
a man a woman feels proud to walk with and
acknowledge as her property. But MAJOR brown,
on his part, had experienced Knd OF SHOCK
when Nettie stepped out OF the crowd TO gree
and claim him. Was that little Neither Some
how he had not realized that eight yeam must
have changed the girl he had left behind nm.
And he had always thought OF her IN that WnlUe
frock and shady hat But it was chilly
November day. and Miss Drayton had very properly
mufied herself in warm wraps. ana Drawn Il
stylish and becoming veil over the features that
She could not but suspect had considerably altered
Their meeting had therefore been une1uslve, ana
TO MAJOR Brown on whose side IL was the quleUest'
somewhat Disappointing.
Nettie had carried him that same day down 10
Bournemouth, where she and her m0uer had
settled since the deceaso OF her father Ihe ect9r
They occupied large, well-bullt villa on the
West Cliff, standing in small, nat garden-plot.
The house commanded a WIDE view over the
Bournemouth Bay and into the nelgh6orlng prem,
ises; advantages which, however the latter shared
in common with it. Major Brown soon became
conscious of lace caps and curious eyes whenever
he and Nettie appeared outside, ana somehow oN
this irrittted him strangely. IT was lnsuneraple
not TO be able to smoke ones pipe alone ana IN
peace on the sunny, sandy walk In front OF the
house. Gradually driven from this resort he
had retrtated more and more into the privacy
and seclusion Of the little smoling-room, only
leaving it for hurried visits to the lending library
at the pier-head, where he procured the Sole
amusement BouInemouth seemed to offer.
Mrs. Drayton found her future son-ln-aw
extremely undressing She could not see what
found in to ps senor to cn fs e
parish church. The Major spent his days III read
ing novels and smoking-a life which no reason
able and responsible human being should permit
himself to lead. She had tried 20 interest him
in the AnQlo-lsraelites, to whose existence she
had herself been but lately introduced by a
lady friend. She had lent him tracts and books
upon the subject. and had most elOquently eX-
planned to him the reaSonablenesS of her belief
by slight historical sketch of the chosen people
tracing them from the time OF Moses TO thelI
subsequent settlement in the British Isles, IAc
Major had listened, and had seemed, If lutte
sleepy, TO be impressed, until she wound up by
t-iumphanty declaring that there was now proof
positive, which she would not trouble him by
giving, that he and she might with as much right
call themselves Israelites could the Rothschilds
or the pencil-man who had called the day before
AT this point he had yawned outright. and eX-
claimed roughly that it all nonsense, that
he wasn't Jew. and didn't mean TO be one and,
evidently prejudiced by the remembrance of some
youthful folly that for his part he thought the
less one had TO do with them the better. Mrs
Drayton never got this She said she could
not like a man Of such coarse feeling, and now
openly sang opposition praises of Mr.. Cross
Nettie too, had been shocked, and TO the Majors
relief the ladies had not since then invited him tC
accompany them 10 the meetings on this and
similar subjects which they attended IN the Town
Hall.
Major Brown was startled from his reverie by 9
hand being passed caressingy over his stubby
reddish hair. lie jumped up almost impatiently
and turning faced Ncttie. She STANDING
at the back of the basket-chair, and his eye
rested meditatively for some moments on TIT
SMALL trim figure, the thin, rather lined face
the pale hair, which had lost its sunny gold anC
Law back smoothly from an unclOuded, expression
less forehead. She spoke in high but swee
voice.
Harry, dear, don't you think it's time TO q
and get ready? II is four o'clock, and we ar
expecting our friends every minute
The Major stretched himself yawning Ar
you, my loveT'
His tone was ludcrously unlike q lovers, anC
more like that OF a man who has been placidil
married some twenty years. Then l suppos
+ onrht 10 90 But with an attempt at locuiar
;ty 70 conceal his evident boredness what an
ITO do? Am 70 put on dress clothes?'
Miss Drayton laughed Silly boy' Tn
change your coat won't you? You do smell 81
horribly Of tobacco, and some ladies, you know
object to IT," MI. ,,. s..,r