The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1889-10-20

/ olull6g Hall, DcdIu anu luu5bdCut MCEG vi
reddish brown. His dress suit might
almost be termed work of art, so adj
mirably did it fit him. There were evil
dent traces of shyness for the first few
minutes in his manner towards the
ladies, although it was far from being
the shyness of rLsticity; but it quickly
wore away, and before long ne seemed
as much at his ease as if he had been in
the habit of visiting at the rectory for
years. 1t was then found that he could
talk sensibly and well on q variety of
topics. He had evidently an intimate
acquaintance with London and Paris,
while he handled certain questions of the
| day after the fashion of one who is in the
habit of speaking with some degree of
authority. OF himself personally he
made little mention. Having few idle
weeks ON his hands, he sought out a
| quiet nook where he could sketch. or
fish, or lie on his back in the sun and do
nothing. without being called to account
by anybody.
Later they had music. Here again
Mr. Gascoigne was at home. He had
pleasant light tenor voice, which had
evidently been carefully cultivated, and
he sang with taste and feeling several
morceaux both English and Italian.
Music was Margerys one special accom-
plishment, and when Mr.. Gascoigne
praised her playing it was clear that he
spoke from conviction and not from any
desire to flatter her. After that they had
a stroll by the light of the young moon
in the sweet smelling garden, in which
the fragrance of q hundred bygone sum
mers seemed still to linger. The rector
and Mrs Jenrick, who were cronies of
long standing paired naturally, leaving
the younger couple to themselves. 1t is
possible that Mr.. Gascoigne felicitated
himself on his skill in drawing Margery
out, when the petite white robed figure,
pacing so demurely by his side, began to
talk of herself-of her dreams, her as
pirations, her ignorance of the great
world outside the village boundaries, and
Of her lonely but far from unhappy life
at the old rectory. Simple minded Mr..
Gascoignel
In any case, he seemed to derive great
satisfaction from listening to the confess
sions of this tender little soul-so fresh,
so virginia., so isolated, with an ignor-
ance of life and all its burning questions
which was at once amusing and pathetic
in the naivete of its expression. The rec
tor and the widow, to whom the garden
by moonlight conjured up visions of
rheumatism rather than of romance, had
been deep in game of bezique for some
time before Margery-deeming perhaps;
r..
evening-and her companion went in
doors. A little later came Mr.. Gas
coigne's fly. The rector wrung an easily
extorted promise from his guest that this
first visit should not be his last, besides
which an arrangement was come to for
certain fishing excursions to be taken
in company. To the Rev. Dyke, in the
loneliness and isolation of Whiteapple,
Mr.. Gascoigne, fresh from the world of
nation, came like a veritable godsend,
and he resolved to secure as much of
his society as possible while he had the
chance of it. Besides, might not certain
other possibilities loom in the future?
When Mr.. Gascoigne was gone the
rector escorted Mrs. Jenrick as far as the
gate of Jonquil cottage, a ceremony he
never pretermitted whenever the charm
ing widow honored his roof with her
presence. Indeed, there were not want
ing gossips in the village to whisper that
whenever it should please Providence to
remove Mrs. Fermor number two from
this vale of tears, people would not have
far to look for Mrs. Fermor number three
Here it may be mentioned that, such
a nonentity had Mrs. Fermor by this
time become, and SO much did her
maladies, real and imaginary, keep
her to the rooms set apart for
her, it had not been deemed neces-
sary, as far as Mr.. Gascoigne was con-
cerned, even to allude to the existence
of such a person.
II would give something to know who
and what our new friend really is" said
the Rev. Dyke to his daughter on his re-
turn from escorting Mrs. Jenrick home.
'SYou have formed some opinion about
him, papa, I've no doubt. What would
you guess him to be?''
II take him to be man of independ-
ent means, not necessarily rich, but suf-
| ficiently well to do to be able to live
| without working-a condition of affairs
| would gladly initiate were in a posi-
ton to do SO. He is man who has
travelled, who has read, and who has
thought-three things which do not al
ways go together. He is evidently worth
cultivating, and we must endeavor to as
certain more about him. It's a pity
| Dame Nature has played him such a
scurvy trick. But for that there might
! have been-who knows?-a chance for
Margery Daw." He pointed the tips of
his fingers together and smiled mean
ingly at his daughter.
Papa" answered Margery, who was
not smiling at all, 81 am nearly sure
that have found out who Mr.. Gas
coigne really is"
"The dickens you havei But how did
| you make the discovery"
"That l will tell you presently. If
I'm right in my supposition, our visitor
OF today is known to the world at large
as the Earl of Chestnut"
The rector stared agape at his daugh-
ter for few moments as though bereft