Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-05
MISS BRETHDRTON|
By MRs. HUMPHREY WARD,

impersonally as you can."
 "If you give me too many instructions" said Kendall, returning the deter with smile, s'I shall bunglo it. Don't make me nervous, I can't promise you to succeed, and you mustn't bear me q grudge if fail"
 "A crudge! No. should think not. By the way. have you heard from Agnes about the trains to-ruorrow"
 FrYes, Paddington, 10 o'clock, and there is an S:15 train back from Culham. Mrs Stuart says we're to lunch in Balliol, run down to Nuneham afterward, and leave the boats there, to be brought back"
 "Yes, we lunch with that friend of ours-I think you know hin-Herbert Sartoris. He has been a Balliol don for about year. only trust the weather will be what it is today"
 The weather was all that the heart of man could desire, and the party met on the Pad dington platform with every prospect of an- other successful Gay. Forbes turned up purctual to the moment, and radiant under the combined influence of the sunshine and of Miss Bretherton's presence; Wallace had made all the arrangements perfectly, and the six friends found themselves presently journeying along to Oxford at that inoder- ated speed which is all that Sunday express can reach. The talk flowed with Zest and gayety; the Surrey Sunday was q pleasant memory in the background, and all were
 
 again. It seemed to Kendall that Miss Drcth- erton was locking rather thin and pa:1, but she would not admit it, and chattered from her corner to Forbes and himself with tho mirth and abandon of child on its holiday. At last the dreaming spires" of Oxford rose from the green, river threaded plain, and they werc at their journeys end A few more minutes saw them alighting at the gate of the new Balliol, where stood Herbert Sartoris looking out for them. He was q young don with classical edition on hand which kept him up working after term, within reach of the libraries, and ho led the way to some pleasant rooms overlooking the inner quadrangle of Balliol, showing in his we'll bred look and manner an abundant con- sciousneSs of the enormous good fortune which had sent him Isabel Bretherton for guest For at that time it was almost as difficult to obtain the presence of Miss Breth- erton at any social feStivity as it was to ob- tain that of royalty. Her Sundays were the objects of conSpiracies for weeks beforehand on the part of those persons in London soci- ety who were least accustomed to have their invitations refused, and to have and to hold the famous beauty for more than an hour in his own rooms, and then to enjoy the privi- lege of spending five or six long hours the river with her, were delights which, the happy young man felt, would render him the object of envy to all at least of his fellow 1 dons below forty.
 In streamed the party, filling up the book | lined rooms and starting the two old scouts in attendance into an unwonted rapidity of action Miss Bretherton wandered round, surveyed the familiar Oxford luncheon table, grooming under the tinlo honored fare; the books, the engravings and tho sunny, irregu- lar quadrangle outside, with its rich adorn- ings of green, and threw herself down at last on to the low window seat with a siT Th of satis- | faction.
 ''How quiet you are! how peaceful how 1 delightful 1t must be to live here! It seems as if one were in another world from London. | Tell me what that building is over there. It's too new; it ought to be old and gray like the colleges we saw coming up here. Is every l body gone away-'gone down. you says l should like to see all the learned people walk | ing about for once."
 II could show you a good many if there were time," said young Sartors, hardly | knowing, however what he was saying, so lost was he in admiration of that marvellous changing face ''The vacation is the time they show themselves; it's like owls com ing out at night. You sec, Miss Bretherton, We don't keep many of them; they're i'll the way in term time. But in vacation they have the colleges and the parks and the Bodleian l GO luSIlSeiNSo anu Sou LieS StuI1y liStl ways, and their spectacles, and their umbrel- las, under the most favorable conditions"
 'Oh, yes," said Miss Bretherto!,, with @ little scorn, ''people always make fun of what they are proud of. But mean to be- heve that you are all learned, and that every body here works himself to death, and that Oxford is quite, quite perfectly
 Did you hear what Miss Bretherton was saying, Mrs. Stuarts' said Forbes, when they were seated at luncheon. Oxford is perfect, she declares already; l don't think 1 quite | like it; it's too hot to last"
 Am such changeable creature, then?" said Miss Bretherton smiling at him. Do you generally find my enthusiasms cool 'downs"
 "You are as constant as you are kind,'' said Forbes, lowing to her. II am only like a child who sighs to q pleasure nearing its highest point, lest there should be nothing so good afterwards"
 "NothinS so good!" she said, "and have only had enc little drive through the streets. Mir. Wallace, are you and Mrs. Stuart really ! going to forbid me sight seeing?"
 'Of course!" said Wallace emphatically. "Tha;'s one of tie fundamental rules of the society. Our charter would be q dead letter if we let you enter q single college your way to tho river today"
 "The only att, my dear Isabel" said Mrs. Stuart, that you will be allowed to study today will be the art of conversations"
 And most fatiguing one, tool" ex- claimed Forbes; Sit beats sight seeing hollow. But, my dear Miss Bretherton, Kendall and will make it up to- you. We'll give you an illustrated history of Oxford on the way to Nuneham. I'll do tho pictures, and he shall do the letter press. Oh! the good times I've had up there-much better than he ever had," nodding across to Kendall, who was listening "He was too proper behaved to enjoy himself; he got an the right things, all the proper first classes and prizes, poor fellowl But, as for me, used to scribble over my note books all lecture time, and amuse myself the rest of the day. And then, you see, was up twenty years earlier than he was, ard the world was rot as virtuous then as it is now by a long way" :, Kendall was interrupting when Forbes, who was in one of his maddest moods, turned round upon his chair to watch figure pass ing along the quadrangle in front of the bay | window