Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-18


part have lost patience often / the learner.
ne. the teacher. never.
can just remember how I came to call him
Uncle Ambrose. used to call him Mr.. Arden
NIsser Arden, at least, for it was before could
speak plainly. One day he told me not to call
him m ster; it was too formal between him and
me Call me Ambrose" he said aud then
mother looked up from her work and said that
would never do. little girl could not address
a man OF his years and learning BY his Chris
tian name.
Il am not quite so elderly as I SEEM" he
said. laughing, but IL you think Ambrose
won't do. let me be an imaginary uncle and let
her call me Uncle Ambrose Will that do?''
Yes, said mother, that will do very well. :"
SO from that time forward he was Uncle Am
brose and he Is Uncle Ambrose to this day,
just as kind, and good. and devoted as he was
When was a little girl, with bare arms. short
petucoats, and a sun bonnet. He still occupies
himself about my education, although he is a
much more distngu shed person than when he
began the task. lie has published three diff
ferent books since then, books OF the very
h!ghest literary character. which have made
MN n reputation amongst the learned and the
renued IN England and on the Continent. Re-
viewers have written about him in several
languages. his success has been undisputed
his name is quoted with Darwin, and Spencer,
and Max Muller. In a word he is a famous
man; and yet he Is content to go drudging on
at the task OF educating frivolous girl like
me. We are reading Duruy's Historic des
Grecs together this summer and with il we
are reading Grotc's Plato" and Jowett's mag
nllcent translation. The little Greek that
know helps me to appreciate the beauty and
grace or the English rendering. / should like
to Kiss the hand that wrote that noble book.
How suddenly, how awfully that happy life
with my father came to an end. / remember
that summer morning when he left soon
after breakfast to go to London and complete
the purchase OF Mr. Fiorestan's land We
break lasted la the garden, in an open tent on
/ the lawn, and we were ali so happy. Father
talked o. nothing but the land and the new
garden which was to be laid out immediately.
The ground had ali been laid out already on
paper. The plans were IN the library ON
fathers writing table-drawings of terraces
and baiustrades, vases and statues lightly
sketched in with that beautiful touch which
makes almost any house charming before it is
built. Everybody had seen the plans and had
talked about them. and argued and advised
and my dear father had talked them all down
with his grand ideas of an Italian garden
Uncle Ambrose quoted Lord Bacou'S essay on
gardens remembered the very words q year
ago when began to read Bacon. They came
back to me like the memory of a dream. l
was only child, but used to sit and listen to
everything that was said. and think and wonder
Father kissed me at the gate before he got into
the I-cart ;hat Was to take him TO the station.
Thank God r that kiss. He looked back at
mother and me aS he drove away He looked
around ut Us with his beautiful smile and called
out gaiy, Il shall bring the title deeds home
for you 20 look at"
He had led mother to meet him at the sta
ton IN the evening. She was to drive her
ponies, and she was to take me with her if she
liked. On those long summer days l used to
SIT up until O'Clock, and / used to sit with
mother and father wLl- thev dined NV Aunt
Talbot protested sometimes against what she
called Oyer-indulgence, and said | was being
spolt, ana should grow up old-fashioned. /
don't know about the spoiling but perhaps I
did grow old-fashioned l could not have been
M mothers companion in all those happy
years II had not been fond of many things
that my cousins don't care for.
We went to the station, mother and l. in
goO4 time to meet the train that was due at a
few minutes before Z. We were there about a
quarter Of ~ nour before the train was dine
and We walked up and down the long narrow
platform III the summer evening talking about
father and his delight III the new garden.
i; Was nv fancy lii the the first instance"
SAID mother, "hHt your father Is so good to me
that have but to express a wish and he imme-
diateiy makes it his own. If were to ask for
a roc s egg. like the Princess Badroulbadour I
believe he would start OF to Africa to look for
one"
remember laughing at the idea OF the egg.
"A roc's egg would be as big as all our house.
mother. Wouldn't II be funny if some one sent
US One!'
There were very few people at the station,
and We walked up and down and talked as mer-
rlly as II We had been IN our own garden. Pres
en'ly an electric bell began to ring, and then
porter came out and rang a bell ON the plat
form IN front of the little waiting ROOM aud
then the train came slowly in and mother aud
L stood looking at the faces in the carriage
windows. There was seldom any delay in find
ing out father among the arrivals. He was al
ways one OF the first to open the door, and al
ways on the alert to see US.
But on this evening We looked for him in
vain. Three people got out of the train and
the train went on. and mother and we're lett
standing on the platform, disappointed and un-
happy. The next train to stop at Lamford was
not due until ten minutes to 9-too late for
dinner, too late for the sunset on the rivera
long, long time for us to wait.
Il must drive you home. Daisy" said my
mother. land then l can come back to meet
your father"
ftried to persuade her to wait there and let
me wait with her-the idea of home and bed
time were dlstasteful to me I could see that
my mother was vexed and troubled. / chung to
her as she moved to leave the station.
Let us wait for father I'm not tired: I'm
not hungry. Do let Us wait for him, and all 90
home together"
1t was lovely evening; the sun still bright,
the station masters little garden full of sweet
scented flowers, roses, Glove carnations, aud
sweet peas
There may be telegram at home," said my
mother. Yes, have no doubt that he has
sent me telegram"
That idea seemed to decide her. She put me
into the carriage and drove home as fast as the
ponies could go. / was almost afraid at the
pace We travelled along the dusty roads and
lanes; but we reached home safely and then
came fresh disappointment. No telegram.
was sent to bed at half-past eight, and
mother went back to the station. couldn't
sleep, but lay listening and waiting in the sum-
mer dusk In my room next mothers dressing
room. got my nurse to leave my door open,
and listened for the return of the carriage
When heard the wheels ran out upon the
landing n my night gown, and stood at the top
OF the stairs listening, expecting to hear my
fathers voice directly the door was opened,
but only heard my mother speaking to the
butler
Your master has not come by the nine o'clock
train Simeon. There is no other train till after
midnight You will have to sit up for him and
arrange comfortable supper. He may not
have found time to dine in London"
/ ran down stairs in my night gown, bare
footed. and tried to comfort poor mother. for /
could tell by her voice that she was unhappy
She took me IN her arms and cried over me.
ana we went upstairs together, she scoiding
ne little for leaving my bed ROOM but not
really angry. l knew that she was hardly
thinking about me. l knew that she was mis-
cradle about my father.
This was only the beginning of trouble. She
was up all night, walking about her own room
or going down stairs and out into the garden
and TO the gate to listen for his coming. All
night at intervals | heard her going IN and