Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-12-19
swH there be many people to-night,s

Nobody particularly interesting, except mi
youngest brother Gerald, who has come herr
to pay his respects before going to Scotland
Gerald is In the diplomatic service; he il
third secretary at Paris, and has just got
lew weeks leave. He is much the incest O
my brothers, and I want to induce him tt
stay short time, il I can, so perhaps had
better begin by putting him beside you al
dinner"
Whether this arrangement, which was
duly carried out, produced the desired effec
upon Mr.. Severne or not, it was an agreeable
one to Chris, who took great liking to heI
neighbor. Gerald Severne was well-dressed
well-mannered, and by no means ill-lookina
young fellow Of five six-and-twenty. He
had the family fair hair, the family blue eyes
and a fairly good reproduction of the celebra-
ted family profile. If he was not quite as
handsome as his brothers, he had pleasanter
expression Of countenance than they, and &C.
cording to his mother he had the advantage
over them in respect Of qualities which are
not merely skin-deep.
Gerald" Lady Barnstaple confided to
Chris before dinner, sis our good boy. He
has never run into debt or made love to other
peoples wives or misbehaved himself in any
way, and although it Is dangerous to crow, /
really don't believe he ever will"
The good boy of the family is not always
fascinating. But perhaps Gerald Severne
was only good by comparison. He was at all
events not SO Extensively good as to displease
his companion, who listened to him with ap-
| parent interest, and in whom he, for his part,
! soon began to feel strongly interested. Dis
| covering, as she presently did, that, like her.
! self, he was lover of dogs, she related to him
how, that very afternoon, she had been in
| strumental in rescuing beautiful Gordon
setter from method of treatment which could
only result in running him; whereupon no
disappointed her by answering her: "Oh,
know the brute; and hopelessly il-condi-
toned brute he is"
81 don't think SO" said Chris; sit seemed to
me that he had been only misunderstood. If
| his master will keep his promise and have
patience with him, he will find out what he is
wanted to do and do it, just like other
setters."
Il was speaking of the two-legged BRUTE"
answered Gerald, with smile. 81 have no
doubt you are right about the other"
"Well," said Chris, 81 shouldn't wonder
If the two-legged brute had been misunder-
stood also. l thought him rather nice in
his ways
"Dio you? I doubt whether you would go
on thinking so if you got to know him better
haven't seen much Of him since he grew up
because I'm hardly ever in these parts now
adays; but hear that he has developed into
pretty much what he promised to develop
into as boy. He always was a boor and
now they say he is drunken boor, which
doesn't sound like an improvement. How
ever, you are not likely to come across him
again; for he doesn't care to associate with
people OF his own class, and nobody ever
meets him, except perhaps once or twice dur
ing the shooting season."
He says he is coming to call here some
day soon," Chris remarked.
Mr.. Severne whistled. HE does, does he?
I'm afraid we mustn't flatter ourselves that
that amiable intention is due to any charms Of
ours. Well, Miss Compton, if you succeed
in tanning him you will succeed whore eyery-
body else has failed up to now"
"What monster has Chris been taking in
hand?" inquired Lady Barnstaple, whom a
pause in the general conversation had ena-
bled to overhear her sons last words. And
when an explanation had been furnished to
her she laughed and did not look displeased.
"Mr. Ellacombe is bear" said she; but 1
dare say he can be made to dance if the right
person pipes to him.
Gerald shrugged his shoulders and re-
marked: 81 can't imagine that it would be
worth any ones while to pipe to Ellacombe,
or to see him Dance"
But his mother rejoned: envy dear bow. he
has very nice property. A great many peo-
pie, believe, have thought it worth while to
try and put him through his PAGES only. as
you were saying just now, they haven't sue
ceeded, and that has naturally embittered
them against him. Most likely he isn't half
as black as he is painted. hope you told
him that should be very glad to see him.
Chris?"
II told him that you were generally at home
at tea time," answered Chris.
"Oh, he wanted to find me at home then2
After that the least We can do is to ask him to
dinner, said Lady Barnstaple, laughing heart
lily.
Lady Barnstaple was q kind-hearted wo-
man, not more worldly than her neighbors,
and, like her nelghbors, given to valuing ali
bachelors by the standard Of their possess
Sions. Mr.. Ellacombe, who was but country
squire, albeit wealthy one, would hardly
have suited her as husband for one of her
own daughters; but she thought-and OF
course she was in one sense right-that he
would be great catch for this poor little
triendless girl. Lady Barnstaple was really
Iond of Chris; she had after a fashion under
taken to befriend her, and she quite con-
thought that she would be doing ,
we'll for the orphan by handing
ler over TO a man who was a notorious drunk
ird and about whose moral character some ;
stories had been circulated in the |
county. 1t seems little unfair to add-and
yet it is probably the truth-that her LADY, .
ship would not have been very sorry if Miss
Jompton's early marriage should render it I
to present her at court and in
reduce her to London society. Which of us
Knows all his own motives or could be got to | ,
believe in them, If pointed out to him? So : ,
Lady Barnstaple said to herself that a great t
many men begin by taking more wine than is t
rood for them, and get out Of that and other G
Dad habits when they are provided with a I
rood wife. As for the unpleasant stories, t
hey might be true, or untrue, or partially G
rue. It is best not to inquire too closely into g
hese things, thought Lady Barnstaple. h
AS for Chris, Mr.. Severne was no more to | a
Ter than pleasant young fellow whose tastes r
md ways OF thinking conceded with her own.
The had no idea that she was doing anything h
tut OF the way by walking and sitting with G
lin on the terrace there, looking down upon s
ne moonlighted sea and dark outlines of the Il
woods and cliffs. +
But perhaps different opinion was enter b
aimed by Lady Grace, who came out of the G
ouse at last, and who said, with percepti- 3
lie ring OF anxiety in her voice: "My dear Il
herald, do you know that 1t is eleven o'clock? W
What have you been doing all this timer"
Miss Compton and l." replied Gerald, 81