The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-04-09
ON SIGHT.
CHATTER I.


The master and mistress of Ruckton
Hall We're sitting at breakfast, one fine
June morning, with some half-dozen
yards of damask tablecloth between
them.
what sort of thing?" asked Mr.. Duff
field, sharply, emerging from behind his
paper.
Instead of answering his question, Mrs.
Duffield said: do you know that it is
three months to-day since Adela's we'd
ding day."
''Well, do you want her back again?"
And MIR. Dufield grinned. not very anna
bly,.
II don't want her back again, Henry;
but l want"
''Well?'
81 want another Adela."
GOOD graciousr' said Mr.. Dufield,
laying down the Times and staring at his
wife III CONSERVATION.
IT'S no use,'' that lady burst out; II
have tried everything, and it is no use.
If Adela had made the sort Of marriage L
wanted her to make-that young Ingram,
for instance might possibly have stood
1t. To have her within drive wouldn't
have been like losing her, but having
as having no daughter at all, and posi-
lively cannot get on without a daughter.
am too old o be training myself to new
ways. | have tried the village and the
schoolhouse and the farmyard, but it is
all no use. Taking round packets of tea
is not the same as taking a girl about,
and ii is nonsense to pretend that it is;
and choosing pianatores for the Sunday
school children Will never make up for
the choosing of Adela's frocks. 1t IS all
very well for you, with your books and
your studies, but for me to get into that
victoria by myself is worse than having
no victoria to get into; and, as for the
drawing-room, why, l had much rather
sit in the kitchen now, if | had the choice,
just to escape from the ticking Of that
clock.''
Pray, come to the point as soon as you
conveniently cam said Mr.. Dutield, as
his wife paused for breath.
Having given her husband one more
tentative glance, she came 10 the conclu-
sion that bluntness would be the best
diplomacy.
MY half-sister Henrietta has got eight
daughters" she observed, without fur
ther preliminary.
And you would like to ship one over
from Melbourne? Hal Is that it?''
Mrs. Duffield played shametacedly with
her teaspoon.
well, do you know, Henry, 1 have
them are presentable. OF course, they
may not be; but if they We're the idea
would, in sense, cut both ways, for it
would fill up our empty house here,
while over there it would give them a
little breathing-space. They are very
badly of, you know. Where are you go
ing to, Henry? Surely you are not an
noyed with me? l only meant in case
you had no obiection-''
Mr.. Duf1ield had reached the door be-
fore he stopped short and faced round
''Will you swear that the sole of her foot
shall never touch the floor OF my study"
he asked, abruptly.
'Oh, Henry! No, never, if you don't
want"
"And will she keep out of my way
when L am taking my constitutional,
so as not to come mincing across my
train Of th0ught?''
YES, yes-certainly.''
And will she not expect me to talk to
her at dinner, any more than Adela eX-
pected me to talkY''
"Of course not, Henry. oh, anything
you Nant!'
Then have over which ever of your
eight half-nieces you like best, but let
there be no fuss about it; and, for PHYS
sake, don't let me hear another word
on the subject till the thing is accom-
plished.''
"Oh, Henry, 1 never expected this!"
Sltt MIS- Dulielu lldQe Il UtlfI toward
the door. The Australian mail goes to-
morrow. How good, how awfully good
you are! l really think you are an
angelo
Possibly: but 1 have got no time to
discuss that point now. There is some
very urgent work waiting for me up
stairs" and, with a hasty glance at his
watch, Mr.. Dut1ield beat final retreat.
There was always work waiting up
stairs for Mr.. Dutfield, and it was always
urgent. Not that any particular conse-
quences, either TO himself or others.
would have been entailed by its monaco
compllShment, but simply because this
excellent elderly gentleman belonged to
the order of persons who delight in pour
ing water into sleeves. Possessed of a
more than ample fortune and a prosper
GUS estate, which might have afforded
him various ways OF being happy, he
preferred to be happy in his own way.
which consisted in bending the powers of
his mind TO the task of discovering
whether it was worth while having a
mind at all, or, in other words, writing
works with such titles as ''Is Humanity
Mistaken ''Why Exist?" etc., which
nobody read, though there was always
plenty of publishers ready TO publish
them-at his risk. The life of galley
slave must, after all, possess some hid
den charms of his own, since it is Sc
lected by so many who might live at their
ease.
THE question now is" said Mrs. Duff
field, apostrophizing the tea-urn, as the
door closed behind her husband, (which
of the eight? The two youngest must be
mere children, and / fancy the eldest
must be passee. But surely among eight
there ought to be one pretty one. and
after taking Adela about / really don't
think l could stand plain one. How
would 1t be II i were to write for their
photographs before madeup my mind?"
Mrs. Duffield gazed hard at the tea-Irn
and then shook her head. THAT would
mean three months delay. / would
rather risk the plain girl than that? |
really cannot go on in this way any
longer"
Finally, after long and earnest CONSUL
tation win her inner self, the following
closing sentences were put ON paper:
Il don't know whether you are aware
that our neighborhood is one of the live
lest and most soeiable in this part of
England, so that girl who enjoys dane
ing Is sure to have plenty of fun. Also.
there can be no harm in mentioning. in
confidence, to you that there is very
falr proportion OF manageable men. con-
sequently quite q decent amount of
chances-for pretty girl
There!' said Mrs. Duffield as, with a
sigh of relief, she laid down her pen. Il
think / have done all that in decency can
be done-the rest must be left to fater'
CHAPTER II.
"It's the best joke I've ever heard of,
said Minna Lindley, throwing herself
back IN defective basket chair, the bet
ter to enjoy the joke in question.
Joker" repeated her mother. with a
feeble attempt at reproof; my dear
Z Inv ,,,- a..