The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-23
fNo,c First Pssbiished.l
A COURT TRAIN.
l.. b. WAI.FORD,
Copyright. 1893, by the Arthor.l

tCopyriaht. 1895
It was the flights Week" at Oxford. and
D more glorious week for that delightful
festival could not have been desired or
imagined.
May sunshine filed the sky; May odors
scented the air.
All along the river banks the cuckoo's
note resounded from dewy morn TO solemn
eve, while the swelling song of the night
ingale broke out from time to time By
hf dgerow, field path and meadow.
Age and youth met each other in joyful
congratulation. Heads of hohses OUT
stripped the freshest of the freshmen in
their eager excitement and anxiety anent
fhe positions OF their various boats; while
sober matrons were as wise and learned on
the important topic of the hour as were
the most youthful of their rosy checked
daughters.
During the Fights week no one at OK
ford thinks of any thing but the "Eights."
Naturally. therefore. this merry season is
the period for hospitality. as well as for
festiyity.
I'VE must ask so-and-so for the
Flights" has been the password in every
house which entertains at all for some
Kline past; and every man or woman who
has bed TO offer. or q makeshift to sug-
Rest. has echoed the summons. Epistles
have forthwith been indited on this wise:
I'VE have so little to tempt you at any
other time but we hope that perhaps you
may be induced TO spend few May days
here during the Fights week. The re-
cipient of the above is tolerably sure to be
''induced'-nsy. he or she. more particu-
larry if Londoner. finds the idea of u
flew May days" among the historic dust of
ages mex pressi bly, alIurinG.
The dust might choke, presently. 1t is
difficult for the denizen Of Mayf fair or Pail
Mall TO acelimatize his soul and accomc-
date his talk to the narrower range of
modern university life. but for q brief
period. whne the transition is novel. and
the sense of relaxation complete. there is
balm In every breath OF the summer air.
Many one. too. has old associations at
work within the breast. Either he has
Dimse IL been WET Boz some dozen or
two years before, or he has cheered on his
college boat from the bank. running along
a. the top OF his speed, or he has thun.
de red from the barge the crews swept by.
He can still recall the ecstacies or the
the thrill of pride which throbbed through
every VEIN, when one year-one well-re-
mem bered year-his boat was head OF the
river" 1t seems To him as If nothing ever
happens nowadays TO equal that glorious
moment W hen the simultaneous shout arose
and proclaimed victory, With something
OF q sigh the prosperous and successful
man of mature years turns to seek out the
old ribbon. and q shade of tender mel
ancholy msyh hap steals into his smile.
lie SAYS he will 90 down TO old Oxford yet
BgsLh.
5ut he does go: everyone goes.
And i am afraid IL will seem little
strange. dear, your running away just
when every one else Is coming here" limited
gentle little Mrs. West to her daughter as
she watched, with somewhat wistful eyes.
Henrietta dsrtlng hither and thither in all
the hustle OF joyous packing mp. 1T does
seem rather pity" Then the speaker
paused and hesitated. Il suppose it's too
late now-still. of course, you could not
Know what mammal" But there was a
slight increase of color on the fair cheek.
which betrayed that Henrietta was not
quite so ignorant as her tone implied.
well: that we-that we had-had guests
coming" reioined her mother, nervously
twisting between her fingers piece Of pa
per and looking away from her companion.
HE could hardly expect you TO give up
your London visit on his account. could
eff you mean Mr.. Aiwyn. certainly not"
said Henrietta promptly. 1--WE did not ask
him-he asked himself. When a man asks
himself to place be- must take the place
as he finds II. You know mamma par
ticularly told you not to fix any one this
year for the Fights week. because / ex-
pected my aunt julia would invite me TO
London. and she has done it exactly when
i thought she would. 1t Is most good
natured of her: she has heaps of people to
invite to Grosyenor street. and che would
think il very odd if | should refuse 10 20
just because these Oxford boys with su-
peril cOntemptl are rowing their twO Denny-
balfpennv races
My dear Hennym Mrs. West looked more
than reproachful-hurt.
well. mamma. you know l am sick of
Oxford and oxford people; They talk of
nothing but Smith of BallIof-and Jones
of Prmbroke'-and 'Commem'-and the
Long'-snd 'Exams.'-and all their own
little, little world. It is all very well for
them-it is their business, l suppose; and
TO seem TO like it whether he does or not"
My dear child. he does likeit"
Say he does. then. That need not make
me- 4 am not q professor of the University
OF Oxf0rd-I don't deliver lectures ana
wear gown. and dine In Hall; navenoth-
ing to do with the place beyond living in 1T
which wish didn't"
Dear Kenny. pray do not speak So"
Henny's mother was Injured TO outbursts of
rebellion similar TO the above. and although
IL might have been seen that she was per-
picked and panied, obviously surprise had
nothing 10 do with her present discomfit-
ure. lyon are little out of sorts to-day,
my love-" she murmured, as though seek
ing TO explain away her yexation: it Is I'M
fortunate that Mr.. Alwyn should have
named the very day TO come that had been
fixed upon for yon TO GO"
1T il nothing of the kind" said Henry.
sharply.
She was not going to own either to her
parents or TO anyone else that she wished
Freddy Aiwyn had offered himself at any
other time: certainly. she was not going TO
give mp Aer own visit In order to amnse his
and make it pass more agreeably. She told
herself that Freddy Alwyn could wait-and
that she had something else on hand which
could not wait.
Mr.. ALVIN was well enough. On the
whole she liked Mr.. Alwyn. They had be-
come rather friendly when he WAS last at
then-a1d Freddy Alwyn had filled a con-
sileraLse space of the foreground in Miss
Henrietta Vests thoughts for the time be-
ing.
subsequently Alwyn had obtained q lIv-
ina-a good living In a charming part of
the country-and with some private for
time. fair abilities aud certain amount of
family influence he had become enough of
O parsonage to graduate from Freddy"
into Mr." Alwyn.
Meeting with her former boyish admirer
NJ a friends house - few mont his before this
little story opens. pretty Henrietta had ex-
perienced q sense of shyness mich the SUM-
burnt undergraduate had failed 10 ms pire;
and the holder he became the moro timid
did she