The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-01-10


make q fool of myself.
When we sat down to dinner, I was still
haunted by this fear, and consequently
very flustered. 1t would have been un-
speakably grateful to stink into an obscure
corner whence 1 could watch without at
tracting attention, but q perverse fate
placed me disconcertingly close to the ra,-
diant being who presided as hostess II
may seem an odd thing, but in the distress
| Of the first Is minutes, had there been
the choice, would gladly have resigned
! my seat beside the beautiful young mis-
| tress Of The Elms to charge upon blazing
park of artillery, and would sooner have
| fought 10 men than address a voluntary
remark to her. To find her SO much as
looking at me was to be struck with a ri
diculous palsy that sent nervous tremor
all through me, as IL there were an electric
battery In her eyes; to be directly addressed
by her was total overthrow of the wits and
paralysis of the tongue.
That was during the first half hour of
our contact. By degrees came to feel IL
was good to be near her and listen to her
wondrously vivacious and penetrative talk
and watch the flying shadows of thought
on her superbly nodded and expressive
fnce, and the CLEAN of her raven hair, and
the sunshine that rippled in dlmpled cheek
and chin, and the sparkle of her dark eyes,
Neyes which were equally ready to laugh in
joy or melt in pity or fash in stern indig-
nation and rebuke.
lam netsH0ipx toattempt description
Of her surprising beauty, formal portrait
being to me thing clean out Of the ques-
! tion. She was 20, child Of the sun and
the peer of any queen on earth-fair as
her whose face had launched q thousand
ships and burned the topless towers of HI
um, and II she caused me fiutter of fright
1t was species Of delirious ecstacy, a de-
licious pain, that was the very essence of
delight
Dinner had not long begun when my
business was introduced.
1T is not thing to be lightly decided
upon" said Sir Thomas seriously. "You
are at time Of life now, Mr.. Andrew,
when every act, every decision, Is momen-
tous. Our acts and decisions indeed are
always momentous, but they are peculiarly
and particularly so In youth, when we give
the tone and bias to our whole later life. A
hasty or an unwise decision in early years,
too, often involves u lifelong regret. Ihope
you have well considered with your father
and mother"
"As to that, Sir Thomas chimed In nv
father ere l could speak a word. "His
mother and myself have come to no deci-
sion in the matter. To be perfectly candid,
we have not been consulted. But he is free
to choose If he thinks 1t will be to his ad-
vantage to go to India, let him go to India.
He will be the likelier TO succeed II he de-
cides for himself"
MY sentiments exactly" said Mr.. CIe-
phane emphaticaliy. ~ have son of my
own, and say: Peter, my boy, choose for
yourself. We are all endowed with differ
ent tastes and different faculties, therefore
choose for YOURSELF / mako no doubt that
Andrew is quite competent to select a ca
reer for himself"
Probably he Is, responded Sir Thomas
quietly. "Yet most of us are wiser at 90
than at 90"
''And India is SO dreadfully far away, Sir
Thomas," put in my mother tremulously.
why, as to that, cousin" said the law.
yer, with an unctuous smile, 'coelum non
animum muiant qui trans mare currunt"
Crossing the seas docs not change q mans
nsture).
No notice being taken of this speech, I
stammered what regret to have to con-
fess was hardly the truth-namely, that /
had given the matter careful consideration
and was fully resolved to go to India.
My mother said nothing, but it was clear
the dinner had little relish, for she and
Isabel left the table early. There was ST.
lence for a. little while after their with
drawal.
Then Sir Thomas said: "Since you have
decided then, Mr. Andrew, If it would not
be prying too much into private affairs
might l ask-if / am impertinent pray tell
me so-what your plans are after your ar
rival In India have a special reason for
asking"
To this was forced to confess that had
not thought out my plans, that in fact Ihad
no plans at all.
youth trusts to luck" said the lawyer,
ever ready to thrust his tongue In where it
was not wanted. Fortune favors them
who have the pluck to show they don't
care rap for the jade"
" trust, Kilburnie," said Sir Thomas,
turning to my father and ignoring the law
yer's remark, that when you have heard
my reason you will not deem me intolera-
bly, selfish. wished to ascertain that Mr..
Andrew had fully made up his mind be-
fore intruding any personal concern of my
own lest his generosity might lead him to
neglect his own interests
You are quite incapable of doing any
thing from selfish motives, Sir Thomas"
returned my father quickly and cordially.
Whatever be your reasons, am ready to
wager they do you honoxn
You are extremely good to express such
sentiments" said Sir Thomas, "but am
afraid my motives in this instance are self
ish."
"Then, Sir Thomas, shall be very much
indeed" responded my father
promptly.
You are too generous. Kilburnie," said
Sir Thomas, "but you will be better able to
-hny, u Lox, Id.
Tor being inquisitive. The fact is am anx-
ious to find some Trustworthy friend going
TO India who would--well-who would un.
dertake delicate family mission for me-"
My heart jumped at this. What could
the family mission bei And would Isabel
be interested In itf
There are those in India,n continued
Sir Thomas, after short pause, "of whom
should very much like to have intelli-
gence." He stopped a moment, lingering
his glasses absently, lifting 1t to his mouth
and putting it down again without drink
Ing. Then he went on, while we all lis
tened intently;
II think it is generally supposed by my
friends and neighbors that Isabel is my |
only child, but that-I speak in confidence,
sentlemen-is a mistake. She has a broth
sr Donald-Donald Gordon-and It is of |
lim would fain have news The young
man himself is not addicted to letter writ
ng, and my correspondents in the east
'eenf somehow or other to have lost sight
If him 1t may be that he is dead" and
here was quiver in his voice. IF SO, it
would be some satisfaction to know It,
And, to be brief, l thought that IL Andrew
we're going to India he might possibly be
sble to look Donald up"
"Gad. Sir Thomas. Andrew Is Just the