The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1895-05-28
HIS COURTSHIP.

Mr. James Lempriere was at Wat
sons hotel, Bombay. He was going
home. He had been upward of 81
years in India, there was no denying
that. But then, as he himself said
''nen wear so differently" Besides
he consoled himself with the life in
sr1rance offices. Terms were so much
more favorable that longevity must
be on the increase. He did not con
slider his own at all bad age al
which to commence a happy English
career.
Mr.. Lempriere had been in the
civil service in the northwest prov
inces and had run the usual course
without especial distinction either
for competence or the lack Of it. He
had gone through the mutiny with
determination, not complaining Of
hardships, and-it was going to be
said-encouraging the ladies. But
no, that was unnecessary. If those
trying times proved anything, it was
the iuvincible courage of English
women. Before the establishment
of the high court our friend had
thought himself rather q good dis,
trict judge, but after that event it
was found that there was too much
hearsay evidence in his criminal
cases, and as for what he considered
mis- happy settlement of old water
pipe and new window disputes, why,
the chief justice told him it was
clear that he had most imperfect
acquaintance with the law of case
ments. However, he had always
been at small stations and so had
saved money, for, except in the
matter of the table, his expenses
were small, and he had staered clear
of all matrimonial engagements.
But now, with England looming be-
fore him, the idea occurred to him
very forcibly that he had put off
settling" for long, long time, and
that if he meant to settle at all he
must brighten up and look about
him.
Mr.. Lempriere was not quite at
his ease with white men in a rank
socially below his own, because in
the small stations the whites had all
been 'sahibs," and he was not ac-
customed to any that were not. A
rather good looking man of 80 per-
haps entered. He mentioned, but
with a distinctly western accent,
that he was prepared to enter serv-
ice for the voyage home. His
name was Stevens, and he was last,
as he said, from London. Still he
admitted that it was possible to view
him as an American, though in his
opinion a cosmopolitan would be
nearer the mark.
He was not to wait at table, as the
purser would object, but he would
look generally after Mr.. Lempriere-
brush his clothes and shoes and keep
an eye on the luggage. He seemed
just the thing, and then if he had
not seemed just the thing it was
perhaps likely he would have been
engaged, for a contract was a much
easier conclusion of the business
than a refusal. They were to start
the next day. Stevens would take
his own second class passage, and
settlement would come afterward.
The ship was to raise anchor at Il.
Mr.. Lempriere breakfasted betimes
and drove down to Garden Beach to
the premises of the P. 81 o. com.
pany.
When the judge got on board the
steamship Auckland, the first duty
was to choose a place at the cuddy ia,
BILE, tolerably near the captain, but
a corner seat, easy to get at, near a
wind sail and opposite young lady.
Just the thing, because he was going
in for conversation and pleasantness
now. He concluded the card on the
plate, which card bore the name
"Efie Briedenbach," must mean a
lady, and Effie would be too frivo,
lous for an old maid and inappropri
ate for an old woman. Stevens, who
was there, said that the next card,
MRS. Silas p. Christie" belonged to
the first card. 1t was party of two
He had seen the cards laid, but the
ladies had not come on board yet.
The ship started as advertised and
glided out of the smooth harbor into
the smooth ocean and the warm sea
air, which in the spring, between
Bombay and Alden, is 80 inexpress
IDLY delightful to the home bound
traveller. Luncheon was a confused
meal. Few had got their own seats
and many were absent arranging
their cabins. But when dinner was
announced in the later afternoon the
old judge fancy man of only SO be
ing called 80 irreverent a name, but
such had been his station appellation,
saw very arch young lady opposite
to himself, young, but not childish
Say eight and twenty, dressed pic
turesquely, with a bodice Of one col