The record-union., 1897-12-01
CICELYS MARRIAGE.

Jonn Green was 4U, and a bachelor,
ana rich. 1t was a matter of certain
knowledge that if one intrusted these
three particles of information to any
person over the age of and-twenty,
ne or she Immediately made answer,
either by the opinion, He ought to
marry or by the question, why
doesn't he marry?" 1t is true that one
lady, on learning his chef points of So
claI interest, had exclaimed, Dear me!
He is wiser than Solomon but then
she was eccentric, and had had three
husbands
John Green was not good-looking. He
was loose knit, and wore a heavy,
square brown beard; but there was a
kindly humor in his eye that told of
charity within, and was vastly attract
tive to children and some others who
We're shy in conversation.
He was a stockholder in a very large
way of business, being sole partner in
the firm of Green, Richards & Van
Schaacht. Richards had been dead for
ten years or more, and Van Schaacht,
an Americanized German Jew, had set
tied permanently in New York as a
banker and broker, to look after the
American interests of the English firm.
Green, Richards & Van Schaacht were
What is known as arbitrageurs, which
means that, with the aid of the cable,
they did business between London and
New York or Amsterdam, buying on
one market and selling on another 1t
was responsible work, demanding great
quickneSS and energy, and neceSSitat-
ing, moreover, heavy transactions at
the end of the day, owing to the differ
ence in the time between England and
America.
John Green was a man who liked to do
things himself, and he had no confiden-
tial clerk to whom he cared to leave i'm
portant matters. Consequently it was
often after o'clock before he got away
from the city. Then he would go to
his club for dinner, and afterward play
pool or billiards until it was sufficiently
late to go to bed. One day was very
much like another, except that on Sat
urday he was able to dine earlier, and SO
sometimes went to a theater. On sun
day. if the weather was fine, he often
walked out to see an aunt who lived at
Hendon She had educated him after
his parents death, and he was very fond
of her. He did not care for going much
into society, because, as he SAID, the
men seemed to think ha could talk or
nothing but business, and the women
seemed to think he could talk of nothing
but nonsense. II dare say they are
right" he would remark, plaintively,
'but l don't like to be reminded OF 1t.
One Sunday his aunt told him she was
expecting a visitor
ooh. really Who's that?" he asked,
stirring his tea slowly.
well, she's the daughter of a very
old friend of mine, who, poor soul, mas
lately died. Mrs. Walters, John; dare
say you have heard me speak of her she
left me a little legacy by her Will, ana
asked me to look after Cicely as lar as
! could. 1 don't think it's right 1or d
Girl of her age to live alone, SO nave
asked her to come and stay with me uh-
til she has time to look around ana make
a better arrangement. She is nice 1T
tie thing, and l shall be glad TO nave
her.
"Yes. Aunt Jane I think that will be
a capital plan; but 1 suppose L shah
be wanted any more on Sunday!
Now. John, don't be foolish, but pass
your cup for some fresh tea; that must
be quite cold!
John smiled and gave her the cup
The next Sunday was wet, ana the
Sunday after that John was Obliged 10
raw a call which had been owing, so IL
was three weeks before he went TO Hen
don again.
1t was a very hot day, and he Walked
With his waistcoat unbuttoned ana ms
straw hat far back on his head. AS
the public-house in the village was
closed. he thought he would approach
his aunt's house by the back way ana
ask William, the butler, TO hnd MN
bottle of beer. He lounged at the door
which opened on to the little red-tiled
ward. while William placed tum oier
on the window-sill, and drew the "olN'
John watched the beer approvingly as
il frothed into the glass with a VelVety
flop-flop against the side.
Good beer. William" he said, hold
ing it up to the light. Il suppose you
drink it yourself?'
Yes, sir; some times"
AS th. glass emptied and he looked
through the bottom of it, he saw some
one in a pink dress watching him from
behind the hedge. where the chickens
were kept. 1t seemed 10 him that she
locked different from other women, ard
lie set down his tumbler sharply, say
ing: who's that in the chicken-yard?
Miss Cicely expect, sir"
Miss Cicely! Who's Miss Cicely? ?
Oh. / remember"
He buttoned his waistcoat hastily and
walked round to the other side of the
hedge. Cicely Walters looked up as he
came toward her. Il beg your par
don" he began, but 1 think you must
be Miss Walters. and as you are likely
TO see a great deal more of me -han
ycu will care for, I think l ought TO
introduce myself with as little delay
as possible"
Miss Walters laughed and made some
conventional remark of greeting.
Decidedly" John thought, she is
different from other women. / wonder
what it is?"
Have you been robbing the nests?"
he asked her
there were four. / believe the cat eats
some"
DO you always feed the chickens in
the afternoon?''
Nearly always, except when it's
wet"
Curiously enough, John always re-
meinbered this on his subsequent visits,
although he forgot far more important
matters, such as business appointments
and invitations TO at homes.
John asked where his aunt was
shes in the drawing reading
n sermon on the sofa, Wouldn't you
like to see her?'
Ell think I'll go presently That's
an odd sort of sermon, isn't it--a SER
mon on the sofa?"