Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-08-05

the life and hustle around her 10 spare
thought for anything else.
Mabel had been on the river often
enough, but Henley was new to her,
and when the full brilliance OF the
scene became clear to her dazzled
eyes she could only gasp out her
pleasure,
"Oh, it is lovelyl I did not think
anything could be so bright in this
gray England of ours" she exclaimed.
''All England is not Brixton," ex-
claimed Bulwer, lightly. II hope
that we shall see many scenes as
bright as this together" and as he
spoke light flashed into his eyes as
he bent them upon her, and Mabel's
heart trembled with pleasure. She
thought that at last he was going to
ask her to share his lot in future, and
remained discreetly silent. But Bull
wer made no further remark, and,
settling to work with the SOULS, pad
died the boat down the stream.
Presently he broke the silence again.
"You will find the people we are stay
ing with very different from the Brix-
tonians, Mabel" he said. ''It will be
quite new experience of life for you. y
He seemed somewhat at loss to ex-
plain his meaning in reply to the girls
question as to where the difference
lay.
SIS Mrs. Walls very clever wo-
man?" asked Mabel, referring to the
hostess she was about to meet.
"No; oh, no." replied Bulwer.
"Clever, of course, but nothing ex-
ceptional, you know. She is just like
the rest of them, and you must pre-
pare to be shocked a little. You see,
in Brixton people take such narrow
views of life. Men and women of the
world are accustomed to take much
broader outlook upon things"
"What things?" demanded the
girl.
"Things generally, you know" re-
piled Bulwer, vaguely.
Mabel began to wonder little. She
wondered still more during the next
two or three days she spent on board the
houseboat Irene, and something very
much like distrust began to take pos
session of her. In two days her ex-
perience of the manners and customs
of the society to which Bulwer had
introduced her led her to some very
curious conclusions. She decided
that the ladies consumed more cham
payne than was good for their health,
and she found tl,at brandy and soda
was invariably considered the thing to
drink in the early morning. She
learned that it was correct to address
the most casual male acquaintance as
"dear boy" and to refer to lord
otherwise than by his Christian name
was to confess oneself outside the pale
of civilization. She learned, too, that
the only subjects upon which society
lady could converse with any degree OF
fuency was upon matters theatrical or
sporting, and when deeply interested
in either of these questions her Ian
guage had an adjectival facility which
was somewhat alarming to a mere
Brixtonian.
Still Reginald was very attentive,
and laughed away Mabels scruples.
She had very little time to think,
either. Each day was full of incident,
and in one continual whirl of light
and life, seemed to end before it had
well begun. Before breakfast was
finished it was time to take the punt
and make their way to point of want
age on the course. Scarcely an hour
seemed to pass and it was time to re.
turn to lunch. Then the punt again,
tea at another houseboat. and finally a
drift down the river and reposeful
half-hour in the backwater before
Hambledon Lock before dinner.
After dinner, gossip and music, with
out and within, filed the evening,
until eyes refused to remain open
longer. That was the order of things
until the last day of the regatta.
Meanwhile Jim Todd had been
going disconsolately about his bust
ness in town. At first he had deter.
mined to remain away from Henley
altogether; but, as each day passed,
he repented of his intention, and a,
last, on the morning of the last day,
he donned his fannels and followed
the rest of the pleasure-seekers. Az
least he would be able to get glimpse
of the girl who had thrown him over
He did not bear her any ill.will; there
was not particle of malice in the
whole of his body. If she seemed un
happy, well, he would bear it as bes'
he might, and take up Loyalty the
position of friend, if he were allowed
to do so. In spite, however, of the
fine day and the life and movement
Jim Todd felt the reverse of happy
The general gayety only increased his
gloom. He was outside it all, and, t.
crown everything, he did not catch {
glimpse of Mabel. So at length
wearying of the babble of laughter
and music, he got out his SOULS anC
left the course behind, determined I,
/ find some secluded spot where h;
might rest and brood over his los
happiness.
The quiet spot was more Difficult
to find than he had anticipated
Every sheltered corner had its boa
and its pair of lovers. It was yer.
tantalizing to Jim, in hit particular
mood. He went on, however, pull
ing doggedly until he reached at las
little backwater which promised re
tirement, and there he pushed hi
boat in under the shade of tree an,
made it fast to one of it's branches
He was not undisturbed for long
however, for within half an hour
| IooA .~..laI - xx,,tb,, n fax