The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-07

| by siBht al ho'IAeid- NY h"iii1 va"
| Perry"
Perry In a second, the memory of a
| genteel and somewhat pushing widow,
| with a pretty daughter. came back 10 him
! and he exclaimed. ITO be sure How De
lighted TO see a face from home; II IS Ike
water in a thirsty landr
cit is indeed" she assented, with sigh
'Tiave You been out loug?'
give years And you2'
Eighteen months
And do you like the life?'
mo, between ourselves. I hate it. 1t is
a lonely, melancholy. hopeless sort of eX-
lstence-at any rate to me. And this
weird Australian bush haunts me- I can
tell you; 1 have horrible presentment
that it win be my grave
"Oh, you must not get such ridiculous
fancies inio your head she protested
with animation; you want good rous-
ing. Mr.. Macnab says that you never go
off the station; you should so out hunting
and attend race meetings and gatherings
and you would soon grow out Of such
| horrible ideas
81 daresay there is something in what
you say but I am always busy, from dawn
ill dark, and on Sundays there are no
near neighbOrs.
1--WE are thirty miles away-this IS con-
sidered mere canter out here, but YOU
might think # rather too much of a jous-
ney," and she gave him one of her most
distractins smiles.
Il should not think a hundred miles a
journey, TO see q face from Moorfield" he
answered. with depressed emotion in his
voice.
Then in future 1 hope you will spend
your Sundays with US Bernard viii be
delighted to see you, too, he likes change
of society his own men are appallingly
dun
II am not very bright, can assure you"
all hs
so hopelessly and densely stupid that I
am out here. I couldn't pass an exam. to
save my life"
"WeH you don't look stupid, and l don't
believe you are" returned Mamie, with
another of her most sympathetic smiles.
My governor would tell you another
story" ne rejoined, and gradually they
drifted into mutual memories-they dis
cussed the village, the neighborhOOds, aye,
the very dogs and horses.
1t was past u O'Clock by the time theiI
walk and "reminiscences had come to an
end. The verandah had been empty for an
hour, Macnab and GrimshaW had retired
early. after a glance at a distant ana lin
gering couple. Grimshaw was accustom-
ed to that picture; Mamie always liked
a new hand-when he was presentable-
ana many a wayfarer had paced that same
path by her side.
But Macnab was not so complacent-he
it possible that Talbot, the reserved and
distant 80 fastidious about womankind
had accepted the Spiders invitation to
walk into her parlor?"
Yes Talbot hgurauvely walked into
her parlOr' when every Saturday he gall
topped over to Linga Tonga 'ventre a terre'
and returned at daybreak on Monday, and
every succeeding week found the pair bet
ter friends. Ii was an unqualified delight
to Talbot to talk of his home, to read bits
of his letters, and unfold his hopes and
fears TO this charming and interesting wo-
man.
There was only one subject that he had
not yet ventured to open. and that the
one nearest to his heart He was engaged
to Mabel Trevor, his cousin, a girl as
penniless as himself Somehow he knew
by an uuerring instinct that Mrs Grim
shaw would not be very sympathetic about
Mabel, though she had enough TO say
about love in the abstract
What a boon and a blessing she proved
to be! What a fortunate day for him
when grumpy old Macnab had brought him
to her door! Mr.. Macnab threw out many
| strong hints and warnings. but he spoke
TO deaf ears; Talbot, like all the other
flies" fercely resented any interference
with his Friendship that was what be
called it-and as Gar as he was personally
concerned It was strictly platonic.
But, alas! 1t was otherwise with respect
to Mamie Grimshaw 1t is said that
friendship is never platonic on both sides.
Here was her hero at last, long a dream
and now a reality. Talbot's handsome
face. Chivalrous manners, and splendid
horsemauship, were sufficiently attractive
without the added iuster of his fine Old
name, ana the overwhelming advantage
of being the squire's son. whereas she was
out "out of the village"
Moreover, he was different to her other
] i 1
never stepped. He wore her flowers. but
he would not call her Mamie, nor did
ne sign himself (as she did yours ever"
All the week long she looked forward with
a kind of aching anticipation to Saturday
and Sunday; everything of the best was
carefully reserved for those days, as well
as her prettiest gowns, her happiest Smiles
Grimshaw himself liked the young man
| Maimie's playmate" as she chose to call
him-and the shining hour and week after
| week flew by. Ii was Bessies brother
| (who secretly detested Bern's second wife)
who ultimately applied the slow match
| which iguited Grimshaw5s Jealousy. For
a considerable time he had surveyed the
couple with half-closed eyes, and in omin-
GUS silence. Then he spoke.
Il say, Bern l wouldn't care about hav-
! ing a handsome chap like that young
| Talbot hanging round my wife, if she
| happened to be a pretty woman and fifteen
| years younger than myself"
There's no fear of you. Your Fanny Is
ugly enough to brighten a horser' was
! Demands savage retort
| "Well, she Is no beauty, I allow; but
! she is q good woman" returned the other
| laying great stress on the adjective good
| and so is Mamie. Who dares say a
word against her? And well able to take
| care of herself"
ooh, of herself. yes. She always looks
after number one
You don't like her and never did"
''No, but young Talbot makes up for nv
! bad taste And he glanced significantly
/ 10 where Talbot was slowly and reverent-
| ly tanning his hostess.
! Grimshaw made no reply, and presently
! changed the subject 1t was a hot night.
! and he could not sleep. and all the silent
! dark hours he recalled many little Incl
| deuts-long solitary walks, long games.
/ mutual secrets, mutual UNDERSTANDINGS
! conversations from which he was entire
! ly excluded So many straws ultimately
made them quite a large stack He re-
| solved TO watch them.