Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-07-01
CHAPTER l.

Academy for Young Gentlemen" l,
Hugh Trelawney, then scarcely ten years
old, was moping alone. l had only ar
rived two days before from London,
where l had parted from my father, a
travelling lecturer in the cause of what
was then known as the New Moral
World. My mother had long been dead,
and | had led a somewhat neglected
life, sometimes accompanying my father
on his wanderings, more often being
left to the care, or carelessness, of
strangers. At last l had been sent to
southampton to complete a very per
functory education.
1t was afternoon, and a half-holiday;
my new school fellows were playing close
by. | was too used to loneliness to be
very miserable. l merely felt an outcast
for the time being, and took no interest
whatever in my new associations.
AS L sat thus, l must have fallen into
a brown study, from which a slight
sound startled me, and looking up, l met
the fash of two dark eyes which were
intently regarding me.
Are you the new ooy?' said a clear
voice.
nodded, and stared at my interroga-
tor, n girl about my own age, whose
black eyebrows were knitted curiously.
Her arms and neck were bare, and she
was fOndling a kitten, whose lissome
movements seemed to have something in
common with her own beauty.
What is your name?" she continued,
In the same clear questioning tone, alto
gether with the manner of a superior
who uoc NOT 70 ho +,;Aol nth
Hugh Trelawney."
She continued to regard me with the
same keen scrutiny, and then said, "Why
don't you go out and play with the other
boys?
Il don't care about play. l am tired"
"Tired with what?' she questioned,
quickly.
| made no reply, l had meant to i'm
ply that | was low-spirited and dull. She
understood me, and troubled me with
no more questions.
Glad to direct her attention from my
self, for her bright eyes troubled me, 1
stroked the kitten, which she had placed
upon the floor, and l began to question
in my turn.
"Are you the schoolmaster's daugh-
ter.
At this she laughed with such a good
humored sympathy with my blunder,
that my first impression of her began to
improve, and l saw that, besides being
u rather imperious, she was a very
pretty, young lady.
81 am a stranger here, like yourself"
she said. "My people live far away in
South America, and are very rich. My
ponthnr 10 laoI onI I Inptt ~ ,o~,hor
her. My father has sent me here to be
taught; but | shall soon go back to him.
He is a great man, and when he gave me
these earrings, he told me my mother
had worn them before me, and he kissed
them. We live far away from here, in
a brighter place. Don't you hate Eng
land?"
This was rather a startling query, but
being in a state of mind bordering on
disgust for life in general, l readily as
scented. Her eyes cleaned.
at is a dreary place." she cried; "dull
and miserable, and it rains nearly every
day. But it is different where | come
from. 1t is always bright there, and
there are flowers everywhere, and the
trees are full of fruit; and there are
bright insects, and beautiful snakes
without stings, that can be taught to
Irvine round your neck, and feed out OF
your hand"
1t seemed that l was transported tc
the land of which she spoke; her eyes
were so sparkling, her face so bright and
sunny, her form so foreign in its slender
beauty-and her earrings glistened, and
her beautiful ivory teeth gleamed-and
l saw her walking in that land, a won.
der among all wonders there, with fruits
and flowers over her head, and brilliant
insects floating round her, and luminous
snakes cleaning harmless in her path
and dusky slaves waiting upon her, fol
for l had been a studious boy, fond OF
reading wild books of travel and ad
venture, and of picturing in my mind the
wonders of foreign lands.
When she next spoke, her clear, i'm
petuous tone was greatly changed and
softened, and a kinder light dwelt or
her face.
IF you will come with me-" she said
81 will show you the place. There Is
not much to see but the garden"
| rose awkwardly, as If at a word OF
command, and followed her. Ashamed
yet pleased, to be chaperoned by a girl
! wondered what my school fellows
would think of it. They were playing
cricket. They paid no attention to me
but looked at my companion with n curl
Gus and not too friendly expression. She
passed along imperiously, without deign'
ing to cast a single look in their direc
ton; and l noticed that her dark brows
were knitted with the former unpleasant
expression.
Our first visit was to the top Of a high
knoll behind the house, whence we could
see the surrounding country, and, some
miles to the southwark, the distant sea
with a white frost of pillows on the edge
of silver-colored sands. The girl looked
at the passing sails with much the sam
peculiar expression she had worn on oul
first encounter.
Are your clever?' she asked, sudden